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Top three

BOU16_team
 
On a night when Harwich took its first loss of the 2016 season, Falmouth and Bourne seized the chance to match the Mariners for the league’s best record. The Commodores beat Hyannis 8-2 and the Braves blew past Chatham 12-4. Both teams are 5-1 along with Harwich, who lost to Wareham 3-2.

Falmouth took over the label of hottest team in the league with its fourth straight win. The Commodores scored three runs in the first inning and got six strong innings from Brady Puckett (Lipscomb), the Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Year. Puckett was touched up for three runs in an opening night start against Chatham, but allowed just an unearned tally in this one. He scattered five hits and struck out two. Brett Gilchrist (Dallas Baptist) fanned four in two innings of relief and Tyler Jones (Wichita State) finished off the win with a scoreless ninth.

The offensive attack was spearheaded by the top of the order. Kevin Merrell (South Florida), Bryce Johnson (Sam Houston State), Michael Gigliotti (Lipscomb) and Tyler Lawrence (Murray State) went a combined 8-for-15 with seven runs scored and six RBI. They accounted for all but two of Falmouth’s hits.

Merrell is now hitting .481 from the leadoff spot, with two hits in each game of Falmouth’s win streak. Lawrence, a late addition who hit .355 for Murray State this spring, has homered in each of his two appearances with the Commodores.

While Falmouth is the hottest team in the league, Hyannis fell to 0-6 and is the last remaining winless club.

Over at Doran Park, Bourne fell behind 4-0 in the top of the first inning but had a few big innings of their own in rallying for the lopsided win. The Braves scored three runs in the fourth and seventh innings and exploded for six in the sixth inning.

Connor Wong (Houston) went 4-for-6 with two RBI and is now hitting .400 in his second go-round on the Cape. David MacKinnon (Hartford) and Luis Alvarado (Nebraska) chipped in three hits each, while Toby Handley (Stony Brook) had two RBI. Justin Yurchak (Binghamton) had two hits and two runs scored and has now hit safely in every game this season.

J.T. Perez (Cincinnati) settled in after giving up the four early runs and didn’t allow another one in four innings of work. As Bourne rallied, its relief corps took control, with Christian Taugner (Brown), Andrew Wantz (UNC Greensboro) and Zach Cook (Winthrop) combining for five scoreless innings with six strikeouts.

In the losing effort, Chatham got two RBI from Patrick Mathis (Texas), who is tied for the league lead with nine, and two RBI from Chase Pinder (Clemson), who went 1-for-4 in his Chatham debut. Chase’s brother, Chad, played for Virginia Tech and Chatham and was a second round pick of Oakland in 2013.
 

Wareham 3, Harwich 2

The Gatemen handed Harwich its first loss thanks to a run in the top of the ninth inning. K.J. Harrison (Oregon State) – the 2015 Pac 12 Freshman of the Year – made his first appearance in Wareham and drew a one-out walk in the ninth. He took second on a wild pitch and came home on an RBI single by Gavin Sheets (Wake Forest). Reliever Casey Mize (Auburn), who had already pitched two scoreless innings, added one more to finish off the win. Pavin Smith (Virginia) led off the inning with a base hit but was cut down at second trying to stretch it to a double. Mize then worked around a walk to close out the win. Sheets led the Wareham offense with two RBI. Before Harrison scored the go-ahead run, he knocked in the first run with an RBI double. Harwich got three hits from Smith. Starter Peter Solomon (Notre Dame) was strong in a no-decision, striking out nine in six innings.

Y-D 10, Brewster 8

Y-D grabbed its first win with an emphatic rally. Trailing 4-1 in the eighth, the Red Sox scored eight runs then held off Brewster’s own comeback attempts for the victory. A two-run homer by Kevin Smith (Maryland) and a two-run double by Brendan Skidmore (Binghamton) were the big blows in the eight-run inning. Smith finished the night with four hits and Skidmore had three. Will Toffey (Vanderbilt), making his 2016 Cape debut, went 2-for-5. Corey Dempster (USC) knocked in two runs. The late push by Y-D spoiled a strong start by Brewster’s Hunter Martin (Tennesse), who allowed one run in 6.1 innings. Brewster also got a huge day at the plate from Matt Davis (VCU), who homered twice and drove in five. He’s hitting .400 and leads the league in home runs with four.

Orleans 6, Cotuit 5

Fresh off its first win, Cotuit took a 5-4 lead in the third inning, but Orleans scored two in the seventh and went on to a 6-5 win. Ethan Paul (Vanderbilt), Drew Lugbauer (Michigan), Scott Hurst (Cal State Fullerton) and Zach Kirtley (St. Mary’s) had two hits each to lead the Firebirds, with Paul driving in a pair of runs. Kevin Smith (Georgia) – a different Smith than the one who had four hits for Y-D – got the win in relief and Brandon Bielak (Notre Dame) earned his first save. Cotuit got two hits and two RBI from Jordan Pearce (Nevada).

What to Watch

North Carolina standout J.B. Bukauskas makes his second start for Chatham and potentially his last before Team USA training begins June 27. The Anglers host Brewster, which is starting Bryan King, a solid performer at McNeese State this spring.
 

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Shut down

Zach Schellenger, pictured last summer, struck out four batters in one inning in his 2016 debut as Harwich shut out Falmouth.
Zach Schellenger, pictured last summer, struck out four batters in one inning in his 2016 debut as Harwich shut out Falmouth.

 
The first shutouts of the 2016 Cape League season were authored by a pair of teams that stayed perfect in the process.

Three Wareham pitchers combined to hold down Cotuit in an 8-0 win Sunday while three Harwich pitchers did the same against Falmouth in a 3-0 win. The Gatemen improved to 2-0, while Harwich is the only 3-0 team in the league.

The Gatemen shutout was the more impressive of the two. Cotuit got an infield single from Jake Bivens (Michigan) in the second inning and literally nothing else. Bivens was caught stealing and Wareham pitchers retired 23 in a row from there – no hits, no walks, no errors. And because Bivens was caught stealing, Gatemen pitchers faced the minimum for the full nine innings.

Jake Walters (Alabama), the best starter for the Crimson Tide this spring, went three innings with a strikeout. Reliever Cole Stapler (Nicholls State) fanned three in five perfect innings and Nick Sprengel (San Diego) tossed a perfect ninth to finish it off.

Wareham’s hitters provided plenty of backing, with Colton Shaver (BYU) leading the way. Coming off a big spring, he homered for the second time in as many games and went 4-for-4 with four RBI. Joey Bartosic (George Washington) knocked in two and Trevor Ezell (Southeast Missouri State) had three hits and two runs scored.

Cotuit’s Matt Ladrech (California) allowed only one earned run in six innings, but the Gatemen tallied two unearned then broke the game open with four runs against the Kettleer bullpen.

Over in Falmouth, Harwich pitchers scattered seven hits but didn’t let a runner come home. Shane McCarthy (Seton Hall) went six innings and struck out five. Teddy Rodliff (Stony Brook) struck out three in two innings, and Zach Schellenger (Seton Hall) out-did even his big K-rate from the spring by fanning four in one inning (the first batter of the ninth reached on a dropped third strike).

Harwich had only four hits, but three unearned runs in the sixth inning were plenty. Trey Harris (Missouri) had an RBI single and two other runs scored on an error.
 

Bourne 5, Hyannis 4

The Braves have had a flair for the dramatic so far this season. After a walk-off win on opening night, they edged Hyannis with a run in the top of the 10th Sunday. Toby Handley (Stony Brook) had an RBI single to plate the 10th-inning go-ahead run and Conner O’Neil (Cal State Northridge) pitched around a double in the bottom half to close out the win. Handley was one of four Braves to notch a multi-hit game. Conner McVey (Cincinnati) went 3-for-5 with an RBI while Willy Yahn (Connecticut) and Connor Wong (Houston) had two hits apiece. Starter A.J. Moore (Kennesaw State) struck out seven in five innings for Bourne. Hyannis was let by Carl Stajduhar (New Mexico). The Mountain West Conference Player of the Year went 2-for-4 with three RBI and his first Cape home run. The blast tied the game in the eighth. Bourne improved to 2-0. Hyannis is 0-3.

Chatham 3, Orleans 2

The Anglers broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the eighth and held off Orleans in the ninth for a 3-2 win at Veterans Field. Patrick Mathis (Texas) delivered the big hit in the eighth, a two-run triple that snapped the tie. Orleans loaded the bases with nobody out in the ninth, but Chatham sacrificed a run for a double play then got a groundout to end the game. Isaac Mattson (Pittsburgh) was credited with the win in relief and Michael Fitzgerald (Northeastern) the save. Joseph Freiday (Virginia Tech) had the other RBI for the Anglers. Chris Triano (Keystone College) led Orleans with three hits. Both teams are 1-1.

Brewster 11, Y-D 6

The Whitecaps scored all their runs in the first five innings and coasted to their first victory of the season. Ryan Noda (Cincinnati) – who hit three home runs for Y-D last summer – hurt his former team with his second blast of the 2016 campaign. Logan Warmoth (North Carolina) added two hits and three RBI, while Nick Dunn (Maryland) had two hits and three runs scored. Aaron Soto (Tennessee) surrendered three earned runs in five innings for the win. Y-D was led by Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Deon Stafford (St. Joseph’s), who hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning.

What to Watch

A full slate of games is on tap for your Monday. Harwich will try to go to 4-0 as it hosts Y-D at Whitehouse Field, with West Virginia’s B.J. Myers on the hill.
 

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Riding the Wave

Jack Meggs knocked in the go-ahead run in the 10th as Brewster beat Falmouth Sunday.
Jack Meggs knocked in the go-ahead run in the 10th as Brewster beat Falmouth Sunday.

 
Apologies for the unannounced hiatus. The Right Field Fog extended family was together on Cape Cod, which was wonderful in general but bad for blogging. Back in business today.
 

Division leaders Orleans and Hyannis have already clinched playoff spots. All of a sudden, Brewster is looking like the team that’s next in line.

The Whitecaps edged Brewster 4-3 in 10 innings Sunday for their fourth consecutive win. At 22-16, they’ve taken over second place in the East and currently own the league’s second-best record.

The last three wins in the four-game streak have come by one run. With a team that’s great at the plate but a little more up-and-down on the mound, the assumption when they get hot is that the pitching is coming around. That’s not entirely true for Brewster, who has allowed 15 runs in its latest win streak.

The relentless, top-to-bottom offense just keeps pounding away. The Whitecaps are not among the league leaders in extra-base hits – despite leading in hits and batting average – but their ability to knock single after single has been good enough for a lot of wins.

Sunday, the Whitecaps did get a strong pitching performance, as J.D. Busfield (Loyola Marymount) gave up two runs in six innings. But again, it was the offense that came through. After Falmouth tied the game in the bottom of the ninth, Brewster scored one in the top of the 10th and went on to the win.

Leadoff man Colin Lyman (Louisville) started the 10th with a single and a sacrifice bunt moved him to second. With two outs, Jack Meggs (Washington) singled to bring him home.

Trent Paddon (Oregon) worked around two hits in the bottom of the 10th to seal the win.

Meggs and Toby Handley (Stony Brook) finished with two hits each to lead the Brewster offense.
 

Bourne 9, Wareham 1

The Braves pushed their win streak to three with a blowout of Wareham. Nick Solak (Louisville) and Mike Garzillo (Lehigh) both had three hits and three RBI and Reid Humphreys (Mississippi State) homered. Bourne scored all its runs in two innings, with four in the fourth and five in the sixth. On the mound, Cody Sedlock (Illinois) allowed one run in six innings for the win. Kyle Driscoll (Rutgers) pitched two scoreless innings of relief and the recently signed Daniel Jagiello (Long Island) tossed a scoreless frame in his Bourne debut. Bourne is now 18-18-2. Wareham has lost three in a row and is 15-22-1.
 

Hyannis 5, Y-D 1

With Bourne making its run, Hyannis kept the Braves at arm’s length with a victory over Y-D, which maintains the team’s three-point cushion in the West. Nick Deeg (Central Michigan) was back to his dominant self after a rough outing in his last start. He struck out seven and allowed one run in eight innings for the win. Jake Rogers (Tulane) homered while Errol Robinson (Ole Miss) had three hits to pace a 12-hit attack. Rogers, a terrific defensive catcher, was hitting .175 just two weeks ago but has gone 10-for-22 since to up his average to .274. Corey Bird (Marshall) and Blake Tiberi (Louisville) chipped in two hits each.
 

Harwich 8, Chatham 3

The Mariners hit three home runs and got solid showings from three pitchers to beat Chatham 8-3. Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech) went deep twice while his Georgia Tech teammate Connor Justus had a home run and four RBI. Preston Palmeiro (NC State) added a hit and scored two runs. Jake Fraley (LSU) homered for Chatham and Garrett Hampson (Long Beach State) had three hits, but the Anglers couldn’t get much else going. Scott Tully (Notre Dame) allowed two runs in six innings for the win. Harwich is now 17-20-1 and three points out of the fourth and final playoff spot in the East.
 

Cotuit 4, Orleans 2

Cotuit allowed Orleans just one extra-base hit and continued its run toward a playoff spot with a victory over the league-leading Firebirds. The Kettleers have won two straight and hold a three-point lead on Falmouth for fourth place in the West. Daniel Brown (Mississippi State) had his best performance of the summer in quieting the Orleans bats. Brown struck out six and didn’t allow an earned run in seven innings of work. Jack Anderson (Penn State) and Justin Dunn (Boston College) finished off the win. The Cotuit offense steadily pushed in front with single runs in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings. Brody Weiss (Riverside CC), Spencer Gaa (Bradley), Jeren Kendall (Vanderbilt) and Will Haynie (Alabama) each drove in a run, with Kendall and Haynie both hitting solo home runs. Haynie now has seven home runs on the year.
 

What to Watch

It’s a league-wide off day today. When teams return to the fields Tuesday, there will be an interesting match-up in Orleans, where the first-place Firebirds will host surging Brewster. Mitchell Jordan (Stetson) is slated to start for Orleans as he looks to go 7-0.
 

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Red Hot Return

Gio Brusa is riding an 11-game hit streak for Y-D, who has won four in a row.
Gio Brusa is riding an 11-game hit streak for Y-D, who has won four in a row.

 
Baseball America listed Gio Brusa (Pacific) as the Cape League’s fourth-best prospect last summer. The other players in the top five all were selected among the first 73 picks in the 2015 draft. Brusa was selected with pick number 701, in the 23rd round. The 6’3, 225-pound outfielder was coming off an injury-hampered junior season and he had reportedly indicated to teams before the draft that he was leaning toward a return to Pacific.

With another year of college ahead, Brusa headed for the Cape and hooked on with the Y-D Red Sox, after spending last summer in Brewster. He got off to a shaky start, going 3-for-23 out of the gates, but since then, he has looked the part of the guy who kept good prospect company last year.

Brusa is on an 11-game hitting streak and hit his fifth home run in that span last night as Y-D beat Harwich 5-3. Brusa is now hitting .277, is tied for the league lead in home runs with five and ranks sixth in the league in RBI with 14.

Again, he has done essentially all of this in 11 games.

Brusa’s hot streak has helped the Red Sox find their footing, too. Tuesday’s win was their fourth in a row. They’re 7-4 in the month of July and have moved one game over .500 at 15-14.

Tuesday, they were tied with Harwich 1-1 before Brusa’s three-run homer powered a four-run fifth inning.

Donnie Walton (Oklahoma State) and Tommy Edman (Stanford) added two hits and an RBI each. Edman is on a hot streak of his own, with hits in nine straight games.

Stater Brett Adcock (Michigan) allowed two runs in 4.2 innings before a strong showing by the Y-D bullpen. Dalton Lehnen (Cincinnati) got the win in relief and Ben Bowden (Vanderbilt) picked up his first save. Bowden, a late arrival after Vandy’s run in Omaha, has struck out 12 in 6.1 scoreless innings this summer.

Y-D is now tied with Brewster for third place in the East and only one game back of Chatham for second. With Brusa streaking toward a second straight all-star summer, the defending champion Red Sox may be primed for another run.
 

Brewster 6, Chatham 0

Alec Rash (Missouri) delivered perhaps the best performance of his college and Cape League career as Brewster shut out Chatham. Rash, a former second-round pick of the Phillies that has struggled at Missouri, tossed six innings of one-hit ball against the Anglers. He struck out five and didn’t walk a batter. Three relievers followed him to the hill and finished off the shutout, as Chatham managed just three hits. Toby Handley (Stony Brook) led the Brewster offense with two hits and two RBI. League batting and RBI leader Nick Senzel (Tennessee) went 1-for-5 and knocked in his 19th run. J.C. Escarra (Florida International) and Ryan Peurifoy (Georgia Tech) also had RBI. Brewster is now just one game back of Chatham for second place in the East.
 

Hyannis 5, Falmouth 2

The Harbor Hawks stopped Falmouth’s four-game winning streak and upped their West division lead to four games with a 5-2 victory. Devin Smeltzer (Florida Gulf Coast) delivered his best start since his no-hitter last month, giving up one earned run and striking out five in 6.2 innings of work. Aaron Civale (Northeastern) notched his third save in relief of Smeltzer. Ryne Birk (Texas A&M) went 2-for-4 with three RBI to lead the Hyannis attack. Austin Hays (Jacksonville) homered, while Jacob Noll (Florida Gulf Coast) and Arden Pabst (Georgia Tech) had two hits each.
 

Orleans 8, Wareham 2

East-leading Orleans also gained a little more distance, pushing its lead to five games with a win over Wareham and a Chatham loss. Eric Lauer (Kent State), who’s doing his best to keep up with teammate Mitchell Jordan, struck out nine and gave up one run on two hits in five innings of work. Lauer is now second in the league in strikeouts to Jordan with 39 and fifth in ERA with a 1.45 mark. Catcher Sean Murphy (Wright State) went 3-for-5 for the second time in four games, raising his average to .235 and continuing his emergence as another big bat in the powerful Firebirds lineup. Bryson Brigman (San Diego) added two RBI.
 

Cotuit 3, Bourne 1

The Kettleers moved within two games of second-place Bourne in the tightly-packed West standings with a 3-1 win over the Braves. Jeren Kendall (Vanderbilt) had two hits, a home run and an RBI, giving him six hits in five games since his late arrival. Brett Stephens (UCLA) added two hits. Matthew Milburn (Wofford) allowed just an unearned run in 5.2 innings for the win. Justin Dunn (Boston College) tallied his fourth save.
 

What to Watch

Daulton Jefferies (California), who had a 2.57 ERA with Team USA, makes his return to Wareham as the Gatemen visit Chatham tonight.
 

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Something Brewing

Nico Giarratano and Brewster have won four of six to move into third place.
Nico Giarratano and Brewster have won four of six to move into third place.

 
The Cape League’s best hitting team was shut-out 1-0 in its final June game. Since the calendar flipped to July, one run has not been enough to beat the Brewster Whitecaps.

Powered by its fourth double-digit hit game in its last six, Brewster not coincidentally won the fourth time in six games Tuesday, 9-4 over Y-D. In the victories, the Whitecaps have racked up 57 hits, bringing their league-best batting average to .273.

They’re still only one game over .500 and behind two teams in the East, but it’s pretty clear at this point that the Whitecaps can hit. They are not near the top in extra-base hits, but what they lack in pop, they make up for in sheer volume.

In Tuesday’s win, the Whitecaps totaled 16 hits. Every player in the lineup had at least one. Five players had multi-hit games. And there was a little pop – two doubles and two home runs.

Cassidy Brown (Loyola Marymount) – who’s emerging as the top offensive catcher on the Cape – went 3-for-5 with a double, a home run and two RBI. He’s riding a seven-game hitting streak.

Robbie Tenerowicz (California) went 2-for-4 and hit his fourth home run of the summer. Toby Handley (Stony Brook) added a double and scored three runs. Nick Senzel (Tennessee), who’s been red-hot, had his second straight three-hit night, scored three runs and knocked in two. Senzel is now second in the league in hitting.

Brewster’s pitching numbers have remained in the middle of the pack for much of the summer, but all the offense certainly helps the cause. Alec Rash (Missouri) gave up two runs in three innings Tuesday before a strong relief performance by Anthony Arias (Fresno State), who struck out 10 and gave up two runs in five innings.
 

Orleans 11, Falmouth 2

If Brewster is the league’s best hitting team, Orleans is its most powerful. The Firebirds hit two more runs – bringing their league-best total to 17 – in an 11-2 victory over Falmouth. Sean Murphy (Wright State) hit his third in a 3-for-5 night while Ronnie Dawson (Ohio State) smacked his second. Murphy also tripled. Nick Zammarelli (Elon) added three hits and two RBI for the Firebirds. Five pitchers had no trouble making the lead stand up, with Tanner Tully (Ohio State) picking up the win in relief. Falmouth’s Turner Larkins (Texas A&M) allowed just an unearned run in five innings but Orleans broke through against the Falmouth bullpen. The Firebirds have won three in a row and are now 17-6.
 

Chatham 4, Bourne 3

With Orleans and Brewster winning, Chatham also kept pace thanks to a victory over Bourne. The Anglers scored four runs in the first two innings and held onto the lead from there. Brandon Miller (Millersville) got the win in relief while Aaron McGarity (Virginia Tech) pitched two innings for his fourth save. Jake Fraley (LSU) went 2-for-4 and is batting .350 since his late arrival in Chatham. Aaron Knapp (California) also had two hits. Chatham is now 13-11, which is suddenly the third-best record in the league.
 

Hyannis 4, Harwich 1

The Harbor Hawks were getting a push from Wareham in the West standings for a while there, but with their second straight win and Wareham’s third straight loss, they now have a seven-point cushion at the top. Vance Tatum (Mississippi State) and Aaron Civale (Northeastern) worked in tandem for the second time in as many Tatum starts. Tatum gave up one run in 5.2 innings and Civale went 3.1 innings without allowing a hit, bringing his ERA to 0.54. The Hyannis offense was led by Jacob Noll (Florida Gulf Coast), who surged back to the top of the batting average leaderboard with a 3-for-4 night. He also hit his first home run. Errol Robinson (Ole Miss) added three hits for the Harbor Hawks.
 

Cotuit 2, Wareham 1

Cotuit may not have great starting pitching depth, but the Kettleers have officially found themselves an ace. Jon Woodcock (Virginia Tech) tossed seven shutout innings, striking out five and giving up five hits, as Cotuit edged Wareham. Woodcock now has a 0.99 ERA and has gone at least 5.2 innings with no more than one run allowed in his last three starts. Justin Dunn (Boston College) grabbed the save Tuesday. Jackson Klein (Stanford) had an RBI single and Brody Weiss (UCLA) had a sacrifice fly to bring in two runs in the fifth, which was all the offense Cotuit needed. The Kettleers moved ahead of Falmouth for fourth place in the West.
 

What to Watch

Several of the league’s best arms are slated to be on the mound tonight. Nick Deeg (Central Michigan) goes for Hyannis in Falmouth. Matt Krook (Oregon) starts for Wareham in Chatham. Eric Lauer gets the ball for Orleans at home against Cotuit.
 

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Daily Fog: Flair for the Dramatic

The Harwich Mariners celebrate their walk-off win on the Fourth of July. They also delivered a late comeback to win Monday.
The Harwich Mariners celebrate their walk-off win on the Fourth of July. They also delivered a late comeback to win Monday.

 
Wins have not been easy to come by for the Harwich Mariners this summer, but when victories have been within reach the last few days, the Mariners have gone out and grabbed them.

After a walk-off win over Brewster on July 4, the Mariners rallied for two runs in the eighth inning to beat Wareham Monday night.

The comeback wins have helped keep the Mariners within striking distance in the East. Had the comebacks stalled, Harwich could easily be sliding. Three losses in their last five would have turned into a five-game losing streak without the rallies.

Monday, they trailed the Gatemen 2-0 in the sixth but cut the deficit in half on a Sheldon Neuse (Oklahoma) RBI single. Two innings later – with the bullpen keeping it a 2-1 game – Harwich and Neuse were at it again. Base hits by Adam Pate (North Carolina) and Johnny Adams (Boston College) set the table for Neuse and he delivered with a double to score Pate. Adams came around in the same sequence, on an error by the centerfielder.

Armed with a lead, Luke Scherzer (Virginia Tech) tossed a scoreless ninth for his league-best sixth save.

Neuse finished 2-for-4 with the two RBI. Adams and Preston Palmeiro (NC State) also had two hits apiece.

Harwich is now 11-11-1, good for third place in the East.
 

Brewster 5, Falmouth 3

Brewster is also doing its best to keep pace in the East and its win Monday further tightens the race. Second-place Chatham and fifth-place Y-D are two points apart, with Harwich and Brewster in between. The Whitecaps again had their league-leading offense going, knocking 13 hits to beat the Commodores. Falmouth tied the game in the eighth before Brewster plated a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning. Nick Senzel (Tennessee) went 3-for-5, his second three-hit game in five days. J.C. Escarra (Florida International), Robbie Tenerowicz (California), Toby Handley (Stony Brook) and Nico Giarratano (San Francisco) all had two hits. Tyson Miller (California Baptist) didn’t factor in the decision, but went six strong innings, allowing just one run. Trent Paddon (Oregon) got the win and Thomas Hackimer (St. John’s) the save. For Falmouth, J.J. Matijevic (Arizona) went 3-for-3 with a home run.
 

Cotuit 4, Bourne 3

The Kettleers rallied from a 3-2 deficit with two runs in the top of the ninth to beat Bourne 4-3. Kort Peterson (UCLA) started the ninth-inning rally with a triple and Spencer Gaa (Bradley) had a pinch-hit, RBI single to tie the game. Matt Albanese (Bryant) followed with an RBI single that put Cotuit ahead. Justin Dunn (Boston College) worked around a one-out single to toss a scoreless ninth for the save. Albanese finished with two hits to pace the Cotuit attack. Branden Berry (Cal State Northridge) homered. For Bourne, Nick Solak (Louisville) went 4-for-5 and took over the league lead in hitting with a .350 average.
 

What to Watch

As if Orleans needed any help, Boston’s sixth-round pick last month, Travis Lakins (Ohio State), will make his first start for the Firebirds tonight when they visit Falmouth. Lakins, a draft-eligible sophomore, had a 3.75 ERA with 84 strikeouts this spring. Last summer, he tossed the first perfect game in Prospect League history.
 

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The Tar Heel Ace

gallenThe University of North Carolina churns out some of the best pitchers in college baseball, year after year. And many of them summer in Chatham, from Andrew Miller to Alex White to Matt Harvey.

It’s been a few years, but the Anglers may have found another one.

Tar Heel righty Zac Gallen made his third start of the summer Friday night and delivered his best performance yet. The rising junior struck out eight and allowed just two hits in six shutout innings. Both hits were in the first inning, and he cruised from there. He did all of this against East Division leader Orleans and its fearsome lineup. The Firebirds are second in the league in runs scored, and they lead in extra-base hits.

Gallen had no trouble. After giving up the two singles in the first, he struck out Tres Barrera (Texas) and got Willie Abreu (Miami) to ground out. Later, he walked two in the fourth inning but then struck out the side, part of a stretch in which he fanned five in a row. Even the third time through the order, the Firebirds went quietly, as Gallen worked a quiet sixth.

The Chatham offense made Gallen’s big performance count by touching up Orleans standout Kyle Serrano (Tennessee) for two runs in the first inning and tacking on two more in the sixth against the Firebirds bullpen. Trenton Brooks (Nevada), Cory Raley (Texas Tech), Aaron Barnett (Pepperdine) and Zack Short (Sacred Heart) each knocked in a run to lead the balanced attack.

Orleans scored two runs in the eighth, but Aaron McGarity (Virginia Tech) cooled off the rally, going the final 1.1 innings for the save.

Chatham moved one game over .500 at 11-10 and is in second place behind Orleans in the East. One of their standout starters, T.J. Zeuch (Pittsburgh) was just released from the roster after reaching his summer innings limit, but the Anglers have quickly found another ace. Gallen hasn’t allowed an earned run in three starts. The Anglers lost the last time he was on the mound, but he went five shutout innings against Hyannis, the other division leader. Gallen is now third in the league in strikeouts, with 23 in just 15 innings.

Gallen is coming off a spring season in which he had a 2.79 ERA with 74 strikeouts in the UNC weekend rotation.

Like the other Tar Heels that came before, he’s giving Chatham some of the best pitching in the league.
 

Hyannis 6, Y-D 2

In a rare feat this summer, the Harbor Hawks didn’t have a stolen base. They lead the league the league with 40 but found another way in beating Y-D. Blake Tiberi (Louisville) gave Hyannis the 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first with a two-run double. He added a two-run single in the seventh, giving him four RBI on the night. Jacob Noll (Florida Gulf Coast) added a hit and an RBI, as did David Martinelli (Dallas Baptist). Errol Robinson (Ole Miss) scored two runs and is now tied for the league lead in runs scored with 15. Mike King (Boston College), who began the summer on a temp contract but has since been signed, was solid in four innings of work, giving up one run. Kevin Roy (Columbia) was credited with the win in relief. Dakota Hudson (Mississippi State), who had pitched as a starter in his last two outings, came out of the pen and surrendered just one run in 3.1 innings. Hyannis moved to 13-8 and has a two-game lead on Wareham for the top spot in the West. The Harbor hawks have won three straight.
 

Brewster 8, Harwich 1

The Whitecaps won their second straight and pushed their record over .500 at 10-9. After getting shut-out by Hyannis two games ago, the Whitecaps have delivered 28 hits in their last two games. Colin Lyman (Louisville) led the charge Friday, going 3-for-4 and scoring two runs. Toby Handley (Stony Brook) added two hits and two RBI. Jack Meggs (Washington) went 3-for-4, as did Chandler Avant (Alabama). Brewster now leads the league in team batting average. Four pitchers made the big lead stand up, limiting Harwich to five hits. Nick Highberger (Creighton) was credited with the win.
 

Wareham 7, Bourne 4

The Gatemen won their third straight and remained two games back of Hyannis for first place in the West. Andrew Calica (UC Santa Barbara), the hero of Wednesday’s one-hit win, had a huge night, going 4-for-5 with four RBI. He’s now hitting .524 in seven games since joining the team. Nick Cieri (Maryland) added three hits and two RBI. Starter Evan Hill (Michigan) gave up one run in 4.2 innings. Ryan Olson (Cal Poly Pomona) grabbed his second save. Max McDowell (UConn) homered for Bourne and Jacob Robson (Mississippi State) stretched his hitting streak to seven games.
 

Cotuit 8, Falmouth 1

The Kettleers broke a 1-1 tie with five runs in the sixth inning and grabbed a win over Falmouth, pulling even with the Commodores in the West standings, in the process. Jonathan King (Georgia Tech) struck out six and gave up one run in five innings of work before four relievers closed the door. Michael Paez (Coastal Carolina), Matt Albanese (Bryant) and Brody Weiss (UCLA) led the offense with two RBI apiece. Kort Peterson (UCLA) had two hits and scored two runs. Both teams are now 7-13.
 

What to Watch

The Hyannis-Y-D match-up at Red Wilson Field looks like a good one. Devin Smeltzer (Florida Gulf Coast) makes his second start since his no-hitter against Y-D’s Ricky Thomas (Fresno State), who’s 3-0 with a 1.01 ERA.
 

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Streak No. 4

Parker Dunshee went six strong innings to help Chatham take game one of a doubleheader with Hyannis.
Parker Dunshee went six strong innings to help Chatham take game one of a doubleheader with Hyannis.

 
Chatham’s eight wins this season have all come in two-win bursts. They won two in a row to start the summer, lost their next game, won two in a row, lost three straight, then won two in a row and lost their next game.

Their latest burst was their most impressive. The Anglers visited West-leading Hyannis Monday at McKeon Park and swept a doubleheader with the Harbor Hawks, winning 3-2 and 3-1.

The victories give Chatham an 8-5 record, which matches Hyannis and is good for second-best in the league to Orleans’ 10-3 mark.

Chatham started the twin bill with a bang Monday night, scoring all three of its runs in the top of the first inning. Will Craig (Wake Forest), Aaron Barnett (Pepperdine) and Zack Short (Sacred Heart) knocked in the runs in consecutive at-bats.

The early lead proved just enough for a pair of Chatham pitchers. Starter Parker Dunshee (Wake Forest) allowed two runs in six-plus innings and struck out three. In the seventh – the final inning in scheduled doubleheader games – Hyannis scored a run off reliever Andre Scrubb (High Point), which was charged to Dunshee, and had the winning run on base before Scrubb retired the final two batters for his third save.

In the second game, it was Hyannis that jumped in front with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Chatham immediately took the lead with two in the second and tacked on insurance in the seventh. Short homered for the Anglers, while Trenton Brooks (Nevada) and Cory Raley (Texas Tech) knocked in one run each.

Ty Damron (Texas Tech) allowed one run in five innings of work for the win. C.J. Burdick (San Diego) and Aaron McGarity (Virginia Tech) pitched a scoreless inning each to finish it off.

The Anglers had two in a row again. They’ll try to stretch a streak to three for the first time all year when they host Brewster tonight.
 

Harwich 5, Cotuit 3; Harwich 6, Cotuit 1

Harwich also swept its doubleheader, making things interesting at the top of the East standings, where there hasn’t been much of a race to this point. The Mariners are now 7-5-1, just a point back of Chatham for second place. Starting pitching set the course for the Mariners Monday, with each of their starters going five innings and giving up no earned runs. Joe O’Donnell (NC State) did it in the first game before Cotuit took a late lead against the bullpen. Harwich rallied for three runs in the seventh to win it. Saige Jenco (Virginia Tech) had an RBI single to power the rally. Luke Scherzer (Virginia Tech) grabbed his league-best fourth save. Hunter Williams (North Carolina) allowed one unearned run in five innings for the win in game two. Michael Hernandez (Nova Southeastern) powered a 10-hit attack with a three-run homer. Adam Pate (North Carolina) had three hits, while Cavan Biggio (Notre Dame) had two hits and two RBI, bumping his average to .371. Cotuit’s Michael Paez (Coastal Carolina) in the sweep, going 2-for-3 to take over the league batting lead at .400. He’s also second in stolen bases with six.
 

Y-D 7, Falmouth 6; Y-D 5, Falmouth 1

The defending champs have struggled this season, but they know how to win a doubleheader. The Red Sox topped Falmouth for their second twin bill sweep of the summer, which accounts for four of their five wins on the season. Y-D scored four runs in the top of the seventh to take the opener, with Mike Donadio (St. John’s), Gio Brusa (Washington), Stephen Wrenn (Georgia) and Connor Wong (Houston) driving in the runs. Wrenn finished 2-for-4 with three RBI. Brusa, a standout with Brewster last year, went 1-for-4 in his 2015 debut. Christopher Viall (Stanford) pitched a scoreless bottom of the seventh to finish off the game-one win. The Red Sox stayed hot in game two, smacking nine hits on their way to the sweep. Tommy Edman (Stanford) drove in two runs. Ricky Thomas (Fresno State) turned in his second strong start of the summer, giving up one run in 5.2 innings with seven strikeouts.
 

Bourne 6, Orleans 3; Orleans 3, Bourne 0

The Braves snapped Orleans’ six-game winning streak in the opener but Orleans got right back on track with a shutout in the second game. Jacob Robson (Mississippi State) had two hits and two RBI to pace a 10-hit Bourne attack in the first game. Mike Garzillo (Lehigh), Corey Julks (Houston) and Ryan Boldt (Nebraska) also had two hits. Bryan Baker (North Florida) turned in his third straight scoreless relief outing, going 3.1 innings and striking out five for the win. Austin Conway (Indiana State) picked up the save. In the second game, Bourne was no match for Mitchell Jordan (Stetson), who dominated again. He went five scoreless innings, just as he did in his first two starts of the summer. He also struck out seven to take over the league lead in that category with 17. Joe Ryan (Cal State Northridge) pitched the final two innings for the save. An error and a two-run single by Austin Miller (Loyola Marymount) in the sixth gave Orleans all the offense it would need. Nick Jensen-Clagg (Kent State) was a bright spot for Bourne in the loss, striking out eight in four scoreless innings. He has 16 strikeouts in 8.1 innings this summer.
 

Brewster 5, Wareham 4; Wareham 5, Brewster 0

Brewster used a four-run fourth inning to pull away in game one, while two Gatemen pitchers combined on a shutout in game two. The Whitecaps took a 1-0 lead in the first game on a third-inning home run by Toby Handley (Stony Brook). They added four hits in the fourth innings, and three runs came home on passed balls or wild pitches, ahead of an RBI double by Eli White (Clemson). Wareham chipped away but was held scoreless over the final two innings. Thomas Hackimer (St. John’s) went the final 1.1 for the save. Highly-touted lefty Matt Krook (Oregon) started for Wareham, making his first appearance since the 2014 college season, and struck out two in two scoreless innings. In game two, Wareham righted the ship thanks to Evan Hill (Michigan) who allowed three hits in six shutout innings. He had plenty of support, with Logan Sowers (Indiana) and Andrew Knizner (NC State) driving in two runs each.
 

What to Watch

Orleans has had just one game against its closest competition in the East, but that changes this week. Harwich visits Eldredge Field tonight and Chatham comes to town Thursday.
 

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Catching a Wave

The Brewster dugout makes some noise during a game last season. With a 3-0 start to 2015, the Whitecaps have had even more to cheer about this year.
The Brewster dugout makes some noise during a game last season. With a 3-0 start to 2015, the Whitecaps have had even more to cheer about this year.

 
Brewster had one three-game winning streak all of last summer. With only three games in the books in 2015, the Whitecaps already have one this summer.

After a 6-0 shutout of Chatham Thursday night, Brewster is 3-0 and the only undefeated team in the league. The Whitecaps won their opener by a single run and their next game by two before pulling away from Chatham. The Anglers also came in with a 2-0 record but couldn’t keep up on this night.

It’s just a start, of course, but a lot has gone right. Thursday, it was both pitching and hitting that did the trick. Brewster had 12 hits – four that went for extra bases – and saw five pitchers combine on a three-hitter.

Eli White, a late roster addition who had a solid spring with Clemson, led the way with a 3-for-4, two RBI night. Toby Handley (Stony Brook) also went 3-for-4 and knocked in a run. Catcher Cassidy Brown (Loyola Marymount) homered and Nick Senzel (Tennessee) hit a pair of doubles. Senzel has five hits this season for a .417 average, and four of the hits have gone for extra bases. Ryan Peurifoy (Georgia Tech) went 1-for-2 and has had a hit in each game this year.

On the mound, Georgia Tech’s Brandon Gold picked up where he left off after a strong spring and tossed four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits. Hansen Butler (North Carolina) followed with two innings, before Nick Highberger (Creighton), Gage Griffin (Franklin Pierce) and Alex Schick (California) went the final three innings without surrendering a hit. That continued an early trend – the Brewster bullpen has allowed one run in 12.2 innings of work so far this season.

Brewster takes on Chatham again tonight, this time at Veterans Field. The Whitecaps didn’t have a single four-game winning streak last year, but they’re in position to break that spell quickly in 2015.
 

Orleans 7, Y-D 0

The Firebirds (2-1) won by shutout for the second time this season in a 7-0 victory over Y-D. Eric Lauer (Kent State), a former 17th-round pick of the Blue Jays who was terrific this spring (1.98 ERA, 103 Ks), delivered more of the same in his first Cape start, striking out seven and giving up two hits in five scoreless innings. Three relievers combined on four hitless innings to finish off the win. Colby Woodmansee (Arizona State) and Alex Call (Ball State) each knocked in two runs to pace the Orleans offense. The Red Sox, who fell to 0-3, got hits from Stephen Wrenn (Georgia) and Connor Wong (Houston).
 

Falmouth 4, Harwich 1

Falmouth got hits from eight different players and broke through for its first win, 4-1 over Harwich. Both teams are now 1-2. Boomer White (Texas A&M), in his second summer with the Commodores, had two hits, as did Michael Tinsley (Kansas), the second-team All-Big 12 catcher this past season. Andrew Frankenreider (Northern Illinois) picked up the win with 3.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Stephen Villines (Kansas) notched the save.
 

Wareham 6, Hyannis 2

The Gatemen are 2-1 and have now scored the most runs in the league after Thursday’s 6-2 victory over previously unbeaten Hyannis. Logan Sowers (Indiana), next in a long line of Hoosiers in Wareham, had the best day of his young Cape career, going 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. David MacKinnon (Hartford) added two hits and five other Gatemen chipped in one apiece. Daulton Jefferies (California) got the start on the mound and made the offense count with five strong innings. Zac Houston (Mississippi State) was dominant in relief, with five strikeouts in three innings. David Martinelli (Dallas Baptist) homered for Hyannis.
 

Cotuit 7, Bourne 2

Cotuit had only nine hits in its first two games but broke out with 12 in a victory over the Braves. Michael Paez (Coastal Carolina) doubled and knocked in two runs from the leadoff spot. Matthew Dacey (Richmond) added two hits and two RBI, while Spencer Gaa (Bradley) and Matt Albanese (Bryant) chipped in doubles. Jonathan King (Georgia Tech) gave up two runs in 4.1 innings before giving way to Jon Woodcock (Virginia Tech), who was lights out in 4.2 innings of relief. He struck out six and didn’t allow a run. Bourne got three hits each from Corey Julks (Houston) and Ryan Boldt (Nebraska) but remained winless at 0-3.
 

What to Watch

The second Brewster-Chatham match-up in as many days features an interesting probable starter for the Whitecaps. Missouri’s Alec Rash is a former second-round pick who has seen very limited action in his time with the Tigers. The junior was recently drafted in the 23rd round by the Nationals.
 

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Brewster hopes playoffs no surprise this time

brewster 15

 

The Whitecaps made a surprise run to the playoffs last year, after it looked like they’d been written off. With new manage Jamie Shevchik taking over after a successful stint in the NECBL, Brewster will be looking to establish a winning tradition.
 

FIVE TO WATCH

1. Grayson Long
2. Danny Garcia
3. Lucas Erceg
4. Jacob Robson
5. Patrick Ruotolo
 

NOTABLE

  • Brewster had one of the Cape League’s best pitching prospects in Cal Poly Pomona’s Cody Ponce last year. Ponce hailed from the Division II ranks out west and the Whitecaps are going back to the well with California Baptist’s Tyson Miller and Catawba’s Shaefar Shepard, both of whom are coming off good seasons on the mound.

  • The Whitecaps have five junior pitchers on the roster. If they make it to Brewster after the draft, it’ll be a veteran group, potentially led by Texas A&M’s Grayson Long. He has struck out 106 this season.

  • Miami’s pitching staff has been terrific on its way to the College World Series and Danny Garcia has been a key part of it. Pitching in relief and as a starter, he leads the team in strikeouts with 79 in 80.1 innings, to go with just 17 walks.

  • Pat Ruotolo had a solid summer with Brewster last year and parlayed it into a big season as the UConn closer, where he struck out 52 in just 36.1 innings of work.

  • Jordan Sheffield was drafted in the 13th round by the Boston Red Sox in 2013. He missed last season with injury but has come back strong as a reliever for Vanderbilt this year. If his workload expands for the Whitecaps, look out.

  • Mercyhurst sent standout infielder Zak Blair to the Cape a few years back and will put infielder Brendan Cox in Brewster this year.

  • The Whitecaps will have a Cape League champ on their roster, with Nico Giarratano coming over from Y-D.

  • Outfielders Ryan Peurifoy and Kel Johnson were the leading hitters for Georgia Tech this spring.

    •  

    PITCHERS

    Anthony Arias – r-FR – Fresno State – Lefty redshirted last year, had 5.40 ERA in swing role this year
    J.D. Busfield – SO – Loyola Marymount – Tied for 10th in the nation with 14 saves, paired them with 1.89 ERA
    Hansen Butler – FR – North Carolina – Made 19 appearances in debut season, finished with 3.38 ERA
    Matthew Clancy – JR – St. John’s – Busy reliever had 2.91 ERA and struck out better than a batter per inning our of the pen
    Danny Garcia – SO – Miami – Limited action as freshman but has been valuable in rotation and bullpen this year, with team-best 79 strikeouts
    Thomas Hackimer – JR – St. John’s – Made whopping 35 appearances and tied for sixth in the country with 15 saves
    Nick Highberger – JR – Creighton – Sold reliever throughout career, had 2.92 ERA in team-high 26 appearances this year
    Jacob Jenkins – JR – Pacific – Ace of the Pacific staff as a sophomore saw ERA balloon over six this season
    Grayson Long – JR – Texas A&M – One of top pitchers in SEC, is 9-1 with 2.82 ERA and 106 Ks in 95.2 innings
    Hunter Martin – SO – Tennessee – Had solid debut as a starter last year before watching ERA rise above five in sophomore season
    Tyson Miller – SO – California Baptist – Went 8-3 with 3.32 ERA, 85 strikeouts for D-II California Baptist
    Trent Paddon – SO – Oregon – Pitched as starter and reliever and had ERA over six, despite 35 strikeouts in 41.2 innings
    Patrick Ruotolo – SO – Connecticut – Returning Whitecap took closer’s role for Huskies and saved six games with 52 Ks in 36.1 IP
    Zac Ryan – SO – Georgia Tech – Took over closing duties as a sophomore and saved seven games while posting a 9-1 record
    Alex Schick – SO – California – Built on strong freshman year by leading team in appearances out of the bullpen
    Jordan Sheffield – r-FR – Vanderbilt – 13th-round pick in 2013 back from injury for 2.90 ERA in swing job this year
    Shaefer Shepard – SO – Catawba – Conference Freshman of the Year in 2014 pitched for Hyannis last summer, had 3.94 ERA, 80 Ks this year
     

    CATCHERS

    Cassidy Brown – SO – Loyola Marymount – Hasn’t put up great offensive numbers but has been regular starter behind the plate
    Karl Ellison – SO – Vanderbilt – Part of catching platoon with Commodores, hitting .212 this year
    J.C. Escarra – SO – Florida International – Lefty swinger hit .271 with five homers this spring
     

    INFIELDERS

    Candler Avant – FR – Alabama – Had solid first season in Tuscaloosa, hitting .266 and stealing 11 bases in full-time role
    Brendan Cox – JR – Mercyhurst – Hit .343 with .421 OBP for Division II Mercyhurst
    Lucas Erceg – SO – California – After decent freshman year, hit .303 and ranked second in Pac-12 with 11 home runs in big sophomore year
    Nico Giarratano – SO – San Francisco – Scrappy infielder won CCBL title with Y-D last year, hit .237 in sophomore season with Dons
    Brandon Gold – SO – Georgia Tech – Two-way player had 3.26 ERA in starting role, batted .273 while playing strong defense at third
    Nick Senzel – SO – Tennessee – Strong two-year contributor batted .325 with four home runs this season
    Will Smith – SO – Louisville – Solid contributor for Cardinals hitting .237 in second year with team
     

    OUTFIELDERS

    Brandon Caruso – SO – Pepperdine – After solid freshman campaign, bumped average to .309 with three homers this spring
    Toby Handley – SO – Stony Brook – Emerged as one of top hitters for Stony Brook with .330 average and 12 stolen bases
    Kel Johnson – FR – Georgia Tech – Freshman All-American hit .298, blasted 10 home runs in first season with Tech
    Colin Lyman – SO – Louisville – Hit .263 as a freshman but struggling in limited duty this season
    Jack Meggs – SO – Washington – Playing for father, Lindsay, at Washington, hit .243 in second season as a Husky
    Ryan Peurifoy – SO – Georgia Tech – Sophomore led Jackets with .324 batting average, chipped in two home runs
    Tyler Ramirez – SO – North Carolina – Hit .285, stole 18 bases and tied for team lead with 10 home runs in second season with Heels
    Jacob Robson – r-SO – Mississippi State – Missed most of last season but returned with a vengeance, hitting team-best .324 with 21 SB