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Week 2: Cotuit Wins Fight to Top

Max Schrock slides into second in Cotuit's game with Chatham.

Four teams were considered for the top spot in the second edition of the power rankings, and you could make a case for or against all of them. The Kettleers held pretty steady after a great first week and seem to have the fewest chinks in the armor.

RANK TEAM RECORD THE SKINNY
1 cotuit white.jpg Cotuit Kettleers
8-4
 The Kettleers checked in at No. 2 on this list last week, behind only Chatham. With the Anglers hitting the skids, Cotuit edges its way to the top. It wasn’t a great week for the Kettleers, who went 2-3 – and lost to both Harwich and Chatham – but they beat Hyannis and continued to flash the steady play they’ve shown all season. They rank second in the league in hitting and have the fifth-best team ERA. Mike Ford continues to rake, high-upside outfielder Rhett Wiseman is heating up and two Cotuit starters have ERA’s under one.
2 TeamLogo_Harwich2003.jpg Harwich Mariners
8-4
 The Mariners were in the meat of the curve last week but promptly went 5-1 and jumped to the top of the East division standings. They lead the league in ERA and their starting pitching has been tremendous. The only thing keeping them from the top of the rankings is a consistent offense. Despite having the league’s leading hitter in Aaron Barbosa, the Mariners are hitting only .226, ninth in the league. With the bats they have in the fold, though, there’s nowhere to go but up.
3 Anglers.jpg Chatham Anglers
7-4-1
 This time last week, Chatham was 6-1 and riding high. A 1-3-1 week has dropped them back to the pack, but the Anglers did finish the week better than they started it. After a 1-0 loss and a 6-1 loss, they lost in the late-innings to Orleans, beat Cotuit and tied Y-D. With Andrew McGee at the top of the rotation and the offense looking pretty consistent, I think the Anglers are poised to stay in the top half of the league all summer.
4 HyannisHawks_150.gif Hyannis Harbor Hawks
8-3
 The Harbor Hawks were way down the list last week after a couple of brutal games, but they’ve since caught fire, winning five of six and sprinting to the best record in the league. The knock is that they’re not hitting that well – their .218 average is worst in the league – and they’re winning by the skin of their teeth. Six of eight wins have been by one run. The flip side of that is the Harbor Hawks might just be the kind of team that finds a way to win more often than not.
5 falmouthlogo.gif Falmouth Commodores
7-5
 The Commodores were hot this week, too, going 4-1 to jump into third place in the West. Their only loss on the week was to division-leading Hyannis. As was the case last week, you can easily envision the Commodores being higher on this list, based on their numbers. Rhys Hoskins is probably the early MVP favorite and the pitching staff leads the league in strikeouts.
6 firebird1.jpg Orleans Firebirds
6-6
 The Firebirds went 3-3 in week one and 3-3 again in week two, so it’s hard to put them anywhere but right in the middle. Orleans leads the league in home runs, and the middle of the order has been dynamic. Pitching has been a little more up-and-down, with the Firebirds holding a 3.51 team ERA.
7 TeamLogo_Bourne2003.jpg Bourne Braves
5-7
 Bourne has been very streaky thus far, following up a five-game winning streak with a three-game losing skid. The pitching staff has been great, with the league’s second-best ERA, and there’s potential for it to get better with the starting rotation looking as deep as any in the league. The Braves still need more production from the offense, though. They have just 13 extra-base hits.
8 TeamLogo_YD2003.jpg Y-D Red Sox
4-7-1
 Y-D leads the league in hitting, but pitching has been a pretty serious struggle. The Red Sox have a league-worst 5.85 ERA and gave up a combined 40 runs in one three-game stretch this week. They do have an ace in Erick Fedde, but until the rest of the staff settles in, it’s going to be an adventure. The Red Sox can certainly hit, though, with recent addition D.J. Stewart buttressing an already strong lineup.
9 TeamLogo_Brewster2003.jpg Brewster Whitecaps
3-8
 The Whitecaps have had their struggles, but a slugfest win over Y-D and a victory over Wareham push them out of the basement. They’ve shown the ability to score some runs.
10 gatemen_logo_opt.jpg Wareham Gatemen
1-5
 It’s been a very tough go for the reigning champs, who are struggling to keep their heads above water while waiting for some reinforcements. The Gatemen went 1-5 for the second straight week and have the league’s worst record. The pitching staff ranks eighth in ERA. On the offensive side, the Gatemen have a better team batting average than two teams but continue to show very little pop. The Gatemen have only seven extra-base hits in 12 games.
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East Supremacy

Ryan Lindemuth hit a home run and had three RBI as Harwich cruised past Orleans on Wednesday.

Orleans was a perfect 6-0 against its East Division counterparts heading into Wednesday’s game with Harwich.

The streaking Mariners wouldn’t let the Firebirds get to seven.

Harwich won for the sixth time in seven games, riding another solid pitching performance and a late-inning offensive burst to a 7-2 victory. The Mariners are now 8-4 and sitting atop the East. They’re the third team in the league to get to eight wins, joining Cotuit and Hyannis.

Nick Howard (Virginia) was great on the mound on his pitching debut. Facing off against his Cavalier teammate Josh Sborz, Howard struck out eight and allowed two runs in 5.2 innings.

The bigger key was the bullpens. Michael Costello (Radford) went 3.1 scoreless frames for Harwich, striking out three and not giving up a single hit. In the meantime, Harwich got to the Orleans pen with a five-run eighth inning. Aaron Barbosa (Northeastern) doubled, starting a parade of key hits. Mark Zagunis (Virginia Tech) had an RBI single, Ben Moore (Alabama) had an RBI single, Brendon Hayden (Virginia Tech) drove in a run with a double, Ryan Lindemuth (William & Mary) knocked one in with a single, and finally – in his second at-bat of the inning – Barbosa brought a run home with a base hit.

Just like that, a 2-2 game has turned into a 7-2 game, and the Mariners were well on their way.

Barbosa finished 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI, while Lindemuth went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. Everybody in the Harwich lineup reached base at least once.

Chris Marconcini (Duke) hit a home run for Orleans – his third – but the Firebirds managed only six total hits. They dropped to 6-6 on the year.

The Harwich-Orleans game was the only one on the schedule yesterday.

 

What to Watch

The top two teams in the East square off in Harwich at 7 p.m. as the Mariners welcome Chatham to town. Johnathan Frebis (Middle Tennessee State), who’s been good in relief, will make his first start for the Mariners. Lukas Schiraldi (Navarro College), a 35th-round pick who’s committed to Texas next year, will make his third start for Chatham. He has a 2.79 ERA with eight strikeouts in 9.2 innings.

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It’s a Start

Keaton Haack is one of many Harwich starting pitchers who have been dominant this year.

The Harwich Mariners lead the league with a 2.04 ERA. It’s an impressive number. Look a little deeper, and it’s even more impressive.

Harwich’s starting pitching has been unbelievably good.

Last night, Jalen Beeks (Arkansas) went six shutout innings as the Mariners cruised to a 6-1 victory over Brewster. That was the sixth time in 11 games that a Harwich starter has allowed no earned runs.

And the numbers don’t end there. In the team’s seven wins, Harwich starters have given up a total of three earned runs, and every starter has gone at least five innings. The starters’ ERA in the team’s victories is 0.67.

Even some of the losses have featured strong performances. Pat Connaughton (Notre Dame) and Chandler Shepherd (Kentucky) both had scoreless outings in losses. In fact, in 11 games, Harwich has had only one start that could be called bad – a three-inning outing by Sam Howard (Georgia Southern), who gave up four earned runs.

Aaron Bummer (Nebraska) and Shepherd have been at the head of the class. Both have made two starts without allowing an earned run. Beeks, who was a reliever at Arkansas, has done his part as well. He allowed two earned runs in his first start before dominating last night. He gave up just two hits in six innings.

With pitching like that, the offense doesn’t have to out-slug people, which is good considering Harwich’s team batting average is .218. That offense should get better as some recent arrivals settle in, but even now, the Mariners have been steadily taking control of games. Derek Fisher (Virginia) went 2-for-5 with three RBI on Tuesday, while Ian Happ (Cincinnati) drove in two and Aaron Barbosa (Northeastern) had three hits.

The bullpen got in on the act too, with three pitchers combining to allow just a run in finishing Beeks’s strong performance.

As long as that keeps up – and the Mariners keep finishing – look out.

Because it sure looks like the starts are going to be good.

 

Hyannis 4, Bourne 3

The league-leading Harbor Hawks (8-3) played extra-innings for the second night in a row and won again, edging the Braves (5-7) on a walk-off sacrifice fly by Skyler Ewing (Rice). Kyle Freeland (Evansville) was dominant on the mound for the Harbor Hawks, striking out eight in seven scoreless innings. The Braves made their comeback in the eighth and ninth thanks in large part to two home runs by Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State), who is the first Cape Leaguer in 2013 to hit two homers in the same game. But Hyannis came back to life in the 10th, with Landon Curry (Indiana State) singling, getting to second on an error, stealing third and scoring on Ewing’s fly ball. Hyannis has played six one-run games, and amazingly, has won all of them.

 

Falmouth 4, Orleans 0

Falmouth (7-5) shut down a hot Orleans (6-5) team for its fourth victory in five games. Trey Teakell (TCU) went seven shutout innings, striking out four and scattering six hits for his second win of the year. In both victories, he hasn’t given up a run. Kevin McKanna (Rice) finished the job with two scoreless innings. Kevin Cron (TCU) and Conner Hale (State College of Florida) led the offense with two hits and two RBI each. Cron hit his league-leading sixth double.

 

Cotuit 9, Wareham 2

Nobody has won more lopsided games than Cotuit, and the Kettleers (8-4) did it again with an easy victory over the Gatemen (2-10). Ben Smith (Coastal Carolina) struck out eight and gave up one earned run in six innings. His Coastal Carolina teammate Patrick Corbett did the rest, allowing just one hit in three scoreless frames. Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt), who started the year 0-for-6, had his third multi-hit game in the last six, going 2-for-3 with three RBI. He’s now hitting .310. Kevin Bradley (Clemson), who had been off to a rough start, matched his season total for hits with a 3-for-3, two RBI night.

 

Chatham 5, Y-D 5

The Red Sox (4-7-1) forced extra innings with two runs in the ninth, and the teams only got one more inning in before darkness forced the game to end in a 5-5 tie. Chatham (7-4-1) took a 5-1 lead in the sixth but watched the Red Sox get two in the sixth and the two in the ninth to tie it. D.J. Stewart (Florida State) hit a two-run homer in the ninth, his first of the year, to force extras. Taylor Smart (Tennessee) also had an RBI for the Red Sox, while Dante Flores (USC) went 4-for-4 for the Anglers.

 

What to Watch

Just one game on the schedule tonight as Harwich visits Orleans. Nick Howard (Virginia), a two-way player who has only hit so far, is scheduled to make his pitching debut for the Mariners. Interestingly, he’ll square off with his Virginia teammate Josh Sborz, who has a 4.15 ERA in two relief appearances for Orleans.

 

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Birds on Fire

Zach Fish homered last night and has been part of a huge stretch for the middle of the Orleans batting order.

This time last year, the Harwich Mariners were already well on their way to a historic season of long balls.

The 2013 Orleans Firebirds will not match them – they’re not even a third of the way to Harwich’s one-month total – but in the return of the pitcher-friendly Cape League, they’re doing their best.

The Firebirds lead the league with eight home runs, and the middle of their order is steadily emerging as the best in the league. Thanks to a home run by Zach Fish (Oklahoma State) and another solid night by the rest of the big bats, Orleans knocked off Harwich – the hottest team in the East – with a 6-2 victory. The Firebirds are now 6-4, tied with Harwich for second place and a half-game back of Chatham.

The Firebirds have won two in a row and three of four, a stretch that started with a 17-12 mauling of Y-D.

Their three biggest bats have done a lot of the damage. Over the last four games, Jordan Luplow (Fresno State), Chris Marconcini (Duke) and Fish have hit .388 with four home runs, two doubles, 11 runs scored and 19 RBI. Marconcini, who hit eight home runs for Duke this spring, has been the best of the bunch, going 9-for-18 with two homers, five runs and nine RBI. He leads the league in hitting with a .376 average. He’s tied for second in home runs and ranks second in RBI.

On Monday, he took a backseat to Fish, whose third inning two-run homer put the Firebirds in control. Luplow and Marconcini each added a hit, while Austin Davidson (Pepperdine), another key contributor went 2-for-4 with three runs scored. Recent arrival Vince Conde (Vanderbilt) chipped in two hits and an RBI.

Corey Miller (Pepperdine) got the win for the Firebirds with five strong innings.

 

Chatham 6, Cotuit 4

Cotuit took Chatham’s spot atop Perfect Game’s latest summer collegiate league rankings, but the Anglers got the best of the Kettleers for the second time this season. The teams now have matching 7-4 records. Chatham starter Andrew McGee (Monmouth) continued his early-season dominance, striking out eight and allowing just one earned run in seven innings. That was the first run he’s allowed all year, and he leads the league in strikeouts with 20. Connor Joe (San Diego) and Jimmy Pickens (Michigan State) each hit home runs to lead the Chatham offense. Josh Eldridge (Old Dominion) drove in two key runs in the ninth as Chatham held off a late charge by the Kettleers. Max Schrock (South Carolina) had three hits to lead Cotuit.

 

Hyannis 6, Falmouth 4

The Harbor Hawks trailed 4-1 into the sixth but rallied to tie it then won in the 11th inning and are now 7-3, a half-game ahead of Cotuit and Chatham for the best mark in the league. Skyler Ewing (Rice) doubled in the tying run in the ninth. In the 11th, Tyler Spoon (Arkansas) knocked in the go-ahead run. Eric Eck (Wofford) got the win for the Harbor Hawks and Andrew Istler (Duke) came on in the bottom of the 11th to get the save. Steve Wilkerson (Clemson), Ryan Padilla (New Mexico) and Drew Stankiewicz (Arizona State) all had two hits for the Harbor Hawks. Leon Byrd, Jr. (Rice) went 4-for-5 with two RBI and two stolen bases for the Commodores (6-5).

 

Y-D 9, Bourne 1

After giving up 40 runs in its last three games, Y-D (4-7) got a much-needed quality pitching performance from Erick Fedde (UNLV) in an easy win over Bourne (5-6). Fedde, who had already turned in two solid starts, gave up just one run on five hits in seven innings and struck out five. He has a 0.92 ERA and ranks second in the league in strikeouts. The Red Sox offense – which has been steady but just unable to keep up in some slugfests – did the rest, scoring five runs in the first and cruising from there. Taylor Gushue (Florida) went 2-for-5 with two RBI and Brandon Downes (Virginia) also drove in two runs. Andrew Daniel (San Diego), Robert Pehl (Washington) and D.J. Stewart (Florida State) all had two hits. Bourne had won five straight before blowout losses the last two nights.

 

Brewster 6, Wareham 4

The Whitecaps (3-7) and Gatemen (2-9) got together for the second straight night, but this time Brewster prevailed. Jose Brizuela (Florida State) and Keaton Aldridge (Memphis) each had three hits and two RBI for the Whitecaps, while Cole Lankford (Texas A&M) had three hits and knocked in one. Corey Taylor (Texas Tech) got his second win in three days with two scoreless innings of relief. Brad Schreiber (Purdue) picked up the save.

 

What to Watch

Y-D could use another solid pitching performance and may have the right guy on the hill as it hosts Chatham at 5 p.m. Jeremy Null, who ranked 17th in the nation in strikeouts at Western Carolina, will make his first start after three relief appearances. Aaron Garza (Houston) goes for Chatham.

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New Faces

Harwich's Ian Happ, a late roster addition, is off to a great start.

It’s easy to miss the boat on potential stars when they aren’t part of preseason outlooks and previews, but late additions to Cape League rosters often come to town with pretty good credentials.

In an effort to keep up, we begin the notebook with a quick look at some of the stand-outs who may not have been on the preseason radar:

Erich Weiss, Chatham – Texas stand-out had a down junior year, but was still selected in 13th round this year
Joe Goodman, Chatham – Undersized righty had an ERA under 1.00 for High Point
Cole Lankford, Brewster – Starred for Texas A&M this year, hitting .352 with three homers
Jake Stinnett, Brewster – Maryland pitcher was a 29th round pick of the Pirates this June
Ian Happ, Harwich – Cincy freshman hit .322 with six homers in debut
Ryan Lindemuth, Harwich – William & Mary junior hit .351 in the spring, was drafted by Pirates in 20th round this year
Ian Tompkins, Harwich – Western Kentucky reliever struck out 59 in just 35 innings this spring
Geoff DeGroot, Orleans – Hit .345, stole 25 bases for UMass Lowell
Jeremy Rhoades, Orleans – Saves six games with an ERA under two for Illinois State
Jeremy Null, Y-D – Had a tremendous year on the mound for Western Carolina, striking out 109 in 91 IP
Chad Carroll, Bourne – Terrific season at James Madison – .389, 3 HR, 55 RBI on way to All-CAA honors
Connor Castellano, Cotuit – TCU commit started his career at Vanderbilt before going the JUCO route
Steven Duggar, Cotuit – Hit .300 for Clemson as a freshman; ranked 15th best frosh in the country coming into the year
Alex Haines, Cotuit – Top prospect in the NECBL last year and a 33rd round pick this year
Trevor Seidenberger, Cotuit – Struck out 63 for TCU and was drafted in 12th round by Brewers
Conner Hale, Falmouth – JUCO star has committed to LSU for next year
Trey Teakell, Falmouth – TCU reliever had an ERA under 1.00
Jake Hernandez, Hyannis – Solid player for Orleans last summer has resurfaced in Hyannis and is off to a fast start
Fred Shepard, Wareham – Amherst standout was steady contributor for Wareham last year

 

  • Team USA has sort of unofficially gone back to its old trials format, where players headed to camp without roster spots. In recent years, the team was picked without any sort of trials. This year, it’s kind of a hybrid, with some players guaranteed to be on the roster and others fighting for spots. Quite a few players who have already been on the Cape this year are part of the second group, including Harwich’s C.J. Hinojosa and A.J. Reed, Falmouth’s Preston Morrison, Orleans’ Colin Welmon and Cotuit’s Bradley Zimmer.

  • Wareham’s lineup can use all the help it can get, and the Gatemen signed an old friend today who should help the cause in Louisville’s Cole Sturgeon. The sophomore hit .297 with five home runs in Wareham’s championship season last year. He also pitches and had a 1.97 ERA in seven games.

  • Three pitchers have made two starts without allowing an earned run – Harwich’s Aaron Bummer and Chandler Shepherd and Cotuit’s Alex Haines. Haines leads that group in strikeouts with 14 in nine innings. Interestingly, Bummer has only struck out five in 13 innings.

  • Orleans closer Matt Troupe hasn’t picked up a save since getting two early on, but he continues to strike a lot of people out. Troupe has 10 strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched, good for a 19.3 K/9.

  • The Y-D pitching staff struggled mightily for three games before getting on track Monday. The Red Sox were hurting so much that they put returning all-star infielder Robert Pehl on the mound for an inning. He promptly struck out two in a perfect inning.

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    The Stars are Out

    Cotuit's Mike Ford is the Cape League's leading hitter through 10 games.

     
    Ten games is not a lot in a baseball season, but in one as short as the Cape League’s, it’s not an insignificant amount. We’re almost a quarter of the way through the season.

    Ten games in, hot starts can begin turning into trends. Stars can begin to cement their spots.

    Two stars were on full display last night.

    Cotuit’s Mike Ford (Princeton) hit a home run and went 2-for-4 to maintain his place as the league’s leading hitter with a .429 average. Falmouth’s Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) also homered and now leads the league in home runs with three and RBI with 11.

    For both, it’s a welcomed start.

    Ford hit .252 for Cotuit last year. He pitches too and had an ERA over six. This spring, though, he made history at Princeton, where he was named Ivy League Player and Pitcher of the Year, the first person ever to hit that double. He came back to Cotuit on a temporary contract, but I’m guessing he’ll stick around. He owns a 1.92 ERA in 4.2 innings on the mound to go with his work at the plate.

    Hoskins was the WAC Freshman of the Year in 2012 when he hit .353 with 10 home runs, but he didn’t have a great summer in the West Coast League. He hit just .237. This spring, his numbers dipped to .283 and three home runs.

    But this summer, Hoskins has been fantastic. He has played in every one of Falmouth’s games and has gotten at least one hit in all but one of them. In his last three games – which came after his one hitless performance – he’s gone 6-for-12 with two home runs and seven RBI.

    Ford and Hoskins are also helping their teams pile up the victories. Cotuit beat Hyannis 7-2 last night to take over first-place in the West. Steven Duggar (Clemson) and Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt) had three hits each in addition to Ford’s good night. Joel Seddon (South Carolina) got the win with 3.2 scoreless innings of relief.

    Falmouth hit the road to take on a red-hot Bourne team and shut the Braves down completely, winning 8-0 for their third straight victory. Joseph Maggi (Arizona), Kevin Cron (TCU), Conner Hale (State College of Florida) and Troy Stein (Texas A&M) joined Hoskins with two hits apiece. John Means (West Virginia) went 5.2 innings for his first win.

     

    Harwich 8, Y-D 0

    Harwich (6-3) won its fourth straight game as Y-D found itself on the wrong end of a rough night again. The Red Sox (3-7) have given up 40 runs in their last three games. Harwich, meanwhile, has allowed a total of four runs in its winning streak. Chandler Shepherd (Kentucky) continued the string of quality starts with six shutout innings. He struck out one and allowed three hits. Jake Drossner (Maryland) and Michael Costello (Radford) finished it off. The offense was led by Gunnar Heidt (College of Charleson), who hit a third-inning grand slam on his way to a five-RBI night. Tanner English (South Carolina) and Derek Fisher (Virginia) also drove in runs.

     

    Orleans 6, Chatham 5

    After blowing a 5-0 lead in the seventh inning, the Firebirds (5-4) scored a run in the ninth to beat Chatham (6-4) by a run. Chris Marconcini (Duke) was the hero as his solo home run in the ninth got the Firebirds back in front. It was his second home run in three games and was part of a 3-for-5 night. Matt Troupe (Arizona), who had come on in the eighth, sealed the win with a scoreless ninth. Zach Fish (Oklahoma State) also went 3-for-5 for the Firebirds. On the mound, Bobby Poyner (Florida) delivered a strong start with five scoreless innings. Mitchell Gonsolus (Gonzaga) had three hits and two RBI to lead Chatham.

     

    Wareham 3, Brewster 1

    The Gatemen (2-8) snapped a six-game losing streak by shutting down the Whitecaps, who were coming off a 14-run explosion the night before. Andro Cutura (Southeastern Louisiana) turned in his second strong start for Wareham, striking out six in five shutout innings. Dillon Ortman (Auburn) and Dalton Brown (Texas Tech) finished the job. The Wareham offense still didn’t smash the ball but did rack up nine hits. Cole Stancil (St. Leo) went 2-for-3 while Will Schwanke (Arkansas) and Brock Stewart (Illinois State) drove in runs.

     

    What to Watch

    Chatham and Cotuit – who were the league’s hottest teams in week one – get together for their second meeting at 5 p.m. in Cotuit. The last time they met, Chatham won in a walk-off. This time, the Anglers send ace Andrew McGee (Monmouth) to the hill. He ranks third in the league in strikeouts and hasn’t allowed a run in his two starts. Cotuit counters with Jared Walsh (Georgia), who’s given up just one run in his two starts.

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    Five Wins and No Hits

    Austin Gomber tossed five no-hit innings, part of a combined no-hitter for the Braves.

     
    With an 8-0 victory over Cotuit yesterday, Bourne became the third team already this season to put together a five-game winning streak.

    The Braves’ No. 5 was best of all.

    Austin Gomber (Florida Atlantic), Josh Laxer (Ole Miss) and Ryan Harris (Florida) combined on a no-hitter as the Braves cruised past Cotuit, who came in as one of the league’s best offensive teams. The Braves’ Jeff Thompson threw a no-hitter last year in a game that went only six innings. Last night’s effort was the league’s first nine-inning no-hitter since June 30, 2010, when Jordan Pries did it for Y-D.

    This one wasn’t celebrated right away. When Mike Ford (Princeton) reached base on a mis-played ground ball in the seventh, it was ruled a double. After the game, the official scorer changed it to an error, giving the Braves the no-no.

    Gomber, who had as good a spring as any pitcher on the Cape, was terrific in his first start. He struck out five in five innings and walked two. Laxer picked up where he left off, striking out one in three innings. Harris finished it off, working around a walk to pitch a hitless ninth.

    Not only was it a no-hitter, Bourne pitchers have now turned in three consecutive shutouts. And in the game prior, they gave up one run. The scoreless streak is at 33 innings. Not surprisingly, the Braves now lead the league in team ERA.

    The Braves’ offense also got it done last night, which was no small feat. Alex Haines (Seton Hill) turned in his second dominant start in as many outings, striking out seven in five scoreless innings. But the Braves bided their time and broke out against the Kettleer bullpen, scoring two runs in the eighth and six in the ninth.

    Eric Fisher (Arkansas) went 2-for-5 with three RBI. Tim Caputo (Rhode Island), Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State) and Bobby Boyd (West Virginia) drove in one run apiece, while Pat Kelly (Nebraska), Mason Robbins (Southern Miss) and Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech) all had two hits.

     

    Hyannis 3, Orleans 2

    The Harbor Hawks (6-2) took over first place in the West with Cotuit’s loss and their win over the Firebirds (4-4). Andrew Thome (North Dakota) worked six strong innings, giving up one run and striking out three in six innings. Andrew Istler (Duke) picked up his first save. The offense was led by Jake Hernandez (USC), a former Firebird, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Skyler Ewing (Rice) also knocked in a run. In eight games, the Harbor Hawks have now won three in a row, lost two in a row and won three in a row. The wins are coming despite a league-worst .188 team batting average.

     

    Falmouth 6, Chatham 1

    Chatham has hit the skids since its 6-0 start, with Falmouth (5-4) as the latest conqueror. The Commodores handed the Anglers (6-3) their third straight loss. Craig Schlitter (Bryant) got the win with five strong innings and three relievers allowed just one hit over the final four innings. Oregon standout Garrett Cleavinger had an adventure in his first outing, walking three but striking out three in the ninth. Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) led the offensive charge with two RBI and he is now tied for the league lead with eight RBI. Kevin Cron (TCU) added two hits, including his fourth double. Chatham has scored one total run in its last three games.

     

    Harwich 2, Wareham 1

    The Mariners (5-3) are the hottest team in the East thanks to their third straight win, a 2-1 triumph over the Gatemen, who dropped to 1-8. Aaron Bummer (Nebraska) pitched seven shutout innings and now hasn’t allowed a run in 13 innings this season. Sean Fitzgerald (Notre Dame) picked up the save. Josh Anderson (Florida International) drove in both Harwich runs. The Gatemen got a quality start from Tucker Simpson (Florida) but the offense continued to struggle. The Gatemen are hitting just .216.

     

    Brewster 14, Y-D 8

    The Red Sox (3-6) found themselves in a slugfest for the second straight day and lost this one too, as Brewster improved to 3-6 with its best offensive day of the season. Trent Woodward (Fresno State) went 3-for-4 with four RBI and Cole Lankford (Texas A&M) went 3-for-5 with three RBI. Jose Brizuela (Florida State) knocked two triples and drove in three. Ford Stainback (Rice) added three hits and Keaton Aldridge (Memphis) drove in two runs. Corey Taylor (Texas Tech) picked up the win in relief. Y-D got a home run from Taylor Smart (Tennessee) and two RBI from Auston Bousfield (Ole Miss).

     

    What to Watch

    A couple of rivalry games on tap tonight as Cotuit visits Hyannis and Orleans heads to Chatham. Eric Karch (Pepperdine), who’s 2-0, goes for Cotuit against Hyannis’ Jordan Foley (Central Michigan), who had a great spring. Chatham sends Andrew Chin (Boston College) after he went five shutout innings in his last start. Orleans counters with Bobby Poyner (Florida), who has pitched just two innings thus far.

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    Party Like It’s 2012

    Chris Marconcini had six RBI as Orleans out-slugged Y-D 17-12.

     
    So. About that lack of offense.

    As expected this year, one of the league’s early storylines is the return to typical Cape League offensive numbers after last year’s inflation. For one night, though, Orleans and Y-D didn’t get the memo. The Firebirds won 17-12 at Red Wilson Field.

    The combined run total was more than the season run total of eight Cape League teams. The Firebirds and Red Sox also combined for five home runs, which is more than the season total for nine Cape League teams. And the night’s biggest star, Chris Marconcini (Duke), had six RBI, more than anyone in the league had for the season coming into last night.

    It was that kind of night.

    The fireworks started early. Orleans scored four runs in the top of the first on a Zach Fish (Oklahoma State) grand slam. The score was actually 4-4 going into the fifth before the Firebirds delivered two more big innings, getting five in the fifth and four in the sixth.

    The Firebirds got their second grand slam from Marconcini, who finished 3-for-5 with the home run and six RBI. Jordan Betts (Duke) also homered for the second time in as many games.

    Y-D did its part for the slugfest too. The Red Sox got home runs from Robert Pehl (Washington) and Taylor Gushue (Florida), while D.J. Stewart (Florida State) had two doubles and two RBI. Trailing 17-6, the Red Sox scored six runs in the ninth and the Firebirds committed three errors in the inning, but the hole was too big.

    Orleans held on and for one night, celebrated a whole lot of offense.

     

    Harwich 3, Cotuit 2

    Harwich (4-3) got no-hit by Cotuit’s Chris Ellis (Ole Miss) for six innings but broke out for three runs in the final three innings to knock off the Kettleers 3-2. The Kettleers (6-2) pushed one across in the ninth, but Chris Oliver (Arkansas) struck out Steven Duggar (Clemson) to end it. That made a winner out of reliever Jonathan Frebis (Middle Tennessee State). Derek Fisher (Virginia) had the first hit for Harwich, an RBI double that came after Branden Cogswell (Virginia) had reached on an error. A single, two errors and a sacrifice fly by Mark Zagunis (Virginia Tech) plated two runs in the eighth. The Kettleers made four errors, but Mike Ford (Princeton) was a bright spot, going 3-for-4. He now leads the league in hitting at .476.

     

    Hyannis 1, Chatham 0

    Just three days after losing to Chatham 10-0, Hyannis (5-2) shut down the Anglers for a 1-0 victory, handing Chatham (6-2) its second consecutive 1-0 loss. Cy Sneed (Dallas Baptist) struck out three and gave up just two hits in seven scoreless innings. Mike Gunn (Arkansas) and Sarkis Ohanian (Duke) worked the final two innings without allowing a hit. Lukas Schiraldi (Navarro College) struck out five in six innings for Chatham, but Hyannis got to him for one run that proved to be enough. Austin Slater (Stanford) knocked in the only run with one of his two hits. Jay Baum (Clemson) scored the lone run.

     

    Bourne 3, Brewster 0

    The Braves (4-4) won their fourth straight game with their second consecutive shutout. Arizona State star Ryan Kellogg didn’t disappoint in his Cape League debut, tossing six shutout innings with three strikeouts. Jack English (Florida Gulf Coast) struck out four in two innings of relief and Trace Dempsey (Ohio State) struck out two in the ninth to pick up the save. Eric Fisher (Arkansas) led the offense, going 3-for-4 with two RBI. Bobby Boyd (West Virginia) added two hits and Clint Freeman (East Tennessee State) had two RBI.

     

    Falmouth 8, Wareham 3

    The Commodores (4-4) pounded out 12 hits en route to a victory over the Gatemen (1-7). Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) led the big night, going 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. Kevin Cron (TCU) also had two RBI, Kevin Newman (Arizona) had three hits and Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) had two. Hunter Brothers (Lipscomb) got the win in relief for the Commodores.

     

    What to Watch

    It should be a great pitching match-up in Bourne, where the red hot Braves send Austin Gomber (Florida Atlantic) to the mound against Cotuit’s Alex Haines (Seton Hill). Gomber struck out 103 this spring, while Haines was the NECBL’s top prospect last year and a 33rd round pick of the Rockies this year.

    Posted on

    Back Up

    Dominic Jose, pictured last summer, had an RBI as the Harbor Hawks got back into the win column on Thursday.

     
    It’s been a rollercoaster season so far for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks, but the good thing about a rollercoaster is you usually don’t have to wait long to go back up.

    After starting the year 3-0, then getting shut-out in their next two games, the Harbor Hawks got back into the win column with a 4-3 victory over Wareham (1-6) on Thursday in the only game on the schedule.

    The Harbor Hawks wasted no time breaking the shut-out spell, striking for all four of their runs in the first inning. They used two hits, two walks and an error to get it done.

    Jake Hernandez (USC), a late Hyannis pickup who hit five home runs for Orleans last year, knocked in the first run. Dominic Jose (Stanford) also had an RBI. Another run scored on an error and Tyler Spoon (Arkansas) later scored on an errant throw in a rundown.

    Armed with the lead, Austin Pettibone (UC Santa Barbara) allowed just a run in five innings of work for the win. The Gatemen made some moves against the Hyannis bullpen, but Eric Eck (Wofford) stranded the tying run in the ninth to pick up his second save.

    Hyannis is now 4-2 and sitting just behind Cotuit in the West standings.

    The Gatemen fell to 1-6, but they did out-hit the Harbor Hawks 10-6. Tino Lipson (UC Davis) was a bright spot again, stretching his hitting streak to seven games.

     

    What to Watch

    Back to a full slate of action tonight with a lot of solid arms on the hill. Kyle Cody (Kentucky), who gave Wareham its only victory, will try to get another one as the Gatemen welcome to Falmouth and Craig Schlitter (Bryant) to town for a 7 p.m. start. In Bourne, Arizona State freshman standout Ryan Kellogg makes his first start as the Braves host Brewster.

    Posted on

    Week 1: Anglers On Top

    The top two spots are easy. The rest? That’s where it gets interesting. The group from three to seven are all pretty even.

    RANK TEAM RECORD THE SKINNY
    1 Anglers.jpg Chatham Anglers
    6-1
    		 The Anglers’ 6-0 start was the best by any Cape League team since the 2007 Y-D Red Sox. It ended Wednesday, but certainly not with a thud – Bourne beat them 1-0. Chatham leads the league in team batting average and ERA, making them an easy choice for the top spot. They’ve also beaten Cotuit, the only other contender for No. 1.
    2 cotuit white.jpg Cotuit Kettleers
    6-1
    		 The Kettleers weren’t going to surpass Chatham in the first rankings, not with a 5-4 loss to the Anglers on their resume, but that is their only loss. They rank third in the league in batting average and third in ERA. They also lead the league in runs scored, home runs and extra-base hits, and they’re tied for second in strikeouts. Those categories make me think the Kettleers have the chance to be explosive, in addition to being steady.
    3 firebird1.jpg Orleans Firebirds
    3-3
    		 The Firebirds’ record isn’t all that impressive, but there are reasons to think they’ll be a contender. Their pitching staff has a surprisingly high 3.02 ERA but ranks second in strikeouts and owns the league’s best strikeout-to-walk ratio. On the offensive side, they’re hitting .230 but rank third in extra-base hits, behind only Cotuit and Chatham.
    4 TeamLogo_Bourne2003.jpg Bourne Braves
    3-4
    		 The Braves are under .500, but have won three in a row since an 0-4 start, including a shutout of previously unbeaten Chatham on Wednesday. Bourne has the second-best team ERA in the league. With Austin Gomber and Ryan Kellogg now in the fold, the pitching staff should be getting even better. Offensively, the Braves just need more production. They’ve only scored 16 runs despite 56 hits.
    5 falmouthlogo.gif Falmouth Commodores
    3-4
    		 The Commodores have been up-and-down so far but they have a lot of characteristics of a team that can be one of the best in the league. The middle of the order has been steady and Falmouth ranks third in the league in runs scored. The team ERA is over three, but Falmouth leads the league in strikeouts.
    6 TeamLogo_Harwich2003.jpg Harwich Mariners
    3-3
    		 Harwich looked like one of the most talented team in the league in the preseason, and even with some losses to Team USA, it’s a strong-looking roster. It hasn’t all come together yet, but the Mariners do rank fourth in ERA. Offense has been an issue. Their team batting average is only .214 and they’ve been held to a total of three runs in their three losses.
    7 TeamLogo_YD2003.jpg Y-D Red Sox
    3-4
    		 The Red Sox are sitting just behind Chatham in the team batting average rankings, but the difference is production. Y-D has just eight extra-base hits for a slugging percentage of .291. The pitching staff has had some struggles, with a 3.66 ERA, but starting pitching has been solid.
    8 HyannisHawks_150.gif Hyannis Harbor Hawks
    3-2
    		 Hyannis started 3-0 and still has a winning record, but the Harbor Hawks have come crashing to earth in their last two games, losing 10-0 to Chatham and 7-0 to previously winless Brewster. The Harbor Hawks are hitting a league-worst .180 and the pitching staff ranks seventh in team ERA.
    9 gatemen_logo_opt.jpg Wareham Gatemen
    1-5
    		 The defending champs are trying to hold it together with a lot of their roster in Omaha, and it’s been a tough go. The pitching staff has been middle of the road, which keeps them out of the bottom spot on the rankings, but the offense has struggled mightily. The Gatemen have just one extra-base hit in six games.
    10 TeamLogo_Brewster2003.jpg Brewster Whitecaps
    1-5
    		 The Whitecaps broke into the win column on Wednesday, but it’s certainly been a tough start. Their 3.78 ERA ranks last in the league and their .209 team batting average is just eighth.