Harwich kept Chatham from clinching a playoff spot while keeping its own hopes alive.
A quick Daily Fog today. The biggest news? Nobody else clinched a playoff spot last night. Still four berths up for grabs.
Harwich 5, Chatham 2
Chatham scored two in the first as it tried to clinch a playoff bid but Harwich rallied for the 5-2 win. Coupled with a Y-D win, Chatham and the Red Sox are now tied for third place. Harwich is four points back of them and still in the mix. The Mariners got RBI from Sheldon Neuse (Oklahoma), Adam Pate (North Carolina) and Connor Justus (Georgia Tech) on the comeback trail. Cam Vieaux (Michigan State) settled in after giving up the two first-inning runs and went four innings. Hunter Newman (LSU) and Zach Schellenger (Seton Hall) shut-out the Anglers over the final five innings.
Falmouth 10, Wareham 3
The Commodores have won two straight and now find themselves just a point out of fourth place and three points out of third in the West. Five different players had two hits in a 13-hit barrage that included eight runs over the first two innings. Logan Ice (Oregon State), Evan Skoug (TCU) and Boomer White (Texas A&M) all scored twice in addition to their two hits. Joseph Camacho (Alabama State), making just his second start, gave up three runs in 6.2 innings for the win.
Y-D 4, Brewster 3
Y-D scored three in the sixth and held off a late push by Brewster to move into a third-place tie with Chatham. Gio Brusa (Pacific) led the Red Sox with his eighth home run, to go with two RBI. Cole Billingsley (South Alabama) and Tommy Edman (Stanford) added two hits each. Dustin Hunt (Northeastern) started for Y-D and pitched four scoreless innings with six strikeouts. Mason Kukowski (Yale) got the win in relief and Chad Hockin (Cal State Fullerton) picked up the save.
Hyannis 6, Cotuit 2
Hyannis finished off a six-game season sweep of Cotuit with a 6-2 victory at Lowell Park. That means more than a quarter of the first-place Harbor Hawks’ 23 victories have come against the rival Kettleers. Thomas Burrows (Alabama) gave up one run in five innings for the win. He struck out five. Marc Skinner (Troy) and Aaron Civale (Northeastern) kept Cotuit from rallying. Jake Rogers (Tulane) led the Hyannis offense with three hits and two RBI. Austin Hays (Jacksonville) added two hits. For Cotuit, Will Haynie (Alabama) hit his eighth home run.
Orleans 4, Bourne 1
Fresh off their division-clinching win Thursday, the Firebirds made it two wins in a row with a victory over Bourne. John Kilichowski (Vanderbilt) served notice that he might provide a major boost to a playoff rotation with 5.1 scoreless innings in his third appearance since his late arrival. He struck out seven and gave up three hits. Willie Abreu (Miami) led the Orleans offense with his second home run of the summer. Ronnie Dawson (Ohio State) added two hits and an RBI.
What to Watch
It’s the second-to-last day of the regular season, and literally every game features at least one team fighting for a playoff spot.
Tyson Miller struck out 11 and allowed just an unearned run as Brewster beat Orleans.
The Orleans Firebirds will likely win the East Division title and could still finish with the same 31-12-1 record as the 2007 Y-D Red Sox, the benchmark for great Cape teams in the last 15 years. But the last two nights have hinted that, regardless of where they finish, the Firebirds won’t have an easy time of it in the postseason.
After tying Orleans Tuesday, second-place Brewster beat the Firebirds 4-1 Wednesday behind a fantastic pitching performance by Tyson Miller (California Baptist). The Whitecaps, who clinched a playoff spot with the win, are now eight points back of Orleans with four games left for both teams, meaning there’s a chance they could finish in a tie. Brewster has the second-best record in the league at 23-16-1.
Miller set the course for Wednesday’s win. The 6’4 righty – who struck out 85 for D-II California Baptist this spring – had his best start in what was already a solid summer. In fact, given the opponent, it was perhaps the Cape League’s best start of the summer. Miller allowed just an unearned run on three hits in eight innings and struck out 11. He didn’t walk a single batter. Orleans managed just one extra-base hit for the game.
Thomas Hackimer (St. John’s) pitched the final inning for the save.
If you had predicted a pitcher to dominate Wednesday’s game, Orleans starter Eric Lauer (Kent State) would have been the choice. Lauer came in with a 1.47 ERA and leads the league in strikeouts. Brewster touched him up for three early runs and chased him after three innings.
Nick Senzel (Tennessee) went 2-for-4 with his 15th double of the season, while Robbie Tenerowicz (California) went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Four other Whitecaps drove in runs and Brewster finished with nine hits.
Brewster has now earned a tie and a win while facing Orleans co-aces Mitchell Jordan and Lauer. Granted, the Whitecaps were shut-out by Jordan before coming through against the bullpen. And Lauer wasn’t at his best. But still – those guys don’t typically get beat. The loss was Lauer’s first. Tuesday’s game was the first one Jordan has pitched in that Orleans didn’t win.
Orleans will take another crack at a division crown tonight — and they won’t have to play Brewster again in the regular season. If the last two days are any indication, they may meet again when postseason baseball comes around.
Y-D 9, Wareham 1
Y-D broke open a 2-1 game with seven runs in the eighth inning and cruised past Wareham to keep pace in the race for the last two East playoff spots. The Red Sox are now 20-20 and still hold a one-game lead on Harwich for fourth place. Gio Brusa (Pacific) had two doubles and three RBI to lead the way Wednesday. Cole Billingsley (South Alabama), Tommy Edman (Stanford) and Mike Donadio (St. John’s) chipped in two hits each. Ricky Thomas (Fresno State) won his league-best seventh game with 6.2 strong innings. He gave up one run on five hits and struck out eight. The big news for Wareham – and the league – in the loss was that Andrew Calica (UC Santa Barbara) has reached the plate appearance mark necessary to qualify for the batting title. He also went 3-for-4, pushing his league-best average to .439. With just four games remaining, Calica has as good a shot as anybody in recent years to become the Cape League’s first .400 hitter since 1990.
Hyannis 5, Cotuit 2
Hyannis improved to 5-0 against rival Cotuit this year thanks to a 5-2 victory at McKeon Park. With everybody else in the West losing Wednesday, the Harbor Hawks also inched closer to a division title. They now have a five-point edge on second-place Bourne. Dakota Hudson (Mississippi State) starred in relief Wednesday, striking out eight of the 16 batters he faced in four shutout innings. Bulldog teammate Vance Tatum started and went 4.1 innings. Austin Hays (Jacksonville) and Blake Tiberi (Louisville) each had three hits to pace the offense. Tristan Hildebrandt (Cal State Fullerton), a late roster reinforcement, went 2-for-3 in his seventh game as a Harbor Hawk. Hyannis scored three of their five runs off Cotuit ace Jon Woodcock (Virginia Tech), who had allowed a total of four earned runs on the year before Wednesday. Cotuit fell to 16-24 but remains in a tie for third place with Wareham, five points ahead of last-place Falmouth.
Chatham 3, Falmouth 2
The aforementioned Commodores were on the verge of snapping a six-game losing streak but Chatham erased a 2-0 deficit with three runs in the eighth and won 3-2. Nate Mondou (Wake Forest) and Aaron Knapp (California) singled to start the eighth inning rally. A groundout brought one run home before an error on an overthrow from third base plated two more. Armed with the lead, Andre Scrubb (High Point) and Aaron McGarity (Virginia Tech) tossed a scoreless inning each to finish it off. Knapp had two hits to lead the Chatham offense. Heath Quinn (Samford) homered for Falmouth. Turner Larkins (Texas A&M) went 6.1 scoreless innings but was left with a no-decision after Chatham’s rally. The Anglers improved to 22-18 and have a magic number of two for clinching a playoff spot.
Harwich 3, Bourne 1
Harwich remained in the mix for an East playoff berth with a 3-1 victory over Bourne. The Mariners are one game back of Y-D for the fourth and final postseason spot. Hunter Williams (North Carolina) allowed one run in 4.1 innings and struck out six. Relievers Joe Ravert (La Salle) and Zach Schellenger (Seton Hall) followed with 2.1 scoreless innings apiece, with Schellenger earning the win. Adam Pate (North Carolina) went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead an eight-hit attack. Cavan Biggio (Notre Dame) and Johnny Adams (Boston College) knocked in one run each.
What to Watch
Flame-throwing reliever Zach Burdi (Louisville) is scheduled to make a start as Chatham hosts Y-D and Brandon Bailey (Gonzaga), with both teams in the thick of the East playoff race. In Hyannis, division leaders will meet when the Harbor Hawks host Orleans.
Bobby Dalbec has eight home runs in just 17 games this summer.
Bobby Dalbec (Arizona) will not participate in the Cape League All-Star Game’s Home Run Derby.
So the Orleans slugger simply had his own personal derby Sunday night. Dalbec blasted two, giving him a league-best eight on the summer, as the Firebirds beat Y-D 5-4.
While Ronnie Dawson (Ohio State) was the hero with a walk-off single in the ninth, Dalbec continued to carry the torch for the Firebirds’ powerful offense.
Dalbec’s eight home runs match of the end-of-season totals for the league leaders in each of the last two seasons. And of course, the amazing thing is that he has hit eight home runs in just 17 games. Dalbec started the season in Orleans and played in only nine games before departing for Team USA. He has played eight games since returning.
Because it’s fun to play the pace game, if Dalbec had not played with Team USA and continued on his current home run track, he would have somewhere around 13 right now.
Even when you don’t consider what could have been, Dalbec is having a remarkably powerful summer. He hit a two-run shot in the first inning last night then hit a solo shot in his next at-bat.
Dalbec’s bombs upped the Firebirds’ team total to 28. They have nearly doubled up their next closest competitor in that category (Y-D’s 15).
For all of Dalbec’s pop Sunday, the Firebirds found themselves in a tied game with Y-D in the ninth. Dawson came up with runners on first and third and plated the winning run with a base hit. Kit Scheetz (Virginia Tech) got the win in relief. Bryan Reynolds (Vanderbilt) went 3-for-4 and his hit in the ninth set up Dawson’s game-winner.
Orleans is now 24-9 and has a whopping 12-point lead on second-place Brewster and Chatham. Y-D fell to 17-16 with Sunday’s loss.
Falmouth 6, Hyannis 6
Hyannis trailed 6-1 in the bottom of the ninth and scored five runs to tie it before the teams played three scoreless extra innings. Austin Hays (Jacksonville) had a two-run double in the big ninth and came home with the tying run on a triple by Colby Bortles (Ole Miss). Hyannis went on to load the bases in the 11th but couldn’t push a run across. Wyatt Short (Ole Miss) and Andrew Frankenreider (Northern Illinois) handled the extra-inning pitching duties for Falmouth, while Will Stillman (Wofford) and Collin Kober (McNeese State) did the job for Hyannis. For Falmouth, J.J. Matijevic (Arizona) hit his fourth home run.
Bourne 4, Chatham 2
Bourne broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth on RBI singles by Mike Garzillo (Lehigh) and Nick Solak (Louisville) and went on to a 4-2 win over the Anglers. The key hits were part of 2-for-4 days for both Garzillo and Solak. Austin Conway (Indiana State) went 1.2 innings of relief for the win. Keegan Akin (Western Michigan) had gone five shutout innings before Chatham rallied. Luke Persico (UCLA) and Garrett Hampson (Long Beach State) both had two hits for the Anglers.
Harwich 8, Brewster 5
The Mariners stopped Brewster’s five-game winning streak with an 8-5 win at Whitehouse Field. Joe O’Donnell (NC State) tossed five shutout innings before the Whitecaps made a late surge against the Mariner bullpen that fell short. Sheldon Neuse (Oklahoma), Adam Pate (North Carolina) and Preston Palmeiro (NC State) all had three hits for the Mariners. Brock Deatherage (NC State) and Cavan Biggio (Notre Dame) each drove in two runs. Spencer Trayner (North Carolina) got the save for the Mariners, escaping a jam in the ninth.
Cotuit 5, Wareham 3
The Kettleers won for the second straight night and have now matched Wareham and Falmouth with 13 wins in the West. Cotuit trailed 3-0 into the fourth but scored all its runs from there. Jeren Kendall (Vanderbilt) went 2-for-3 with two RBI as he continues to be a major spark for the Kettleers. He’s hitting .297 since arriving from Omaha. Brett Stephens (UCLA), Tim Susnara (Oregon) and Jackson Klein (Stanford) each knocked in a run. Duncan Robinson (Dartmouth) got the win in relief and Justin Dunn (Boston College) had the save.
What to Watch
Off day around the league today. Tuesday night, second-place Bourne will try to continue its success against West-leading Hyannis at McKeon Park.
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.
Last Friday, Wareham beat Cotuit by a run with two runs in the top of the ninth inning. The go-ahead run scored on a passed ball. Wednesday, Wareham won by a run again, and this one might have been even more frustrating for the Kettleers.
A solo home run by Andrew Calica (UC Santa Barbara) in the sixth inning was the game’s only run – and Wareham’s only hit. Four Gatemen pitchers combined on a shutout as the Gatemen won 1-0.
Wareham improved to 10-9 and is one game back of Hyannis for first place in the West. Cotuit dropped to 6-13.
The Gatemen were 0-5 in one-run games before the 4-3 victory over Cotuit Friday. Their luck turned around in that game and apparently didn’t run out, either. Cotuit’s Jon Woodcock (Virginia Tech) obviously took a no-hitter into the sixth Wednesday, but the one hit sent him to the hardest of hard-luck losses.
Calica, the No. 9 hitter in the order, came up with two outs in the sixth and smacked a 2-1 pitch for his first home run of the summer. Calica, who hit .329 for UC Santa Barbara, only had one home run this spring, too. He’s now hitting .438 in six games on the Cape.
Woodcock didn’t allow anything else – his season ERA is now 1.50 – and Mitch Stallings (Duke) tossed two hitless innings. But Wareham’s pitchers remained in control.
Matt Krook (Oregon) started and went two innings. He walked four and struck out two but didn’t give up a run or a hit. Blake Fox (Rice) followed with 4.2 innings, Ian Hamilton (Washington State) tossed two-thirds of an inning and Shea Spitzbarth (Molloy) went the final 1.2 without surrendering a hit.
Cotuit threatened with a little luck of its own when Will Haynie (Alabama) led off the ninth by reaching on a dropped third strike. He made it to second on a bunt and third on a groundout, but Spitzbarth stranded him there. Kort Peterson (UCLA) lined out to end the inning.
The Kettleers finished with four hits but none went for extra bases. Wareham’s one hit did a little more damage.
Harwich 6, Bourne 2
Harwich scored four runs in the fifth to break away for a 6-2 win over Bourne. Johnny Adams (Boston College) and Connor Justus (Georgia Tech) went 2-for-3 with three RBI for the Mariners. Adam Pate (North Carolina) went 2-for-3 and now has 10 hits in eight games since Harwich picked him up after he was released by Orleans. Pate has three straight two-hit games and ranks third in the league with a .356 batting average. Pate’s UNC teammate Hunter Williams struck out seven in four innings and Ross Vance (West Virginia) got the win in relief after Harwich’s big inning. Joe DiBenedetto (Seton Hall) went three scoreless innings for his first save. Harwich did much of its damage at the plate against Bourne starter Nick Jensen-Clagg (Kent State), who hadn’t allowed a hit in his first two starts. He gave up six Wednesday, walked five and was charged with three earned runs.
Y-D 9, Chatham 2
The Red Sox built an early lead then pulled away with a six-run seventh inning in a win over Chatham. It was Y-D’s second win this week over Chatham, and the Red Sox sit just one game back of the second-place Anglers in the East standings. Donnie Walton (Oklahoma State) led the Y-D offense with three hits, a home run and two RBI. It was the fourth three-hit game of the summer for Walton, who’s batting .318. The homer was his first. Stephen Wrenn (Georgia) added two hits while Gio Brusa (Washington) – a 2014 CCBL All-Star – shook off his slow start to 2015 with a two-hit night. Barnstable native Will Toffey (Vanderbilt) made his Cape League debut and drew three walks. On the mound for Y-D, Brett Adcock (Michigan) walked five but surrendered only one run in five innings. Chatham got home runs from Luke Persico (UCLA) and Todd Czinege (Villanova).
Falmouth at Hyannis, PPD; Brewster at Orleans, PPD
What to Watch
Four games on tap today, including what should be a good pitching match-up at Red Wilson Field. Josh Rogers (Louisville), who was drafted in the 11th round this year but is planning to return to school, goes for Bourne against Y-D’s Shane Bieber (UC Santa Barbara), who went 7.2 shutout innings last time out. Also on the hill tonight is Chatham’s T.J. Zeuch (Pittsburgh), who will go against Brewster at Veterans Field. Zeuch has not allowed an earned run in his three starts.
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.
It could have been a rough day for the Orleans Firebirds. Friday’s game was their first without a trio of early standouts who departed for Team USA. The club also released three pitchers with ace potential who are currently in Omaha and who have also earned Team USA invites.
But on the field, the Firebirds just kept rolling. Kyle Serrano (Tennessee) struck out eight in five innings and six different players had hits as Orleans beat Harwich 5-1 at Whitehouse Field. It was the fifth straight victory for the Firebirds, who moved to 8-2 and overtook Hyannis for the best record in the league.
It was an impressive first act as a new-look squad, considering what Orleans lost. Bobby Dalbec (Arizona) was hitting .310 and leading the league with four home runs and nine RBI. Bryson Brigman (San Diego) was leading the league in hitting at .385, and Colby Woodmansee (Arizona State) was batting .348 while manning shortstop. In Wednesday’s game, their last in Orleans, that trio combined for four hits, three RBI and two runs scored. They may return to Orleans, since Team USA has a short tour this summer, but their departures are still a big blow for now. And that’s not even counting the trio of pitchers who showed up on the transactions list yesterday. Logan Shore and A.J. Puk of Florida and Connor Jones of Virginia all had the potential of being the best arms on the Cape.
Clearly, though, Orleans – like any CCBL team this time of year – will focus on what it still has. And it was pretty good Friday night.
Serrano turned in his second solid start of the summer, allowing one run on three hits in five innings and striking out eight. Chandler Blanchard (Pepperdine) followed with two scoreless frames and Kit Scheetz (Virginia Tech) and Jason Harper (Southern Connecticut) chipped in one inning each.
At the plate, the Firebirds had only one more hit than the Mariners but took advantage of them with a four-run fourth inning and another run in the sixth. Nick Zammarelli (Elon) went 1-for-3 with two RBI and Adam Pate (North Carolina) had an RBI. Kyle Lewis (Mercer) went 1-for-4 with a double.
It was enough for the Firebirds to stay hot, even on a rough day.
Brewster 4, Y-D 3
The Whitecaps snapped a six-game losing streak in dramatic fashion, tying the game in the ninth and walking off with a 4-3 win over the Red Sox in the 10th. Tyler Ramirez (North Carolina) drew a bases-loaded walk to plate the winning run, after the Whitecaps had loaded the bases with two walks and a single. Brewster also trailed 3-2 in the ninth when a sacrifice fly by Eli White (Clemson) from the No. 9 spot in the order tied the game at 3-3. Colin Lyman (Louisville) and Brandon Gold (Georgia Tech) also knocked in runs for the Whitecaps. Thomas Hackimer (St. John’s) kept the Whitecaps in reach as they rallied, tossing two scoreless innings of relief for the win. The win bumped Brewster ahead of Y-D in the standings at 4-6. The Red Sox fell to 3-7 with their third straight loss. Donovan Walton (Oklahoma State) was again a bright spot for Y-D, going 3-for-5 for the third consecutive game.
Chatham 4, Cotuit 1
Every run was scored in the seventh inning, and Chatham tallied a few more on its way to a second straight victory and a spot in second place in the East. With the Anglers trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the seventh, Zack Short (Sacred Heart) and Aaron Knapp (California) had RBI singles, and Will Craig (Wake Forest) came off the bench for a pinch-hit, two-run single. The rally made a winner out of reliever C.J. Burdick (San Diego) who allowed one run in 1.2 innings. Aaron McGarity (Virginia Tech) picked up the save. Though he did not factor in the decision, starter Jesse Adams (Boston College) pitched six scoreless innings for the Anglers. Cotuit’s Austin Sexton (Mississippi State) allowed two runs in 6.1 innings, both of which scored after he departed in the seventh. Jackson Klein (Stanford) homered for the Kettleers, who fell to 4-6.
Bourne 4, Hyannis 2
The Braves only picked up their first win Tuesday – seven games into the season – but haven’t lost since. Friday, they knocked off first-place Hyannis, handing the Harbor Hawks their second straight defeat. Bourne starter Alex Robles (Austin Peay) gave up two runs on three hits in the top of the first inning but settled in and allowed just three more hits and no runs over the final five innings. Nick Solak (Louisville) – who arrived for the first win and now hasn’t lost in a Braves uniform – broke a 2-2 tie with a two-run triple in the seventh. Corey Julks (Houston) also knocked in a run. Cody Sedlock (Illinois) got the win in relief and Austin Conway (Indiana State) picked up his first save.
Falmouth 6, Wareham 4
Falmouth smacked 13 hits and broke a 4-4 tie in the eighth on its way to a victory over Wareham. Caleb Hamilton (Oregon State) and Tristan Gray (Rice) knocked in the runs in the eighth. Mitch Longo (Ohio) paced the offense with three hits and an RBI. Bryce Montes de Oca (Missouri) made his first start after two dominant relief stints and gave up one run on one hit in five innings of work. He struck out one. Morgan Earman (Arizona) earned the win out of the pen and Stephen Villines (Kansas) got the save.
What to Watch
Hyannis will try to get back on track as it visits Harwich. Devin Smeltzer (Florida Gulf Coast), who struck out nine in his first start, gets the ball for the Harbor Hawks. Cory Wilder, who had a 3.50 ERA in NC State’s weekend rotation this spring, will start for the Mariners.
Bobby Dalbec, pictured last summer, hit a grand slam in Friday’s win.
The defending Cape League champion Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox have struggled with the bats early on in 2015, hitting .156 through four games and scoring just six runs. The Red Sox offense had a young offense anyway, and five hitters are currently in Omaha.
Friday, Y-D played a team that’s had no such trouble.
Orleans has 11 players at the College World Series, but most of them are pitchers – and the offensive standouts who are already in town have more than made up for any gaps. The Firebirds, hitting .310 as a team on they year, pounded 15 hits and three home runs in a 12-3 victory over Y-D last night at Red Wilson Field.
A quick glance at the Firebirds lineup and accompanying college statistics reveals a big-time lineup, and it hasn’t disappointed.
Bobby Dalbec (Arizona) led the Pac 12 with 15 home runs this spring and is slated to join Team USA shortly, but in the meantime, the returning Firebird blasted a grand slam as part of a 2-for-5 night Friday.
Kyle Lewis (Mercer), the Southern Conference Player of the Year, hit his second home run in four games, and is one of only two players in the league with two. He’s also tied for the league lead in hits and is hitting .412.
Ronnie Dawson (Ohio State), who had a big year for the Buckeyes, also homered Friday and is batting .333.
Throw in Adam Pate (North Carolina), who’s hitting .400 at the top of the lineup, Colby Woodmansee (Arizona State) and Bryson Brigman (San Diego), and it’s easy to see why the Firebirds are producing. The team is now 3-1 on the year and is averaging six runs per game.
The pitching staff – even with a potential ace in Connor Jones starting for Virginia in Omaha today – has also been very good. The Firebirds have allowed only six earned runs. Friday, starter Kyle Serrano (Tennessee) gave up two in five innings of work for the win.
It has all added up to a hot start. And the way this lineup looks, it may continue.
Cotuit 3, Falmouth 0
The Kettleers had some success in many games last year using four of five relievers for a few innings each, a kind of bullpen day almost every day. Friday, they were at it again, with four pitchers combining on a shutout of Falmouth. Austin Solecitto (ASA College) started and went 2.1 innings, Mitch Stallings (Duke) was credited with the win in 2.2 innings of relief, Cal Becker (Riverside) chipped in an inning and Matthew Kinney (Florida State) pitched the final three innings for the save, as Cotuit moved to 3-1. Will Haynie (Alabama) hit his second home run of the summer to lead the offense, while Matt Albanese (Bryant) had two hits. Falmouth, which dropped to 1-3, had eight hits but stranded 10 runners.
Wareham 4, Bourne 2
The Gatemen won their third straight since an opening night loss while Bourne remained winless. Jay Jabs (Franklin Pierce) stretched his hitting streak to four games with a 2-for-3 night and an RBI. Darryn Shepard (Baylor) added two hits. David MacKinnon (Hartford) had two hits for the second straight game. Ian Hamilton (Washington State) started on the hill and went five shutout innings. A pair of players on temporary contracts finished it off, with Stephen Woods Jr. (Albany) tossing three quiet innings of relief and Shea Spitzbarth (Molloy College) picking up the save. For Bourne, Cameron Duzenack (Dallas Baptist) had three hits.
Hyannis 3, Harwich 1
It’s a three-way tie atop the West with Hyannis joining Wareham and Cotuit at 3-1. The Harbor Hawks got three hits from Errol Robinson (Ole Miss) the early league batting leader, plus RBI from JaVon Shelby (Kentucky) and a familiar name in Bobby Melley (Connecticut). Melley is a Centerville native who’s now back with Hyannis. On the mound, Vance Tatum (Mississippi State) allowed one run in five innings. Marc Skinner (Troy) picked up the win in relief and Thomas Burrows (Alabama) had the save. Sheldon Nuese (Oklahoma) homered for Harwich, who fell to 1-3.
Brewster at Chatham, PPD
Chatham and Brewster played just over two innings Friday before the fog made its first appearance of the season and forced a postponement.
What to Watch
It’s a battle of 3-1 teams at McKeon Park as Orleans visits Hyannis. Corbin Burnes (St. Mary’s) who has already made his Cape debut in relief, is slated to start for the Firebirds. Devin Smeltzer (Florida Gulf Coast) goes for Hyannis.
