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Red Sox Primed to Contend Again

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TeamLogo_YD2003.jpgThe team of the 2000’s hasn’t done too bad for itself in the 2010’s either. Yes, the Y-D Red Sox haven’t won a title since they won their third in four years in 2007, but they’ve made the championship series twice in the last four years. Both series went to three games, meaning the Red Sox were a game away from being just as dominant this decade as they were in the last.

There have been some down years mixed in, but they don’t typically linger, and on the heels of a sub-.500 year in 2013, the Red Sox are poised for a resurgence in 2014.

As on-paper projections go, it’s easy to see this Red Sox team making a lot of noise. Where some clubs cobble together pitching rotations from unproven arms, the Red Sox have a deep corps of veteran weekend starters, led by Michael Murray, who should be the league’s top incoming arm. On the offensive side, the Red Sox have several top-notch prospects, plus a slew of veterans with long college track records.

So far, Team USA and the College World Series haven’t done too much damage either, which is always a risk for an extra-talented squad.

The Red Sox are primed for another big year.

 

THE SKINNY

Manager: Scott Pickler
Last Year: 20-22-2; Lost in East semis
Returning Players: 1
Juniors: 9
Sophomores: 23
Freshmen: 4

 

NOTABLE

  • The aforementioned Michael Murray had a tremendous season for Florida Gulf Coast. He’ll follow the same summer path of former Eagle Chris Sale, who starred for Y-D and now pitches for the Chicago White Sox.

  • In a Vanderbilt rotation that includes first-round pick Tyler Beede, you could make a case that future Red Sox Walker Buehler has been the ace. The sophomore righty has a 2.39 ERA and is just six strikeouts off Beede’s pace.

  • The Red Sox had big success with UNLV’s Erick Fedde on the mound last summer and will welcome in his teammate Bryan Bonnell this year. Bonnell joined Fedde in the Runnin’ Rebels’ weekend rotation this season.

  • I would expect touted LSU freshman Parker Bugg to crack the Tigers’ weekend rotation next year after a bullpen stint this year, and a good summer in Yarmouth could be the first step in that direction.

  • Bugg and Maryland’s Mike Shawaryn are the only freshman pitchers on the team and both have impressed thus far.

  • Bubba Derby starred as a starter for San Diego State this spring after dominating ninth innings last year. Scouts like him as a future closer, so we’ll see which role he takes this summer.

  • Justin Jacome is another of the veteran starters, with two big seasons in UC Santa Barbara’s weekend rotation.

  • A.J. Simcox leads the group of positional player prospects. The Tennessee shortstop was rated No. 2 in the Alaska League last summer.

  • Simcox’s Tennessee teammate Vincent Jackson goes 6’5, 205 and was a 23rd-round pick of the Yankees in 2012.

  • Franklin Pierce junior John Razzino stole 45 bases this year, ranking third in all of Division II.

  • Northeastern doesn’t send a ton of guys to the Cape, but two are coming to Y-D with big reputations. Ray Fonseca and Michael Foster were expected to anchor the middle of the order this season. Fonseca missed the spring with an injury but Foster held up his end of the bargain.

  • Y-D has two catchers on the roster – Jason Goldstein of Illinois and Ryan Hissey of William & Mary – and both have hit very well thus far in their college careers. In a league where everyday catchers don’t often don’t hit much, having two with potential could be a big advantage.

  • Y-D’s one returning player, D.J. Stewart of Florida State, may end up with Team USA instead. If he does, the Red Sox are still getting a pretty good Seminole, as junior John Nogowski was a recent roster addition.

  • Missouri sophomore Josh Lester played for the Columbus (Ga.) Northern Little League team that won the Little League World Series championship in 2006.

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    FIVE TO WATCH

    1. Michael Murray
    2. A.J. Simcox
    3. Walker Buehler
    4. D.J. Stewart
    5. Bubba Derby

     

    PITCHERS

    Bryan Bonnell – RHP/1B – 6’5 200 – UNLV – Sophomore
    Walker Buehler – RHP – 6’1 160 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
    Parker Bugg – RHP – 6’6 218 – LSU – Freshman
    Bubba Derby – RHP – 5’10 185 – San Diego State – Sophomore
    Kevin Duchene – LHP – 6’1 220 – Illinois – Sophomore
    Zac Favre – RHP – 6’3 217 – Central Florida – Sophomore
    Justin Jacome – RHP – 6’6 215 – UC Santa Barbara – Sophomore
    Tyler Jay – LHP – 6’1 170 – Illinois – Sophomore
    Nick Kozlowski – RHP – 6’1 220 – Hofstra – Junior
    Michael Murray – RHP – 6’2 210 – Florida Gulf Coast – Sophomore
    Drake Owenby – LHP – 6’3 210 – Tennessee – Sophomore
    Mike Shawaryn – RHP – 6’4 210 – Maryland – Freshman
    Josh Staumont – RHP – 6’2 205 – Azusa Pacific – Sophomore
    Dillon Tate – RHP – 6’2 185 – UC Santa Barbara – Sophomore
    George Thanopoulos – RHP – 6’1 190 – Columbia – Sophomore
    Henry Van Zant – RHP – 5’11 192 – Bowdoin – Junior
    Doug Willey – RHP – 6’2 205 – Franklin Pierce – Junior

     

    Bryan Bonnell – RHP/1B – 6’5 200
    UNLV
    Sophomore

    Bonnell was a two-way player as a freshman but has focused on pitching since. He had a decent summer in the Northwoods League last year and built on it in his sophomore season with the Runnin’ Rebels. Pitching in the weekend rotation, Bonnell had a 2.90 ERA. He struck out only 48 but was a workhorse with 114.2 innings.

    Walker Buehler – RHP – 6’1 160
    Vanderbilt
    Sophomore

    A 14th-round pick out of high school, Buehler pitched in a swing role as a freshman with pretty good results then vaulted into a weekend rotation spot this year. Buehler has a 2.39 ERA for the Commodores, who are headed for the College World Series. He has struck out 102 in 94 innings.

    Parker Bugg – RHP – 6’6 218
    LSU
    Freshman

    Baltimore’s 34th-round pick last year, Bugg opted for the college ranks and made an immediate splash in Baton Rouge. The righty had a 2.75 ERA in 26 appearances. He saved two games and struck out 29 while walking just five in 36 innings.

    Bubba Derby – RHP – 5’10 185
    San Diego State
    Sophomore

    Derby saved 10 games on his way to Freshman All-America honors last year. He moved into the weekend rotation this season and didn’t miss a beat, posting a rotation-best 3.08 ERA while striking out a team-high 100 in 105.1 innings of work. Last summer, he led the Cal Ripken League in ERA and strikeouts and was picked as the circuit’s second-best prospect by Perfect Game.

    Kevin Duchene – LHP – 6’1 220
    Illinois
    Sophomore

    Duchene won nine games and lost only one as a freshman last year, and he didn’t tail off much as a sophomore. The lefty went 4-1 with a 1.80 ERA, striking out 35 in 55 innings pitched.

    Zac Favre – RHP – 6’3 217
    Central Florida
    Sophomore

    A high school standout in Jacksonville, Favre had been a dynamic reliever for two years running in Orlando. He had a 3.28 ERA last year and dropped it to 2.64 this season. He struck out 29 in 30.2 innings.

    Justin Jacome – RHP – 6’6 215
    UC Santa Barbara
    Sophomore

    Jacome was the Gauchos’ Saturday starter for most of his freshman season and had a 3.89 ERA. In limited action in the West Coast League, Jacome made an impression and was named the ninth-best prospect in the league by Perfect Game. He shined as a starter again this spring, going 8-2 with a 2.61 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 79.1 innings.

    Tyler Jay – LHP – 6’1 170
    Illinois
    Sophomore

    Jay had a good debut in the Fighting Illini bullpen last year and parlayed it into the closer spot this season. He excelled in that spot, saving 10 games with a 1.94 ERA. He struck out 47 in 41.2 innings.

    Nick Kozlowski – RHP – 6’1 220
    Hofstra
    Junior

    Pitching in a swing role the last two years, Kozlowski was a steady contributor. He moved to the weekend rotation this year and put up a 4.45 ERA. He struck out 44 in 62.2 innings.

    Michael Murray – RHP – 6’2 210
    Florida Gulf Coast
    Sophomore

    Murray had a good freshman season and a so-so summer in the Northwoods League. This year changed everything as Murray emerged as one of the best pitchers in the nation. He went 13-1 with a 1.85 ERA and struck out 79 while walking just 14 in 107 innings. He was one of the national leaders in starters’ ERA, and for much of the year, his ERA was under one. He was the Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Year and is a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award.

    Drake Owenby – LHP – 6’3 210
    Tennessee
    Sophomore

    Owenby has been a valuable reliever throughout his time in a Vols uniform. This year, he had a 3.20 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 25 innings. Last summer, Owenby was picked by Perfect Game as the third-best prospect in the California Collegiate League.

    Mike Shawaryn – RHP – 6’4 210
    Maryland
    Freshman

    Shawaryn was a 32nd-round pick of the Royals last year. In College Park, he vaulted directly into the weekend rotation and was a big reason why the Terps made a Super Regional. Shawaryn went 11-4 with a 3.12 ERA and struck out 72 in 92.1 innings.

    Josh Staumont – RHP – 6’2 205
    Azusa Pacific
    Sophomore

    Staumont led the NAIA Golden State Athletic Conference in strikeouts as a freshman at Biola University. He transferred to D-II Azusa Pacific for this year and picked up where he left off, striking out a team-high 89 in 80.2 innings. He had a 4.24 ERA.

    Dillon Tate – RHP – 6’2 185
    UC Santa Barbara
    Sophomore

    Tate didn’t do much as a freshman but grabbed the closer’s job this year and saved 12 games. He struck out 46 in 43.1 innings and earned Big West second team honors.

    George Thanopoulos – RHP – 6’1 190
    Columbia
    Sophomore

    After a decent freshman season, Thanopoulos didn’t pitch in 2013. He returned to action this year with a bang, going 5-2 with a 2.60 ERA and striking out 40 in 52 innings.

    Henry Van Zant – RHP – 5’11 192
    Bowdoin
    Junior

    Van Zant has bounced around the bullpen and the rotation for Bowdoin, but has had success in every spot. This year, in three starts and five relief appearances, he had a 1.95 ERA and struck out better than a batter an inning.

    Doug Willey – RHP – 6’2 205
    Franklin Pierce
    Junior

    Willey has had three big seasons out of the Franklin Pierce bullpen, culminating with a 12-save campaign in 2014. He posted a 1.95 ERA this year and struck out 31 in 39 innings.

     

    POSITION PLAYERS

    Joey Armstrong – UTIL – 5’11 195 – UNLV – Sophomore
    Rob Fonseca – 1B – 6’2 205 – Northeastern – Junior
    Michael Foster – INF – 6’0 190 – Northeastern – RS Sophomore
    Nico Giarratano – INF – 5’11 182 – San Francisco – Freshman
    Jason Goldstein – C – 6’0 200 – Illinois – Sophomore
    Ryan Hissey – C – 6’0 180 – William & Mary – Sophomore
    Vincent Jackson – OF – 6’5 205 – Tennessee – Sophomore
    Josh Lester – INF – 6’2 200 – Missouri – Sophomore
    Ryan Lukach – OF – 6’2 205 – Hartford – RS Sophomore
    Brennon Lund – OF – 5’11 185 – BYU – Freshman
    Andre Mercurio – OF – 5’9 175 – San Jose State – Junior
    John Nogowski – INF – 6’1 210 – Florida State – Junior
    John Razzino – OF – 6’2 190 – Franklin Pierce – Junior
    A.J. Simcox – INF – 6’3 180 – Tennessee – Sophomore
    Andrew Stevenson – OF – 6’0 177 – LSU – Sophomore
    *D.J. Stewart – OF – 6’0 230 – Florida State – Sophomore
    Xavier Turner – INF – 6’2 220 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
    Mike Vigliarolo – INF – 6’1 225 – St. Louis – Junior
    Donnie Walton – INF – 5’10 174 – Oklahoma State – Junior
    * – returning player

     

    Joey Armstrong – UTIL – 5’11 195
    UNLV
    Sophomore

    Armstrong hit .324 as a freshman then earned all-star honors in the Texas Collegiate League, where Perfect Game had him as the league’s 22nd-best prospect. He hit .302 this season with a .388 OBP and also cracked four home runs.

    Rob Fonseca – 1B – 6’2 205
    Northeastern
    Junior

    A .300 career hitter with 14 homers, Fonseca missed the 2014 spring season with an injury. Prior to the injury, he was a preseason all-CAA pick.

    Michael Foster – INF – 6’0 190
    Northeastern
    RS Sophomore

    Foster had a big redshirt freshman campaign last year and picked up where he left off in 2014, hitting .299 with three homers, while stealing 18 bases. He also made 12 appearances on the mound and saved five games.

    Nico Giarratano – INF – 5’11 182
    San Francisco
    Freshman

    Giarratano grabbed a starting spot with the Dons as a freshman this season and held his own. He hit .242 with 11 extra-base hits.

    Jason Goldstein – C – 6’0 200
    Illinois
    Sophomore

    One of the top high school catchers in the country, Goldstein earned Big 10 All-Freshman honors last year before really turning it on this year. He hit .316 with four homers, 15 extra-base hits and 28 RBI. He won a Northwoods League title with the Madison Mallards last summer and was named the league’s 15th-best prospect – and its top catching prospect – by Perfect Game.

    Ryan Hissey – C – 6’0 180
    William & Mary
    Sophomore

    Hissey started 62 games as a freshman last year and earned CAA all-rookie honors. He was even better this year, hitting .313 from the catcher’s spot with eight home runs and 39 RBI.

    Vincent Jackson – OF – 6’5 205
    Tennessee
    Sophomore

    Jackson was a 23rd-round pick of the Yankees out of high school. He hasn’t put up huge numbers yet at Tennessee – hitting .290 last year and .234 this year – but he was the 22nd-best prospect in the Northwoods League last year, according to Perfect Game.

    Josh Lester – INF – 6’2 200
    Missouri
    Sophomore

    A 30th-round pick out of high school, Lester was an SEC All-Freshman selection in 2013. As the Tigers’ everyday shortstop this year, Lester hit .237.

    Ryan Lukach – OF – 6’2 205
    Hartford
    RS Junior

    Lukach had a good freshman season way back in 2011 before an injury cost him his sophomore season. After returning to form last year, Lukach hit .296 this year and tied for the team lead with five home runs.

    Brennon Lund – OF – 5’11 185
    BYU
    Freshman

    Tabbed by Perfect Game in the preseason as the top freshman in the West Coast Conference, Lund didn’t disappoint. He hit .303 for the Cougars and stole 11 bases.

    Andre Mercurio – OF – 5’9 175
    San Jose State
    Junior

    Mercurio has had three solid seasons for the Spartans, posting a career batting average of .290 with a .367 OBP. He hit .280 this year and stole five bases.

    John Nogowski – INF – 6’1 210
    Florida State
    Junior

    Nogowski built on two decent years by becoming one of the Seminoles’ best hitters this season. He finished with a .307 average, a .431 OBP, five homers and 49 RBI. The Athletics selected him in the 34th round last week.

    John Razzino – OF – 6’2 190
    Franklin Pierce
    Junior

    After transferring in from the Community College of Rhode Island, the R.I. native has lit up the basepaths for the Ravens. He stole 13 bases as a sophomore then broke a school record and ranked third in the nation with 45 this season. He was caught only eight times. Razzino also batted .264.

    A.J. Simcox – INF – 6’3 180
    Tennessee
    Sophomore

    One of the top prep shortstops in the nation in 2012, Simcox slipped to the 32nd round because of his strong commitment to Tennessee. The Vols are thrilled to have him. He’s been the team’s starting shortstop for two years and hit .270 this year with 13 stolen bases. Last summer, he starred in the Alaska League and was named the third-best prospect by Perfect Game.

    Andrew Stevenson – OF – 6’0 177
    LSU
    Sophomore

    Stevenson hit under .200 as a freshman in Baton Rouge but starred in the Northwoods League over the summer, hitting .363 with 15 extra-base hits. Perfect Game ranked him the league’s 21st-best prospect. This spring, he was a new man for the Tigers. He led the team with a .335 batting average.

    D.J. Stewart – OF – 6’0 230
    Florida State
    Sophomore

    Stewart has been invited to Team USA, and with good reason. He’s had two big seasons, plus a good summer for Y-D last year. For FSU this season, he led the team with a .351 batting average, seven home runs, a .471 OBP and 50 RBI.

    Xavier Turner – INF – 6’2 220
    Vanderbilt
    Sophomore

    A 34th-round pick of the Red Sox out of high school, Turner headed to Vandy, where he earned Freshman All-America honors last year. He’s hitting .282 this year with a .349 OBP and 15 stolen bases.

    Mike Vigliarolo – INF – 6’1 225
    St. Louis
    Junior

    Vigliarolo became the first Billiken to win Atlantic 10 Player of the Year honors when he took the top prize last year after hitting .341. He kept it up this year, hitting .328 with seven homers and 25 extra-base hits. Though he did not repeat as Player of the Year, he earned first-team all-conference honors.

    Donnie Walton – INF – 5’10 174
    Oklahoma State
    Junior

    A Big 12 All-Freshman pick in 2013, Walton followed up his strong debut with another good season in 2014. He hit .310 with a .407 OBP and cracked three home runs.

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    Staying Alive

    Orleans beat Harwich 4-3 to force game three in its East semifinal.

     
    Chatham is into the next round with a sweep of Y-D, the franchise’s first playoff series win since 2001.

    The other three games were decided by one run for a second straight night – and they all went in the other direction. Cotuit, Bourne and Orleans avoided sweeps and kept their seasons alive.

     

    Cotuit 5, Falmouth 4

    In perhaps the best Cape League game of the summer, the Kettleers came from behind twice after the fifth inning and won the game on a walk-off in the 10th.

    It was a fitting finish, too. The Kettleers could probably field two teams with all the players that have come through there this summer, and somehow the team still finished one point out of first place. No matter who was in the lineup, they were getting it done. Yesterday, they got a game-tying two-run homer from Austin Byler (Nevada), a late pick-up. And in the 10th, they won the game on a walk-off RBI single by Garrett Stubbs (USC), who began his Cape League career on August 3.

    The Commodores looked poised for a sweep when they went up 3-0 in the fourth on a three-run homer by Kevin Cron (TCU). Meanwhile, ace John Means (West Virginia) cruised through five innings.

    But Cotuit wasn’t going down easy. A three-run rally in the sixth capped by Byler’s home run tied the game. After Falmouth went up by one in the seventh, Cotuit tied it again in the eighth, setting the stage for the 10th-inning heroics.

    Wesley Cox (Texas-San Antonio), another recent arrival, got the win in relief for the Kettleers.

    Game two is slated for today at 5:30 p.m in Falmouth. Probably pitchers are TBA.

     

    Bourne 1, Hyannis 0

    Two largely unheralded pitchers staged a duel to match what stars Ryan Kellogg and Kyle Freeland did the night before, and Bourne pushed a run across in the eighth for the win.

    Kyle Kubat (Nebraska) delivered his best start of the summer for the Braves, striking out six and scattering six hits in 6.2 innings. His counterpart, Cy Sneed (Dallas Baptist), was just as good for Hyannis, striking out seven and allowing only three hits while also going 6.2 innings.

    In the eighth, Bourne broke through against Hyannis reliever Jordan DeLorenzo (West Florida), a late arrival who had yet to allow a run. Trent Gilbert (Arizona) singled to start the rally, and Tim Caputo (Rhode Island) followed with a bunt single that rolled fair. DeLorenzo retired Mark Laird (LSU) and newly-crowned Cape League MVP Max Pentecost, but Clint Freeman (East Tennessee State) knocked an RBI single into right field to score the go-ahead run.

    Michael Costello (Radford), who had come on in the seventh and stranded a pair of runners, gave up two singles in the ninth but wiggled out of trouble to finish off a victory for the Braves.

    Game two will go off at 6 p.m. today at McKeon Park in Hyannis. Jacob Lindgren (Mississippi State), who had pitched out of the bullpen to start the summer before going six shutout innings in his only start, will go for the Braves. Rocky McCord (Auburn), who has allowed one run in his last two starts, gets the ball for Hyannis.

     

    Orleans 4, Harwich 3

    Orleans took a lead in the third and held onto it through a few Harwich rallies, winning by a run and forcing a game three.

    Ross Kivett (Kansas State), Jordan Luplow (Fresno State) and Chris Marconcini (Duke) knocked in the runs in the third, and the three were enough for Bobby Poyner (Florida). He took a shutout into the seventh before giving up one run. He went seven full innings, striking out three and allowing just four hits.

    Closer Matt Troupe (Arizona) came on for the eighth and got into trouble, giving up a walk and two straight singles. A fielder’s choice off the bat of Ian Happ (Cincinnati) scored two and made it a one-run game.

    But Troupe buckled down. He stranded Happ on second with a strikeout of A.J. Reed (Kentucky), who had homered an inning before. In the ninth, Troupe struck out two to finish off the victory.

    For Harwich, Nick Howard (Virginia) turned in an impressive start, striking out nine in nine in seven innings, but he was the hard-luck loser.

    Game three is set for Eldredge Park tonight at 7 p.m., and it might be the best pitching match-up of all the game threes. All-Star Game starter Aaron Bummer (Nebraska) will go for Harwich against Jared Miller (Vanderbilt), who struggled in his last start but struck out 10 in six scoreless innings the start before that.

     

    Chatham 9, Y-D 4

    Chatham led 2-0 for much of the game but found itself tied 3-3 in the eighth. That’s when the Anglers exploded, getting a grand slam from J.D. Davis (Cal State Fullerton) and scoring six runs to send them on their way to the next round.

    Tommy Lawrence (Maine), who lost to Y-D in a playoff start last year, turned it around this time, giving up just one earned run in 5.1 innings. Jacob Dorris (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) got the win in relief when the Anglers broke through.

    After tying the game in the seventh, they took the lead in the eighth on RBI singles by Blake Butera (Boston College) and Landon Lassiter (North Carolina). Then came the big blow. With the bases loaded, Davis smacked a home run out of the same field where he won All-Star Game MVP honors.

    Dorris gave up one run in the bottom of the eighth but Dominic Moreno (Texas Tech) closed the door in the ninth, sealing the sweep for Chatham and ending Y-D’s season.

    James Kaprielian (UCLA) was a bright spot for the Red Sox, striking out nine in five innings. D.J. Stewart (Florida State) homered and Alex Blandino (Stanford) finished a terrific Cape League career with two hits.

    Chatham won a playoff series for the first time since 2001, when it won the East and lost to Wareham in the league championship.

    The Anglers get a day off while the rest of the teams hit the field for game threes.
     

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    Three Comebacks and an Ace

    Chatham snapped a five-game skid at the right time, winning 6-0 in its playoff opener.

     
    If all the days of the Cape Cod Baseball League playoffs are like day one, we’re in for an exciting week.

    Three of the four games featured comebacks and were decided by a run. The other featured an ace pitching like one and a top team getting back on track. Chatham and Harwich were victorious in the East while Hyannis and Falmouth came out on top in the West.

    Chatham 6, Y-D 0

    On a night when he received the P.F.C. Whitehouse Award as the league’s Most Outstanding Pitcher, Chatham’s Lukas Schiraldi (Navarro) pitched like he deserved it. Schiraldi, who grew increasingly dominant as the summer went on, struck out six and allowed just two hits in seven scoreless innings as Chatham cruised past Y-D.

    Schiraldi was kind of the last man standing among the league’s best pitchers, with Jaron Long signing, and Jeff Hoffman and Erick Fedde departing early. But Schiraldi, who did not make the all-star team, wasn’t just the best of the rest. He was tremendous, especially late in the year. He allowed just five earned runs all summer while winning the league’s ERA title. In his last two starts of the regular season, Schiraldi went 12 scoreless innings.

    The streak continued in the playoffs. Schiraldi allowed a double to D.J. Stewart (Florida State), a single to Alex Blandino (Stanford) and nothing else. Mitch Merten (UC Irvine) followed him to the mound and kept it up, going two hitless innings to finish it off.

    The Anglers, who lost five in a row to end the regular season, also woke up the offense. Dante Flores (USC) hit a grand slam in the second inning, and the Anglers never looked back. Connor Joe (San Diego) added a home run and Ryan Plourde (Fairfield), a recent arrival from the NECBL, drove in a run.

    In game two today, Chatham sends Tommy Lawrence (Maine) to the hill against Y-D’s James Kaprielian (UCLA), one of the top freshmen pitchers in the league.

     

    Hyannis 4, Bourne 3

    Kyle Freeland (Evansville) and Ryan Kellogg (Arizona State) staged a pitching duel for the playoff annals, but the game came down to a late rally by the Harbor Hawks. Trailing 3-1, Hyannis scored three runs in the eighth to win 4-3. Is anyone surprised it was a one-run game? Hyannis won eight of them in the regular season.

    Freeland, the Cape’s strikeout king, had pitched in relief more than he had started late in the season, but he got the ball for the opener and didn’t disappoint. Freeland struck out 10 and allowed just three hits and an unearned run in seven innings of work.

    Kellogg matched him, striking out six and allowing one run in seven innings.

    When Freeland and Kellogg departed, the offenses came to life. Bourne scored two in the top of the eighth to take the lead, but Hyannis answered with a decisive three-run rally. Tyler Spoon (Arkansas) doubled in Dominic Jose (Stanford), Ryan Padilla (New Mexico) scored the tying run on a wild pitch and Austin Slater (Stanford) knocked in Spoon with the go-ahead run on a base hit.

    Jordan Foley (Central Michigan), who had given up the two runs in the eighth, returned to the mound in the ninth and closed the door, working around a two-out walk and striking out two to seal the victory.

    Game two is slated for 6 p.m. in Bourne. Cy Sneed (Dallas Baptist), who went six scoreless in his last start, goes for Hyannis against Kyle Kubat (Nebraska), who lost his last three starts but has generally been solid.

     

    Falmouth 6, Cotuit 5

    Cotuit looked like it might spring the upset, but Falmouth rallied from a 5-1 deficit to win 6-5.

    Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) went 3-for-4 with three RBI to lead the comeback charge. Dylan Davis (Oregon State) and Troy Stein (Texas A&M) also had two hits, and the Commodores took advantage of three Cotuit errors.

    Cotuit got a home run from Danny Diekroeger (Stanford) on its way to the lead, but didn’t score in the final four innings. Preston Johnson (Chipola), Brent Stong (Bradley), Jared Price (Maryland), and Hunter Brothers (Lipscomb) combined on the shutout bullpen performance. Price got the win and Brothers picked up the save.

    In game two this afternoon, Falmouth will start John Means (West Virginia), who’s been the team’s best pitcher. Cotuit goes with Evan Beal (South Carolina), who had four strong starts in five tries.

     

    Harwich 6, Orleans 5

    Third-seeded Harwich pulled off the day’s only upset when it came back from a 5-4 deficit after blowing a 4-1 lead.

    Ian Happ (Cincinnati) and Tanner English (South Carolina) homered for the Mariners, with Happ going 3-for-3. English’s home run came in the sixth and turned the 5-4 deficit into a 6-5 lead.

    The one-run cushion was enough for Johnathan Frebis (Middle Tennessee State), who struck out six in four scoreless innings after relieving Dillon Peters (Texas).

    Orleans got a grand slam from Jordan Betts (Duke) to take its lead but didn’t score from the fourth inning on.

    Bobby Poyner (Florida), who probably takes the ace label for Orleans, goes tonight at Whitehouse Field as the Firebirds try to stay alive. Nick Howard (Virginia), who’s working an 11-inning scoreless streak, starts for Harwich.

     

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    Fired Up

    Will Fulmer and his mates at the top of the Orleans lineup have helped power a six-game winning streak.

     
    Chatham has run away with the Cape Cod Baseball League’s Eastern Division, but outside of the Anglers, it’s been a wide open race.

    There’s a new leader.

    Orleans beat Wareham 5-2 last night for its sixth consecutive win. Coupled with a Harwich loss, the Firebirds – the same Firebirds who almost fell into the basement a few weeks ago – are now in second place behind Chatham with 38 points. It’s still a tight race, with Harwich a point out of second and Y-D two points back, but for the moment, the Firebirds are at the top of the non-Chatham heap.

    The Orleans streak began with a much-needed victory over Brewster on July 20. At the time, it looked like a key win in the battle for fourth place. Since then, though, the Firebirds have left the Whitecaps – and everybody else – behind.

    Last night, the streak continued with a comeback victory over a Wareham team that has been playing better of late. The Firebirds trailed 2-0 but tied the game in the sixth and scored three runs in the eighth to take the lead. Jeremy Rhoades (Illinois State) got the win and Trevor Kelley (North Carolina) picked up the save with two strikeouts in the ninth once his team got the lead.

    Two of the biggest reasons for Orleans’ success were on full display in the victory – bullpen work and the ability of the top of the order to set the table.

    The bullpen has pitched 21.2 innings in the six-game winning streak and has allowed just four earned runs. That means leads have been consistently maintained and deficits have been held in check, setting the stage for comebacks like the one Orleans delivered last night.

    Offensively, the top third of the Orleans order is really getting it done, led by Ross Kivett (Kansas State). A 10th-round pick this June who opted not to sign, Kivett took over the leadoff spot after Greg Allen left the team due to an injury and has been terrific. After starting the year 0-for-15, he has reached base in 25 straight games, with hits in 22 of those games. He’s the league leader in hitting among active players with a .358 average, and he’s batting .444 in the six-game winning streak.

    Will Fulmer, who hails from Division II Montevallo, has been a consistent performer for the Firebirds all summer and he too has heated up during the recent surge. Fulmer is batting .400 with six runs scored in the winning streak. The typical third batter, Jordan Luplow (Fresno State) had his best hot streak just before the Firebirds took off, but he’s been steady during the streak too, batting .318 with six runs scored.

    Together, the top three have scored 21 of Orleans’ 39 runs in the win streak.

    That’s an impressive number – and it has helped fuel an impressive run.

     

    Chatham 8, Falmouth 0

    Lukas Schiraldi (Navarro) dominated Falmouth again as the Anglers cruised to their 25th win of the season. Schiraldi had pitched six shutout innings against Falmouth in his last start. Matched up with the Commodores again, he did the exact same thing, striking out three and allowing just three hits in six scoreless innings. Schiraldi has allowed one earned run in his last four starts – all wins – and has lowered his ERA to 1.19. Beyond Schiraldi, the bullpen also shined, with three relievers combining for six strikeouts in three hitless innings. The offense gave the pitchers all the support they needed in the early going, scoring six runs in the first inning. Jimmy Pickens (Michigan State) led the Anglers with a home run, a double and four RBI in the game.

     

    Cotuit 4, Hyannis 1

    In the final regular season match-up of the longtime rivals, Cotuit put together a four-run sixth inning and held on to clinch the Barnstable Patriot Cup. Cotuit finished with a 4-2 record against the Harbor Hawks. Hyannis starter Kyle Freeland (Evansville), the Cape League’s strikeout leader, was dominant for the first five innings but Cotuit got to him in the sixth. A Logan Ratledge (NC State) two-run double gave Cotuit the lead. After Freeland departed, Hunter Cole (Georgia) hit an RBI single and Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt) smacked an RBI triple. That was enough for the one-man relief effort of Eric Karch (Pepperdine). After starter Jared Walsh (Georgia) went four innings, Karch went the final five and dominated. He allowed just one hit and struck out five. The win moved Cotuit to within one point of Hyannis for first place in the West.

     

    Y-D 7, Harwich 4

    Y-D further tightened the East race with a victory over Harwich. The teams are now just one point apart in the standings. The Red Sox took a 7-1 thanks to home runs by Jose Trevino (Oral Roberts) and Brandon Downes (Virginia), plus an RBI from D.J. Stewart (Florida State). Harwich scored three runs in the ninth but couldn’t get closer as Y-D closer Darrell Hunter (Oregon) came on to slam the door. Sam Lindquist (Stanford) got the win with five solid innings.

     

    Bourne 8, Brewster 7

    The Braves held off a late charge in dramatic fashion to top Brewster. With the Whitecaps trailing by two in the ninth and two men in scoring position, Cole Lankford (Texas A&M) lined a base hit into left. One run scored but left-fielder Jeff Gardner (Louisville) threw out Nick Lynch (UC Davis) at the plate to end the game. The defensive heroics made a winner out of reliever Jack English (Florida Gulf Coast). Ryan Kellogg (Arizona State) turned in a solid start for the Braves, allowing two runs in five innings. Trent Gilbert (Arizona) and Tim Caputo (Rhode Island) led the offense with four hits apiece. Gilbert had two RBI, as did Mason Robbins (Southern Miss) and Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech). Lynch had four RBI for Brewster.

     

    What to Watch

    Orleans will try to stay hot against a Cotuit team that has won four of five. Cotuit’s only loss in that stretch came to Orleans. Evan Beal (South Carolina), who went seven scoreless in his last start, gets the ball for the Kettleers. Orleans sends Trent Szkutnik (Michigan) and his 1.98 ERA to the hill.
     

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    First Place Duel

    Kyle Freeland struck out six in two innings and combined with Jeff Hoffman on a shutout of Chatham.

     
    For all the parity in the Cape Cod Baseball League this summer, there have been just four 1-0 games. Two of them have come in the budding rivalry between division leaders Hyannis and Chatham.

    And knowing Hyannis’ propensity for winning close games, you can guess how they’ve gone.

    The Harbor Hawks posted their second 1-0 win of the season against the Anglers last night, and this one was the most impressive. Jeff Hoffman (East Carolina) and Kyle Freeland (Evansville) combined for 16 strikeouts as the Harbor Hawks shut down the Anglers. Chatham pitchers did their part in the pitcher’s duel too, but Hyannis scored a run in the bottom of the ninth to win it.

    Hyannis is now 21-12-1 and leading the West by two points over Cotuit. Chatham is 23-10-1 and has a whopping 12-point cushion on second-place Harwich in the East.

    Wednesday’s match-up shaped up as a pitcher’s duel. Hoffman is perhaps the league’s top prospect while Chatham starter Tommy Lawrence (Maine) was rolling in with a 14.1 inning scoreless streak.

    Neither blinked.

    Hoffman is on a short leash this summer and Wednesday’s game was scheduled to be his last start. He went out with a bang, striking out 10 and allowing just four hits in seven scoreless innings. After a rough outing in his second start, Hoffman finished his short stint in Hyannis with a pair of shutout performances. He struck out 33 in 24.1 innings.

    Freeland picked up where Hoffman left off. He allowed three hits in two innings but all the outs he recorded came via the strikeout. Freeland leads the league in strikeouts with 39, despite coming out of the bullpen in two of his seven appearances. Hoffman and Freeland combined to shut-out a Chatham team that had scored 39 runs in its last four games, all wins.

    Lawrence kept up with the Hyannis aces, turning in his second straight quality start. He struck out four and gave up three hits in six innings. Chad Sobotka (South Carolina Upstate) worked a scoreless seventh and Kyle Funkhouser (Louisville) struck out the side in the eighth.

    Just when it was looking like the battle would go on forever, though, Hyannis broke through. Tyler Spoon (Arkansas) hit a fly ball down the right-field line that was ruled fair and bounced past a diving Josh Eldridge (Old Dominion). Spoon raced to third and when the ball got away on a bad relay, he scampered home with the winning run.

    Hyannis is now 3-1 against Chatham this season, with each win coming by one run. Chatham’s lone victory came by a 10-0 score.

     

    Orleans 5, Bourne 4

    The Firebirds edged Bourne for their fourth straight win and are suddenly just a point back of Harwich for second place in the East. I wouldn’t have expected the win streak to continue with unbeaten Jaron Long (Ohio State) on the mound for Bourne, but Orleans touched him up for two unearned runs and,with his all-star start coming Saturday, he departed after two innings. The Firebirds offense was led by Jordan Betts (Duke), who had three hits. Will Fulmer (Vanderbilt) had two hits and an RBI. On the mound, Josh Sborz (Virginia) gave up two earned in 3.1 innings before Kyle Twomey (USC) dominated. He struck out five in 3.2 innings of relief for the win. It was the best outing of the summer for the former third-round pick. Brian Clark (Kent State) and Matt Troupe (Arizona) followed him to the mound and pitched an inning each, with Troupe recording his eighth save.

     

    Y-D 7, Harwich 6

    The Red Sox are also making a run in the East and they’re now two points back of Harwich thanks to an 11-inning win over the Mariners. The Red Sox strung four hits together in the top of the 11th, with the last one a D.J. Stewart (Florida State) RBI single to put them in front. Darrell Hunter (Oregon) then worked a perfect bottom of the 11th for his sixth save. Dan Altavilla (Mercyhurst) picked up the victory with 3.2 scoreless innings of relief. The Red Sox offense was led by Alex Blandino (Stanford), who went 3-for-6 with a home run and two RBI.

     

    Cotuit 5, Brewster 4

    The Kettleers held off a late rally by the Whitecaps to win 5-4 and stay two points back of first-place Hyannis in the West. Evan Beal (South Carolina) was dominant on the mound, striking out seven in seven shutout innings. It was a return to form for Beal, who had given up six runs in his last outing after two straight scoreless starts. Brewster scored four in the ninth off the Cotuit bullpen, but Joel Seddon (South Carolina) eventually closed the door when he induced a double play and finished things with a strikeout. Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt) continued his hot streak with a 2-for-4, two RBI night. He’s 11 for his last 21. Logan Ratledge (NC State) added two hits and an RBI. And the win wasn’t the only good news for Cotuit. According to Greg Joyce of the Cape Cod Times, Bradley Zimmer (San Francisco) will be returning to Cotuit after spending most of the summer with Team USA.

     

    Falmouth at Wareham, ppd. to July 30

     

    What to Watch

    Orleans will try for its fifth straight win as it hosts Cotuit at 7 p.m. Jared Miller (Vanderbilt) went seven shutout innings in his last start and gets the ball for the Firebirds. Cotuit counters with Christian Cecilio (San Francisco), who has turned in four solid starts in a row.
     

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    Steady Stars

    Drew Stankiewicz squares to bunt for Hyannis in a game earlier this season.

    Chatham and Hyannis own a combined three of the starting spots in the All-Star Game. That’s significantly less than Falmouth, less than Harwich and the same number as Brewster.

    But who needs star power?

    The Anglers beat Wareham 8-4 last night for their fourth straight win and their league-best 23rd of the season. They have a 12-point lead on second-place Harwich in the East.

    The Harbor Hawks beat Brewster 5-0 last night for their third consecutive win. They lead the West by four points over Cotuit and five over the star-studded Falmouth squad.

    I don’t think Chatham and Hyannis had too many snubs in the all-star department. Skyler Ewing has been the Harbor Hawks’ best player but he had to be an all-star reserve because he plays the same position as Bourne’s Max Pentecost. Lukas Schiraldi has a case for Chatham.

    Generally speaking, though, the numbers are about right. The Anglers and Harbor Hawks have some very good players, but success seems to be driven by good, steady baseball more than stars who light it up.

    It was more of the same last night.

    Chatham scored seven runs in the first two innings on its way to a win over the Gatemen last night. Mitchell Gonsolus (Gonzaga) went 4-for-5 with two runs scored, while Brandon Sedell (Nova Southeastern) went 2-for-4 with four RBI. Dante Flores (USC) added two hits, Michael Russell (North Carolina) hit a home run and J.D. Davis (Cal State Fullerton) drove in two runs. On the mound, Matthew Gage (Siena) gave up one earned run on six hits in five strong innings. Ryan Leach (Franklin Pierce) and Mitch Merten (UC Irvine) delivered solid work out of the bullpen.

    In Brewster, Hyannis got six shutout innings from Austin Pettibone (UC Santa Barbara), who had struggled in his last start. Tyler Spoon (Arkansas), Brian Anderson (Arkansas) and Landon Curry (Indiana State) had two hits each, while Dominic Jose had two RBI. The Harbor Hawks have won three straight and four of five.

     

    Bourne 4, Harwich 3

    The Braves touched up East All-Star starting pitcher Aaron Bummer (Nebraska) for four runs and got a steady performance from Austin Gomber (Florida Atlantic) en route to a 4-3 victory. Clint Freeman (East Tennessee State) went 2-for-4 with two RBI and now has a six-game hitting streak. Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State) also went 2-for-4, upping his average to .398. Eric Fisher (Arkansas) and Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech) also drove in runs for the Braves. On the mound, Gomber didn’t record a strikeout but gave up just two runs in five innings. Trace Dempsey (Ohio State) picked up his fourth save.

     

    Orleans 11, Falmouth 4

    The Firebirds seem to be getting back on track after a tough stretch, and they beat the Commodores with a big offensive night. Austin Davidson (Pepperdine) led a 15-hit attack with three hits and three RBI. Will Fulmer (Vanderbilt) also had three hits while Jordan Luplow (Fresno State) and Jordan Betts (Duke) had two hits and two RBI each. Corey Miller (Pepperdine) gave up three runs in five innings for the win. For Falmouth, Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) hit his fifth home run and brought his league-leading RBI total to 29. Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) went 4-for-5.

     

    Y-D 4, Cotuit 3

    The Red Sox scored three runs in the eighth and held off a Cotuit charge in the ninth for the victory. D.J. Stewart (Florida State) had an RBI double to get the rally in gear before Jose Trevino (Oral Roberts) got the go-ahead run home with an RBI single. Trevino then scored on an error. Darrell Hunter (Oregon) gave up two hits and a run in the ninth but ultimately struck out the side to pick up the save. Kody Kerski (Sacred Heart) got the win. Trevino led the Y-D offense with three hits and an RBI. For Cotuit, Chris Ellis (Ole Miss) gave up three runs in seven innings.

     

    What to Watch

    Harwich will see if it can gain some ground when it visits Chatham for a 7 p.m. start. Dillon Peters (Texas) will try for a repeat of his last start, when he went seven shutout innings. Tommy Lawrence (Maine) takes his 3-0 record to the mound for Chatham.

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    Next in Line

    Daniel Savas struck out 12 in eight innings as Y-D topped Harwich.

     
    It has not been a good year for Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox pitchers and with ace Erick Fedde taking a detour to Team USA, it didn’t look like this week would be much help.

    Daniel Savas had something to say about that.

    The righty from Illinois State turned in as dominant a performance last night as anyone on the Cape has delivered this summer. He struck out 12 and allowed one run in eight innings as the Red Sox beat Harwich 5-3.

    It was the the third straight win for Savas, who is steadily emerging as one of the top pitchers in the league. He has suddenly vaulted himself into second in the league in strikeouts, despite the fact that he didn’t make his first appearance until June 23 and his first start until July 5.

    The performance is only surprising in the sense that you might not have seen it coming. Savas was a late arrival – on a temporary contract, in fact – but his spring was tremendous. He went 10-0 for Illinois State with a 1.79 ERA and five complete games in 15 starts. He struck out 98 in 100.1 innings. Opponents hit just .180 against him.

    Savas had a solid freshman season in 2011 before redshirting in 2012. This season represented an impressive return. He was a first-team all-Missouri Valley pick.

    After all of that, though, Savas was not drafted this spring. He hit the road for the Cape, and the Red Sox are very happy he did. He’s been just what the doctor ordered for them – they’re 3-0 in games he’s started.

    Last night, Savas actually gave up a home run to the first batter he faced, Ian Happ (Cincinnati), but it was smooth sailing from there. He struck out the side after the home run, then cruised, allowing just four more hits. He only got stronger as the game went on, retiring the last 11 batters he faced.

    He had plenty of support, too. The Red Sox got two RBI from D.J. Stewart (Florida), plus one RBI each by Taylor Smart (Tennessee) and Alex Blandino (Stanford).

    The Red Sox are now just one game under .500, and they may get their ace back soon – Fedde is expected back when Team USA’s season ends next week.

    But with Savas in the mix, it may get crowded at the top of the rotation.

     

    Chatham 11, Cotuit 8

    The East and West first-place teams rank third and fourth in team ERA, but their third meeting of the year was a slugfest. Chatham prevailed, running its record against the Kettleers to 3-0 and becoming the first team in the league to 20 wins. They’re now 20-9. The Anglers scored six runs in the fourth, still found themselves in a tied game but took the lead with one in the sixth and three in the seventh. J.D. Davis (Cal State Fullerton) hit his second home run, part of a three-hit, three RBI night. Michael Russell (North Carolina) drove in two runs, while Dante Flores (USC), Connor Joe (San Diego) and Jimmy Pickens (Michigan State) drove in one each. On the mound, Andrew McGee (Monmouth) had another tough outing, but the bullpen picked up the slack, allowing just one run over the final 4.1 innings. Ryan Leach (Franklin Pierce) got the win and Kyle Funkhouser (Louisville) notched his fourth save in just his fifth appearance. For Cotuit, Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt) went 3-for-4 with his first home run of the summer.

     

    Bourne 7, Brewster 0

    Jaron Long (Ohio State) was terrific again as the Braves shut out Brewster for their second straight win. Long went six scoreless, striking out three and giving up just three hits. He’s now 5-0 and owns more than a third of his team’s wins. He has allowed one run all summer and just 17 hits in 28 innings pitched. Michael Costello (Radford) and Justin McCalvin (Kennesaw State) finished off the shutout, with McCalvin striking out the side in a spotless ninth. The Bourne offense was led by Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State), who went 2-for-5 with three RBI. Trent Gilbert (Arizona) went 4-for-4.

     

    Falmouth 12, Hyannis 1

    The Commodores was 0-4 against Hyannis but exacted a measure of revenge last night, pounding 18 hits on their way to the lopsided victory. Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) went 2-for-4 and hit his sixth home run, which vaults him into the league lead. Five other Commodores also had multi-hit games, led by Kevin Cron (TCU), who went 4-for-4 with three RBI. Dylan Davis (Oregon State) had three RBI and Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) had two, bumping his league-high total to 26. On the mound, Trey Teakell (TCU) – who pitched in a loss to Hyannis last week – went seven strong innings, striking out four and giving up only one hit.

     

    Orleans 4, Wareham 0

    The Firebirds have been struggling but picked up a much-needed victory with a shutout of the Gatemen. Vanderbilt lefty Jared Miller made his third start and was at his best, tossing seven innings of two-hit baseball. He struck out four. Jeremy Rhoades (Illinois State) and Matt Troupe (Arizona) finished it off, with Troupe getting his sixth save. Jordan Luplow (Fresno State) went 4-for-4 with his second home run of the summer, stretching his hit streak to six games. Vince Conde (Vanderbilt) and Austin Davidson (Pepperdine) had two hits each.

     

    What to Watch

    Cotuit and Hyannis, the top two teams in the West, will square off for the fourth time this season at 6 p.m. at McKeon Park. The Kettleers are 3-1 in the four match-ups. Kyle Freeland (Evansville), who’s won his last two starts, gets the ball for Hyannis. Christian Cecilio (San Francisco), who has settled in after one bad June start, is on the hill for Cotuit.

     

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    Mad Max

    Max Pentecost went 5-for-5 with two home runs for the Bourne Braves last night.

     
    Around 9:30 last night, I was cruising the Cape Cod Baseball League box scores from the evening, trying to get an idea of what I might write about today. I saw that Max Pentecost was having a big night, but his Bourne Braves were losing at the time. I didn’t check again.

    Late into the night, Pentecost’s big performance turned huge.

    The rising junior at Kennesaw State went 5-for-5 with two home runs, including a two-run bomb that broke a tie game in the 12th and sent the Braves on their way to an 8-6 victory over Orleans.

    Every once in a while, you get a masterful performance in the Cape League, and without a doubt, this was one of them.

    Pentecost came in hitting .329 with three home runs, already a solid line. He’s been getting some love lately as potentially the top catching prospect on the Cape.

    After Wednesday, you can drop the catching tag from that and just call him one of the best.

    Pentecost reached base all seven times, adding a walk and a hit-by-pitch to his 5-for-5 night.

    And the five hits weren’t just any five hits. He hit a solo home run in the third to put the Braves ahead 2-1. In the fifth, he singled as part of a three-run rally. In the seventh, with his team trailing 6-5 and two outs, Pentecost singled to bring in the tying run.

    Apparently, he was just setting the stage for even more heroics.

    After three scoreless innings, Pentecost waited in the on-deck circle with two outs in the 12th and watched as Mason Robbins (Southern Miss) worked a walk. That gave Pentecost a chance and he didn’t waste it, smashing a home run over the fence in left to give the Braves the lead.

    Pentecost’s teammate Justin McCalvin loaded the bases in the bottom of the 12th but wiggled out with a game-ending double-play.

    That secured a marathon win – and hero status for Pentecost.

    The Georgia native was a potential early-round pick out of high school but he had to have Tommy John surgery. He still only fell to the seventh round, but headed to Kennesaw State. After being named the seventh-best prospect in the NECBL last summer, he hit three home runs this spring.

    Now he’s officially one of the best on the Cape. Thanks to his big night, he ranks second in the league in hitting, is tied for the lead in home runs and sits third in RBI.

    And he owns the 2013 Cape League season’s most memorable performance.

     

    Hyannis 10, Falmouth 8

    Falmouth’s big bats touched up top pitching prospect Jeff Hoffman (East Carolina) for eight runs in 3.2 innings, but it was Hoffman’s Harbor Hawks who got the last laugh. Hyannis rallied for 10 runs over the final five innings to win 10-8 and grab sole possession of first place in the West with a 15-7 record. Falmouth slipped to 14-9. The comeback started with three runs in the fifth and continued with six in the sixth. Tyler Spoon (Arkansas) led the charge with three hits and two RBI, while Jay Baum (Clemson) and Dominic Jose (Stanford) also knocked in two runs each. Andrew Istler (Duke) stopped the bleeding after Hoffman’s rough outing and got the win. Jay Shaw (Alabama) and Jordan Foley (Central Michigan) finished it off. For Falmouth, Kevin Newman (Arizona) and Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) had three hits each.

     

    Y-D 6, Chatham 4

    Chatham ace Andrew McGee (Monmouth) had his first bad start of the summer and Y-D (11-12-1) took advantage, knocking off the first-place Anglers (15-8-1). Brandon Downes (Virginia) hit his first home run for the Red Sox, Jose Trevino (Oral Roberts) had three hits and D.J. Stewart (Florida State) drove in two runs. Daniel Savas (Illinois State), who went seven shutout innings in his last start, gave up three earned in 5.2 innings for the win. He struck out seven. Darrell Hunter (Oregon) worked three scoreless innings with four strikeouts for the save. Chatham got a home run from Josh Eldridge (Old Dominion) and two hits from Dante Flores (USC).

     

    Brewster 6, Cotuit 5

    The Whitecaps (8-15) won for the second straight time and the fifth time in seven games, as they knocked off Cotuit (14-10). Corey Taylor (Texas Tech) delivered three strong innings of relief for the win and Brad Schreiber (Purdue) got the save. Kyle Overstreet (Alabama) homered for the Whitecaps, while Scott Heineman (Oregon) had three hits and stole two bases. Mike Ford (Princeton) went 2-for-3 with two RBI to lead Cotuit.

     

    Harwich 8, Wareham 3

    The Mariners (13-11) stopped a two-game skid with a victory over the Gatemen (5-19). Harwich broke open a 3-2 game with five runs in the seventh. Derek Fisher (Virginia) led the big offensive night, going 3-for-4 with three RBI. He’s atop the batting average leaderboard at .397. Ryan Lindemuth (William & Mary) added two hits and two RBI. Jalen Beeks (Arkansas) turned in six strong innings on the mound, allowing two runs and striking out four for the win.

     

    What to Watch

    Just two games on the schedule tonight, but it could be a fun one in Bourne. The Braves host Falmouth at 6 p.m., with ace Jaron Long (Ohio State) on the hill – and we saw what Falmouth can do to a top starter last night. With Pentecost now in the mix, the game also features the league’s top five home run hitters.

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    Midseason Awards

    The halfway point of the season always sneaks up on me. We’re roughly there now, with a couple of teams just past it and a few more right on the number.

    It’s been an interesting year – not quite as eye-popping as last summer, but with some good storylines. Stars are starting to emerge, and these guys are the best of the best with 22 games in the books.

    MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

    Kevin Cron, Falmouth

    Cron’s teammate Rhys Hoskins has been the front-runner all season in my book, but in a 22-game sample size, one hot streak can mean a lot.

    And Cron is on one.

    He’s been steady all summer, with a nine-game hitting streak at one point, and in the last week, he’s been on fire.

    At the halfway mark, Cron ranked fourth in the league in hitting at .367. He sat second in home runs with four. He led in RBI with 20. Cron’s triple-slash line was .367/.444/.620.

    A former third-round pick, Cron had a great freshman season at TCU in 2012 but followed with a shaky sophomore year. It’s safe to say he’s back on track.

    IN THE RUNNING

    Rhys Hoskins, Falmouth
    Dante Flores, Chatham
    Mike Ford, Cotuit
    Ian Happ, Harwich
    Jose Brizuela, Brewster
    Skyler Ewing, Hyannis
    Jimmy Pickens, Chatham
    Chris Marconcini, Orleans
    D.J. Stewart, Y-D
    Max Pentecost, Bourne

     

    OUTSTANDING PITCHER

    Erick Fedde, Y-D

    This was the toughest of the three awards to pick. Nobody has run through the league with dominant outing after dominant outing. Fedde gets the nod with a blend of dominance, steadiness and durability.

    The rising junior at UNLV delivered the best start of opening night and has kept doing it pretty much every step of the way.

    In five starts, he leads the league in innings pitched with 30.2. He owns a 2.35 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, a league-high 26 strikeouts and just eight walks. Opponents are hitting just .204 against him.

    IN THE RUNNING

    Aaron Bummer, Harwich
    Jaron Long, Bourne
    Andrew McGee, Chatham
    Bobby Poyner, Orleans
    Ryan Kellogg, Bourne
    Justin Kamplain, Brewster
    Andrew Thome, Hyannis
    Chandler Shepherd, Harwich
    Lukas Schiraldi, Chatham

     

    OUTSTANDING RELIEF PITCHER

    Matt Troupe, Orleans

    Troupe is one off the league-leading saves pace of Hyannis’ Eric Eck, but Troupe has been as dominant as any pitcher in the league.

    The Arizona junior has five saves to go with a 0.00 ERA. He has struck out 16 and walked four in just 8.1 innings, giving him an eye-popping K/9 ratio of 17.3.

    It’s still early, so that K/9 number will probably go down. But in the last four years, among pitchers with a good amount of innings, the highest number was around 15.

    However it shakes out, it’s a safe bet Troupe will continue to dominate.

    IN THE RUNNING

    Eric Eck, Hyannis
    Trace Dempsey, Bourne
    Jacob Dorris, Chatham
    Darrell Hunter, Y-D
    Brian Miller, Cotuit
    Sarkis Ohanian, Hyannis
    Joel Seddon, Cotuit
    Bradley Roney, Wareham
    Patrick Corbett, Cotuit
    Chad Sobotka, Chatham
    Ryan Riga, Wareham
     

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    Walk This Way

    Brandon Sedell and the Chatham Anglers have been the league's most patient team - and it's working for them.

     
    The Chatham Anglers have been a good hitting team this summer, but not the Cape’s best. What they do have going for them is the opportunity to hit with more men on base than any team in the league.

    Because the Anglers can work a walk.

    Chatham drew a season-high 10 walks on Sunday in a 7-3 victory over Brewster. That gives them a league-high 86 for the season, 23 more than second-place Cotuit. Not surprisingly, the Anglers also lead the league in on-base percentage with a .361 mark.

    In some cases, you can chalk walks up to the luck of the draw and the fact that you might just be facing pitchers who are wild. But when the numbers are this high, it’s clearly part of an approach. Chatham also led the league in walks last year.

    This year, the patient approach has been a key cog in the team’s successful start. The Anglers had a brief hiccup after their hot start but have won two in a row since.

    The walks piled up against Brewster, with Richard Prigatano (Long Beach State) drawing three and league-leader Mitchell Gonsolus (Gonzaga) working two. Four of Chatham’s seven runs were scored by batters who got on base with a walk.

    Dante Flores (USC) had two hits and an RBI while Jimmy Pickens (Michigan State) went 1-for-4 with two runs driven in. Sheehan Planas-Arteaga (Barry) also drove in a run.

    Tommy Lawrence (Maine) got the win in relief, striking out four in 3.1 hitless innings.

    The Anglers improved to 9-5-1, which puts them back atop the East Division standings.

     

    Y-D 4, Harwich 0

    The Red Sox (7-7-1) are suddenly the hottest team in the league. They beat Harwich (9-6) by a 4-0 score yesterday for their third straight win. Clay Smith (St. Louis), whose last appearance came in a 17-12 loss to Orleans, was dominant this time, striking out three and scattering five hits in seven shutout innings for the win. Kody Kerski (Sacred Heart) and Sam Coonrod (Southern Illinois) pitched an inning each to finish the shutout. Auston Bousfield (Ole Miss) went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while D.J. Stewart (Florida State) and Taylor Gushue (Florida) also knocked in a run each. Andrew Daniel (San Diego) went 1-for-4 to stretch his hitting streak to 11 games. He now leads the league with a .421 batting average. The Red Sox did most of their damage off Harwich starter Aaron Bummer (Nebraska), who hadn’t given up a run in his first two starts.

     

    Cotuit 6, Bourne 1

    A night after falling in a walk-off to Bourne, the Kettleers (10-5) won the rematch and became the first team in the league to 10 wins. Bourne fell to 7-8. Christian Cecilio (San Francisco), who had given up seven runs in a loss to Bourne on June 22, got the start and allowed just an unearned run in 7.1 innings. He only struck out two but induced an amazing 15 ground-ball outs. The Cotuit offense also stepped up, scoring two runs off Bourne starter Austin Gomber (Florida Atlantic), who was part of a combined no-hitter the last time he faced the Kettleers. Newcomer Logan Ratledge (NC State) hit a solo home run while Kevin Bradley (Clemson) went 1-for-4 with two RBI. Jake Fincher (NC State) and Nolan Clark (Concordia) drove in one run apiece.

     

    Hyannis 6, Falmouth 3

    The Harbor Hawks (9-4) were the only team to beat Falmouth (9-6) in a stretch of seven games, and they did it again Sunday, ending a three-game winning streak for the Commodores. Andrew Thome (North Dakota) picked up his league-leading third win with five strong innings. Tyler Spoon (Arkansas) and Skyler Ewing (Rice) both hit home runs to lead the Hyannis offense. Austin Slater (Stanford) added two hits. Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) hit his second home run of the year for the Commodores.

     

    Orleans 2, Wareham 0

    The Firebirds (7-7) handed the Gatemen (2-13) their fifth straight loss with the shutout. Bobby Poyner (Florida) struck out five in five innings to get the ball rolling. Four relievers went one inning each to keep it going, with Matt Troupe (Arizona) working the ninth for his third save, which ties him for the league lead. The Orleans offense got two hits and an RBI from Collin Slaybaugh (Washington State), plus an RBI from Jordan Luplow (Fresno State). Trevor Podratz (Hawaii) had two hits to lead Wareham.

     

    What to Watch

    It’s a league-wide off-day as the teams head to Fenway Park for a work-out in front of scouts.