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Opening Weekend

Eric Lauer led the Cape League in strikeouts last summer and will be part of a marquee pitching match-up on college baseball's opening day.
Eric Lauer led the Cape League in strikeouts last summer and will be part of a marquee pitching match-up on college baseball’s opening day.

Friday is a major milestone on the march to a Cape League summer – and a great day in its own right.

Division I college baseball opens with 137 games on the schedule. Cape League stars past and future will be on diamonds across America. If you’re in the mood to watch, Watch ESPN has 13 games streaming Friday, beginning at 4 p.m.

Without further ado, some Cape League-centric notes on the opening weekend proceedings . . .

  • Friday’s game between Virginia and Kent State at the Caravelle Resort Tournament in Myrtle Beach could be one of the highlights of the weekend. The Cavaliers are the defending national champs, while the Golden Flashes are a perennial mid-major contender and aren’t far removed from a 2012 trip to Omaha.Friday, the Golden Flashes will send former Orleans Firebird Eric Lauer to the hill, and he figures to give them a chance. Lauer had a terrific sophomore season last year, putting up a 1.98 ERA with 103 strikeouts. He didn’t slow down much on the Cape, leading the league with 50 strikeouts while posting a 2.04 ERA. MLB Pipeline lists Lauer as the 38th-best prospect for the 2016 Major League Baseball draft.His opponent Friday is Virginia’s Connor Jones, MLB Pipeline’s 11th-best prospect. Interestingly, Lauer and Jones were slated to be teammates in Orleans, but Jones sat out the summer after a heavy workload for the CWS champ Cavaliers. (Also an initial member of the Orleans pitching staff? No. 2 draft prospect A.J. Puk of Florida. Just a crazy collection of arms had it panned out).

    Lauer says he’s more confident than ever after his summer on the Cape, and he’ll need to be confident against the Cavaliers.

  • Lauer’s Orleans teammate Mitchell Jordan gets the start for Stetson Friday at 6:30 p.m. against Delaware. In a Stetson uniform last spring, Jordan was solid, with a 3.28 ERA. For the Firebirds, he was transcendent, posting a 0.21 ERA on his way to Cape League Pitcher of the Year honors. It’ll be interesting to see what Jordan’s big summer means for him this season. The Atlantic Sun named him a preseason all-conference pick.
  • The Volunteer State gets a cool baseball showcase when Tennessee and Memphis square off in Chattanooga this weekend. Tennessee will be led by a pair of 2015 Cape League standouts in infielder Nick Senzel and pitcher Kyle Serrano. Senzel earned league MVP and top prospect honors for Brewster and is projected to be one of the top players in the country this year, as well as a first-round pick. Serrano, another Orleans pitcher, will be an anchor for the Vols’ pitching staff.
  • Oklahoma State is ranked as high seventh in national preseason polls, and a guy who won big on the Cape is a major reason why. Donnie Walton, a key part of Y-D’s championship club, is one of seven starters back for the Cowboys. They face UT Arlington and Stephen F. Austin this weekend.
  • Matt Krook’s comeback started in Wareham, and it will continue Saturday when Oregon faces San Diego State. Krook was a supplemental first-round pick in 2013 who had Tommy John surgery. He missed all of the college season last spring before getting back on the mound for the first time with the Gatemen. And it could prove to be the beginning of a great comeback. Krook is MLB Pipeline’s 23rd-ranked prospect for the 2016 draft, and he was reportedly at the top of his game in Oregon’s final preseason scrimmage.
  • Andrew Calica’s season for UC Santa Barbara begins Friday at 5 p.m. against San Francisco, as the former Gatemen tries to build on hitting .400 on the Cape. As with the aforementioned Jordan, it’ll be very interesting what a terrific Cape League season will mean.
  • The series between Arizona and Rice shapes up as a good one. We’ll see if Bobby Dalbec’s ridiculous Cape League home run rate carries over to the spring.
  • Few players on the Cape last summer helped themselves more than Dakota Hudson in Hyannis. The Mississippi State flame-thrower delivered the production to match his projection and will be a big prospect to watch this spring. He’ll start for the Bulldogs Friday against Florida Atlantic.
  • Some future Orleans Firebirds will be on opposite sides when San Diego and Vanderbilt get together this weekend. San Diego catcher Riley Adams and Vandy’s Chandler Day, Donny Everett and Ethan Paul are all set to play in Orleans. Day was recently named the top freshman prospect in America by D-1Baseball.com. With a crowded staff that includes Cape playoff hero Ben Bowden, Day is likely to pitch out of the bullpen for the Commodores. Vanderbilt’s roster also features some future Cotuit Kettleers, including standout pitcher Kyle Wright and freshman infielder Alonzo Jones.
  • Consensus preseason No. 1 Florida is a little light on Cape League flavor after a ton of their rising juniors played for Team USA last summer. As for popular No. 2 pick Louisville, the Cards have plenty of Cape League roots. Brendan McKay and Nick Solak, who played for Bourne last summer, are poised for big years. Kyle Funkhouser, a Chatham Angler in 2013, is back after he was drafted in the first round by the Dodgers but didn’t sign. Louisville faces Southern Illinois-Edwardsville to open its season.

 

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Anglers Sticking With What Works

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chathamAfter a few rough years, the Chatham Anglers built the team they’d been looking for in 2013. It didn’t yield a championship – as Orleans ousted the Anglers on its way to the championship series – but I think if you asked anyone in the Chatham organization what they’re hoping for in 2014, they’d gladly take another season just like last year’s.

The Anglers have certainly set the stage.

The blueprint of mixing in stars with solid college players who might not be on the hype train worked well last year and is in play again this year. The Anglers don’t have a lot of guys who are on College World Series contenders, they aren’t likely to lose many players to Team USA, they don’t have all their eggs in a few college teams’ baskets and they have a lot of veterans.

They have another team that should be mostly together from day one, and like last year, there’s been steady production from the future Anglers in the spring, with some stars doing big things, as well.

Mix in five players who were part of last summer’s ride, and you’ve got a team that should contend again.

 

THE SKINNY

Manager: John Schiffner
Last Year: 26-17-1; Lost in East Division Finals
Returning Players: 5
Juniors: 5
Sophomores: 16
Freshmen: 7

 

NOTABLE

  • Landon Lassiter is probably Chatham’s top returning player. An on-base percentage master, Lassiter has been a key part of North Carolina’s lineup for two years now and fits in very well with the way the Anglers want to play.

  • Blake Butera is not Chatham’s top returning player, after hitting .196 last summer, but he too fits in well. When you hit below .200 but you start 34 of 44 games, you’re doing something right. As a junior with Cape League experience, he’ll be an anchor this year.

  • Louisville freshman Zack Burdi will follow his brother Nick’s footsteps to Chatham, where Nick lit up radar guns in 2012. Zack hasn’t gotten a ton of opportunities this year, but his brother took that path, too, posting an ERA over five in his first year in Louisville. He then had a breakout summer with Chatham, and Zack will be looking for the same.

  • San Diego sophomore P.J. Conlon grew up in California but was born in Northern Ireland. First player from Northern Ireland in the Cape? Entirely possible.

  • LSU freshman Jake Fraley has burst onto the scene in Baton Rouge, leading the team in hitting after starting the year on the bench. His meteoric rise prompted LSU head coach coach Paul Mainieri to say, ““I honestly believe we’re watching the evolution of maybe the next great LSU baseball player.” High praise.

  • Louisville’s Kyle Funkhouser – a returning Angler – will be perhaps the top incoming pitcher in the league, but he has also been invited to Team USA.

  • USC’s Kyle Davis would seem to have the inside track at the closer position. He’s saved nine games this spring.

  • Kennesaw State’s Jordan Hillyer has had a solid spring on the mound and has a Cape League idol to look up to. His battery mate with the Owls is most often Max Pentecost, the 2013 Cape League MVP.

  • Chris Shaw hit .196 for Boston College last year but became the Eagles best hitter in his sophomore season and should be poised for big things this summer.

  • Garrett Williams was a top 100 draft prospect last year but told teams not to draft him, because he planned on going to Oklahoma State. He hasn’t had a great debut with the Cowboys, but his track record certainly makes him a player to watch.
  • I thought Pat Mazeika might be one of the top hitters on the Cape last summer, but he played only briefly for Cotuit. He’s bound for Chatham this year with the same potential.

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    FIVE TO WATCH

    1. Kyle Funkhouser
    2. Jake Fraley
    3. Pat Mazeika
    4. Garrett Williams
    5. Chris Shaw

     

    PITCHERS

    Zack Burdi – RHP – 6’3 195 – Louisville – Freshman
    Jeff Burke – RHP – 6’5 220 – Boston College – Sophomore
    *Andrew Chin – LHP – 6’1 181 – Boston College – Junior
    P.J. Conlon – LHP – 6’0 175 – San Diego – Sophomore
    Paul Covelle – RHP – 6’0 195 – Franklin Pierce – Sophomore
    Kyle Davis – RHP – 6’0 190 – Southern California – Sophomore
    *Kyle Funkhouser – RHP – 6’3 213 – Louisville – Sophomore
    Jeff Gelinas – RHP – 6’4 200 – Maine – Freshman
    Bryan Goossens – RHP – 6’3 195 – Siena – Sophomore
    Jordan Hillyer – RHP – 6’1 205 – Kennesaw State – Sophomore
    Lucas Long – RHP – 6’1 185 – San Diego – Junior
    Max Tishman – LHP – 6’1 210 – Wake Forest – RS Freshman
    Mike Wallace – RHP – 6’5 165 – Fairfield – Sophomore
    Garrett Williams – LHP/OF – 6-2 195 – Oklahoma State – Freshman
    * – returning player

     

    Zack Burdi – RHP – 6’3 195
    Louisville
    Freshman

    The brother of former Angler flamethrower Nick Burdi, Zack is following in his brother’s footsteps at Louisville and will do the same in Chatham this summer. In his freshman year, he has seen action in 11 games and sports a 4.66 ERA.

    Jeff Burke – RHP – 6’5 220
    Boston College
    Sophomore

    Burke was among the busiest pitchers on the Eagles club last year, making 24 appearances with an ERA over five. He has moved into the weekend rotation this year and has yet to put up great numbers. Burke has a 5.04 ERA.

    Andrew Chin – LHP – 6’1 181
    Boston College
    Junior

    A fifth-round pick out of high school who redshirted after Tommy John surgery, Chin recaptured some of his form in an up-and-down summer with the Anglers last year. He’s been steadier this spring, going 5-2 with a 3.10 ERA, no easy task as a weekend starter in the ACC.

    P.J. Conlon – LHP – 6’0 175
    San Diego
    Sophomore

    Conlon won nine games and led the Toreros in ERA while pitching in a swing role last season. He slid into the weekend rotation this season and has had a decent campaign, going 7-2 with a 4.35 ERA. He ranks second on the team in strikeouts with 60.

    Paul Covelle – RHP – 6’0 195
    Franklin Pierce
    Sophomore

    After a strong freshman season in the Franklin Pierce bullpen, Covelle spent most of 2014 as a starter with solid results. He had a 3.62 ERA and struck out 56 in 59.2 innings.

    Kyle Davis – RHP – 6’0 190
    Southern California
    Sophomore

    Davis had an ERA over five as a reliever last spring but has left any struggles he had in the dust this season. Pitching as the Trojans’ closer, Davis has saved nine games and leads the team with a 1.33 ERA. He has struck out 43 in 47.1 innings.

    Kyle Funkhouser – RHP – 6’3 213
    Louisville
    Sophomore

    Funkhouser struck out 21 in 13 innings of relief for the Anglers last summer and was picked by Perfect Game as the Cape League’s 14th-best prospect. It was a sign of things to come. Pitching in the Cards’ weekend rotation this year, Funkhouser has emerged as an ace. He’s 12-2 with a 1.81 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 99.1 innings. Funkhouser has been invited to Team USA.

    Jeff Gelinas – RHP – 6’4 200
    Maine
    Freshman

    Joining the Maine-to-Chatham pipeline, Gelinas heads south off a solid freshman campaign. He posted a 3.86 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 51.1 innings while pitching as both a starter and a reliever.

    Bryan Goossens – RHP – 6’3 195
    Siena
    Sophomore

    Goossens headed to Siena after a strong Massachusetts high school career. He had a pretty good debut season and moved to the weekend rotation this year, but has hit some struggles. He has a 5.90 ERA.

    Jordan Hillyer – RHP – 6’1 205
    Kennesaw State
    Sophomore

    A 20th-round pick out of high school, Hillyer pitched well in 10 appearances last spring. He grabbed a spot in the weekend rotation this year and has continued to pitch well, going 7-3 with a 3.49 ERA. He ranks second on the team in strikeouts. Hillyer pitched last summer in the NECBL, where Perfect Game tabbed him as the league’s 22nd-best prospect.

    Lucas Long – RHP – 6’1 185
    San Diego
    Junior

    After transferring from Arizona, Long spent last season at a junior college then pitched in two games for Orleans last summer. In a San Diego uniform this spring, Long leads the team in strikeouts with 62 in 71 innings and has a 2.43 ERA. He has started eight games and come out of the bullpen in 12 others.

    Max Tishman – LHP – 6’1 210
    Wake Forest
    RS Freshman

    A native of Boston, Tishman took a redshirt in his first year at Wake Forest. This season, he has made 26 appearances, second on the team, and has a 5.47 ERA.

    Mike Wallace – RHP – 6’5 165
    Fairfield
    Sophomore

    A New Jersey native, Wallace has had two very steady seasons as a starter for the Stags. He had a 3.39 ERA last year and has kept it in the same range this year at 3.32. He leads Fairfield in strikeouts with 54.

    Garrett Williams – LHP/OF – 6-2 195
    Oklahoma State
    Freshman

    Baseball America rated Williams the 15th-best high school prospect in the country for last year’s draft, but he told MLB clubs he was headed to Oklahoma State. In Stillwater, he has started seven games and made nine relief appearances, posting a 5.12 ERA but striking out 47 in 38.2 innings. At the plate, he has hit .222 in 16 appearances.

     

    POSITION PLAYERS

    *Blake Butera – UTIL – 5’9 175 – Boston College – Junior
    Nick Collins – C – 6’2 240 – Georgetown – Sophomore
    Kevin Fagan – OF – 6’0 195 – Stetson – Sophomore
    Jake Fraley – OF – 6’1 195 – LSU – Freshman
    Garrett Hampson – INF – 6’1 175 – Long Beach State – Freshman
    Jake Jefferies – INF – 6’1 195 – Cal. State Fullerton – Sophomore
    Justin Jones – INF – 5’11 180 – UNLV – Freshman
    *Landon Lassiter – INF – 6’1 188 – North Carolina – Sophomore
    Pat Mazeika – C/OF/1B – 6’3 210 – Stetson – Sophomore
    Ty Moore – OF – 6’0 190 – UCLA – Sophomore
    *A.J. Murray – 1B/OF – 6’1 215 – Georgia Tech – Junior
    *Hunter Redman – C – 6’0 190 – Texas Tech – Junior
    Chris Shaw – 1B/OF – 6’3 250 – Boston College – Sophomore
    Kal Simmons – IF – 6’1 190 – Kennesaw State – Sophomore
    * – returning player

     

    Blake Butera – UTIL – 5’9 175
    Boston College
    Junior

    Butera hit only .196 last summer for the Anglers, but he was a key piece to the puzzle nonetheless, playing in 34 games. He’s had a solid season in Chestnut Hill, hitting .269.

    Nick Collins – C – 6’2 240
    Georgetown
    Sophomore

    Collins led the Hoyas in batting average as a freshman and was even better this season. On his way to All-Big East honors, Collins hit .351 with a .421 OBP, two homers and 38 RBI, while splitting time between catcher and designated hitter. He was Perfect Game’s 14th-best prospect in the Cal Ripken League last summer.

    Kevin Fagan – OF – 6’0 195
    Stetson
    Sophomore

    Fagan earned Atlantic Sun All-Freshman honors last year and followed that up with a solid sophomore season. He hit .279 with a .372 OBP. He also made seven appearances on the mound and had a 2.51 ERA.

    Jake Fraley – OF – 6’1 195
    LSU
    Freshman

    The rare top-level baseball star from Delaware, Fraley headed south to LSU and has had a big impact in his freshman season. After seeing spot duty early on, Fraley has forced his way into the lineup by hitting a team-best .382 with three homers and 29 RBI.

    Garrett Hampson – INF – 6’1 175
    Long Beach State
    Freshman

    A Nevada high school standout, Hampson has had a strong debut with the Dirtbags. He leads the team in hitting at .316 and ranks third in OBP with a .354 mark. He’s also stolen eight bases.

    Jake Jefferies – INF – 6’1 195
    Cal. State Fullerton
    Sophomore

    The son of former Major Leaguer Gregg Jefferies, Jake was a 34th-round pick out of high school. He had a good freshman season with the Titans then starred in the Northwoods League last summer, hitting .358 and ranking 17th on Baseball America’s prospect list. Jefferies has hit a big sophomore slump this season, though, as he’ hitting just .147.

    Justin Jones – INF – 5’11 180
    UNLV
    Freshman

    A product of national baseball powerhouse Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, Jones has been a steady contributor for two seasons for the hometown Runnin’ Rebels. After hitting .287 last year, he’s at .281 this year with three home runs.

    Landon Lassiter – INF – 6’1 188
    North Carolina
    Sophomore

    Lassiter was a 16th-round pick out of high school and he hit .358 last year on his way to Freshman All-America honors. He hit .250 in 22 games for the Anglers last summer. His average is down to .300 this year but his OBP is still impressive at .417.

    Pat Mazeika – C/OF/1B – 6’3 210
    Stetson
    Sophomore

    Mazeika led the Atlantic Sun in hitting last year on his way to Freshman of the Year honors and a host of Freshman All-America accolades. After playing briefly for Cotuit last summer, he’ll head to Chatham off another strong campaign. Mazeika hit .354 with two homers and 18 doubles.

    Ty Moore – OF – 6’0 190
    UCLA
    Sophomore

    Moore hit .219 for the CWS champion Bruins as a freshman then hit .203 in the NECBL last summer. This year, he’s taken a step forward, ranking second on the team with a .293 batting average and leading in extra-base hits.

    A.J. Murray – 1B/OF – 6’1 215
    Georgia Tech
    Junior

    Murray burst onto the scene for Tech last season when he hit .271 after playing in just 12 games as a freshman. After a short stint with the Anglers last summer, Murray has continued to play well for the Yellow Jackets. He’s hitting .280 with four homers.

    Hunter Redman – C – 6’0 190
    Texas Tech
    Junior

    Redman spent the 2013 season in the junior college ranks then made some noise in 12 games with the Anglers last summer. In his first season in Lubbock, Redman has hit .269.

    Chris Shaw – 1B/OF – 6’3 250
    Boston College
    Sophomore

    Shaw flashed some pop last spring with six home runs, but they were six of only 27 hits, as he batted .165 in his freshman year. This season, everything has caught up to the power. Shaw leads the Eagles with a .329 average, six home runs and 45 RBI. The big sophomore year comes after a breakout campaign in the NECBL, where Shaw hit five homers and was named the league’s ninth-best prospect by Perfect Game.

    Kal Simmons – IF – 6’1 190
    Kennesaw State
    Sophomore

    Simmons had a great freshman year, hitting .290 and playing a solid shortstop en route to first-team all-conference honors. He’s hitting .277 this year.

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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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    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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    Quality Time

    Gunnar Heidt makes a play for Harwich in a game earlier this summer. The Mariners rallied Sunday, making a winner out of Aaron Bummer.

     
    Fifty-six pitchers in the Cape Cod Baseball League have more strikeouts than Harwich’s Aaron Bummer (Nebraska).

    One starting pitcher has a better ERA, and nobody has more wins.

    Who needs strikeouts?

    Bummer improved to 4-1 on Sunday with his fifth quality start of the summer, giving up just a run in six innings as Harwich shut down Falmouth’s powerful lineup for an 8-3 victory. A late Mariner rally made a winner out of Bummer.

    It was another terrific performance from Bummer, who’s been the league’s most consistent pitcher. He opened the season with six shutout innings and then went seven scoreless in his next start. He gave up two earned runs in his next start and took the loss, but has gotten right back on track. He went six shutout innings in his last start before picking up the victory Sunday. Bummer is now 4-1 with a 0.84 ERA.

    I’ve often wondered if the Quality Start statistic – at least six innings, no more than three runs – should be adapted for the Cape League, where even the best pitchers often don’t work deep into games. It doesn’t need to be changed for Bummer. He’s had five real quality starts in five tries.

    On Sunday, Bummer didn’t strike out a batter but didn’t need to. He scattered five hits and gave up just the one earned run (Falmouth did score two unearned runs). Bummer needed only 88 pitches to get through six innings.

    Even with all that, Bummer was on the verge of taking a hard-luck loss. Harwich trailed 3-0 but scored seven runs in the seventh inning to turn the game completely around. Branden Cogswell (Virginia) and Aaron Barbosa (Northeastern) each drove in two runs for the Mariners, while Ian Happ (Cincinnati) and Ben Moore (Alabama) had three hits apiece.

    Sean Fitzgerald (Notre Dame) and Mason McCullough (North Carolina) finished off the victory for Harwich.

    And Bummer put another win in the books.

     

    Chatham 8, Y-D 5

    The Anglers won for the third straight time, running their league-best record to 18-8-1, and it was yet another different route to a victory. Starter Andrew Chin (Boston College) gave up five runs in two innings, but in the meantime, Chatham scored seven runs of its own in the first two innings. After that, the bullpen dominated and kept Chatham in control. Dominic Moreno (Texas Tech), Jacob Dorris (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) and Kyle Funkhouser (Louisville) surrendered just three hits over the final seven innings. J.D. Davis (Cal State Fullerton) led the offense with two hits and four RBI. Connor Joe (San Diego) went 3-for-5 with two RBI.

     

    Cotuit 5, Wareham 3

    The Kettleers (17-10) also won their third straight and now have a four-point cushion atop the West. Cotuit scored four runs in the first inning and held off a late push by the Gatemen for the victory. Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt) had a double, a triple and two RBI, while Yale Rosen (Washington State) and Drew Jackson (Stanford) knocked in one run apiece. Patrick Corbett (Coastal Carolina) got the win in relief of Ben Smith (Coastal Carolina). Corbett struck out four in 3.1 innings. For Wareham, Brett Pirtle (Mississippi State) had three hits.

     

    Bourne 5, Hyannis 2

    Ryan Kellogg (Arizona State) pitched six strong innings as the Braves won a rain-shortened game that lasted six innings. Kellogg struck out six, didn’t walk a batter and gave up one earned run on four hits. Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State) drove in two runs, while Mason Robbins (Southern Miss), Clint Freeman (East Tennessee State) and Tyler Kuresa (UC Santa Barbara) brought in one each. Hyannis (15-9), which has lost two in a row, got two hits from Steve Wilkerson (Clemson).

     

    Brewster 11, Orleans 3

    On the strength of a blowout win, the Whitecaps (10-16) are suddenly two points back of Orleans (11-15) for fourth place in the East. Brewster pounded out 17 hits. Scott Heineman (Oregon) went 5-for-5 with three runs scored at the top of the Brewster lineup. Nick Lynch (UC Davis) hit a home run, while Austin Bailey (San Diego), Chris Mariscal (Fresno State), and Trevor Mitsui (Washington State) knocked in two runs each. Orleans finished with 12 hits but managed just the three runs. Brewster starter Aaron Brown (Pepperdine) gave up two earned runs in five innings to pick up the win.

     

    What to Watch

    A couple of strong-armed Austins will square off in Bourne. Austin Gomber (Florida Atlantic) gets the ball for the Braves, with Austin Pettibone (UC Santa Barbara) starting for Hyannis.

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    Holding Steady

    Chatham is heating up again after a brief hiccup.

     
    It could have been deja vu. The Chatham Anglers have started hot before. In 2010, they won seven of their first 10 games – and just 13 more the rest of the season. They missed the playoffs.

    When the 2013 Anglers raced to a 6-0 start and then lost five of six, it was hard not to think back and wonder if it was going to happen all over again.

    It’s certainly not happening right now.

    Chatham beat Harwich 10-6 for its third straight win and its sixth in seven games. While Cotuit has been steady, and Hyannis has been winning and Harwich and Falmouth have been hot, it’s the Anglers who own the most wins in the league. They’re 13-6-1 and leading the East by five points over Harwich.

    Last night, Chatham pounded 13 hits in out-slugging a Harwich team that had just out-slugged Falmouth the night before. Dante Flores (USC) put together his third consecutive multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with three RBI. He’s now hitting .365, good for second in the league.

    Landon Lassiter (North Carolina) added two hits, as did Sheehan Planas-Arteaga (Barry), Mitchell Gonsolus (Gonzaga) and Josh Eldridge (Old Dominion). The Anglers got a hit from eight of nine spots in the order and an RBI from six.

    Matthew Gage (Siena) turned in his second straight strong start, striking out two and giving up just two runs in six innings. Harwich did a little damage against the Chatham bullpen, but the Anglers held them off. Kyle Funkhouser (Louisville) picked up his second save in as many chances since arriving on the Cape.

    Just like that, the Anglers were back at the top. It looks like they plan to stay.

     

    Falmouth 9, Y-D 8

    The Commodores (12-8) bounced back from a slugfest loss to Harwich with a slugfest win over the Red Sox (9-10-1). Y-D led 8-6 going into the ninth, but Falmouth scored three runs to win it. Dylan Davis (Oregon State) beat the throw to first on a double-play attempt, which scored the winning run. Falmouth got a huge night from Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State), who hit his fourth home run as part of a 3-for-5, 4 RBI day. He also leads the league in RBI with 18. Kevin Newman (Arizona) and Sam Gillikin (Auburn) also had three hits for the Commodores. Davis, who had hit a home run in three straight games, finally did not go yard, but did hit a double and drove in two runs.

     

    Cotuit 2, Hyannis 1

    The Kettleers (12-8) snapped a three-game skid and posted their second win of the season over the Harbor Hawks (12-6). Cotuit, Hyannis and Falmouth are all tied atop the West standings with 24 points each. The Kettleers manufactured a run in the top of the ninth to break a 1-1 tie, with Jake Fincher (NC State) reaching on an error, stealing second and coming around on two wild pitches. Brian Miller (Vanderbilt) pitched a scoreless ninth to seal the victory. Steven Duggar (Clemson) had three hits to lead the Kettleers while Logan Ratledge (NC State) and Mike Ford (Princeton) had two each. Evan Beal (South Carolina) tossed five shutout innings with six strikeouts. Andrew Thome (North Dakota) also struck out six for Hyannis.

     

    Brewster 5, Bourne 4

    The Whitecaps have 40 hits in their last three games, and not surprisingly, they’re on a three-game winning streak that has improved their record to 6-13. On this night, they had 13 hits, bided their time against standout Ryan Kellogg (Arizona State) and scored five runs over the last four innings to net the victory. Jose Brizuela (Florida State) went 3-for-5 while Scott Heineman (Oregon) stretched his hit streak to eight games with a 2-for-5 night in the leadoff spot. Trevor Mitsui (Washington State) and Aaron Brown (Pepperdine) added two hits each. Frankie Vanderka (Stony Brook) turned in a solid start, allowing three runs in seven innings. Trey Cochran-Gill (Auburn) got the win in relief.

     

    Wareham 2, Orleans 1

    The struggling Wareham offense scored the first two runs Orleans standout Bobby Poyner (Florida) has given up all year and made the lead stand up for the victory. Wareham is 4-16, while Orleans dropped to 9-10. Both Wareham runs came in the fifth. Chris Chinea (LSU) knocked in a run on a ground-out before Daniel Rosenbaum (Louisville) hit an RBI single. Three Gatemen pitchers made the slim lead hold up. Tucker Simpson (Florida) struck out four and gave up one run in 5.2 innings to out-duel his college teammate Poyner for the win. Ryan Riga (Ohio State) worked 2.1 scoreless innings and Andro Cutura (Southeastern Louisana) picked up the save.

     

    What to Watch

    Hyannis and Cotuit will meet again at 5 p.m. at Lowell Park. Adam Ravenelle (Vanderbilt), who has only pitched out of the bullpen so far, will make his first start for Cotuit. Patrick Andrews (Clemson), who was solid in his first start, goes for Hyannis.

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    Coastal Duo

    Ben Smith delivers a pitch for Cotuit earlier this summer.

     
    Ben Smith and Patrick Corbett left Coastal Carolina in the spring knowing they’d be back together this summer in Cotuit.

    I’m not sure they knew they’d be this together.

    The Coastal Carolina teammates have each pitched in four games for the Kettleers – the same four games. Smith has started four, and Corbett has come on in relief in the same four.

    It’s mostly a quirky coincidence, but it’s also been very effective.

    Smith suddenly leads the league in strikeouts with 22 while Corbett has yet to allow an earned run in 8.1 innings of work. Cotuit has won three of the duo’s four games, with the only loss a walk-off by Chatham – when Smith and Corbett had already departed.

    That Chatham game marked the first use of the tag team. Smith started and went 2.2 innings. Corbett followed him to the mound and went 2.1. Five days later, in a 6-3 win over Orleans, Smith stretched out to five strong innings, while Corbett chipped in for one out in the eighth. Their next game against Wareham, they were in full-on tag team mode, with Smith going six innings and Corbett finishing the job with three.

    Last night, the Kettleers beat Brewster 8-2 with Smith and Corbett combining for seven strong innings. Smith struck out seven and gave up two runs on five hits in 4.1 innings of work. Corbett came on in the fifth and struck out three in 2.2 scoreless innings. Brian Miller (Vanderbilt) then worked two scoreless frames to finish it off.

    The Cotuit pitchers had plenty of run support. Logan Ratledge (NC State) hit his second home run – in his second game with the Kettleers. The rest of the attack was balanced. Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt), Yale Rosen (Washington State), Kevin Bradley (Clemson), Jake Fincher (NC State) and Galli Cribbs, Jr. (Clarendon) all drove in one run each.

    The win was Cotuit’s 11th of the year, best in the league.

    If they need another one five days from now, they’ll know who to call.

     

    Hyannis 4, Harwich 2

    The Harbor Hawks (10-4) matched up against Harwich’s Chandler Shepherd (Kentucky), who hadn’t allowed a run in two starts. Shepherd struck out nine in six innings, but Hyannis touched him up for three runs on its way to an impressive victory. Steve Wilkerson (Clemson), Skyler Ewing (Rice) and Jeff Schalk (UAB) all homered for the Harbor Hawks, while Chase Griffin (Georgia State) drove in the other run. The three home runs matched the team’s season total going into last night. Hyannis also got strong pitching. Austin Pettibone (UC Santa Barbara) struck out four in six scoreless innings on the same night his brother Jonathan picked up a win for the Philadelphia Phillies. Eric Eck (Wofford) picked up his third save with two strikeouts in a scoreless ninth. For Harwich, Derek Fisher (Virginia) went 3-for-4 while Ian Happ (Cincinnati) had two hits and an RBI. The Mariners are 9-7 and have dropped three in a row.

     

    Chatham 7, Bourne 5

    The Anglers (10-5-1) joined Cotuit and Hyannis in the double-digit win club with their third straight win. They scored five runs in the first inning and never trailed, holding off a charge from Bourne to win. Hunter Redman (Texas Tech) had a huge night to lead the offense, going 4-for-4 with an RBI. He had three hits for the season before that. Jimmy Pickens (Michigan State) added two hits and an RBI, while Josh Eldridge (Old Dominion) knocked in two runs. North Carolina standouts Landon Lassiter and Michael Russell made their Cape debuts and had one hit apiece for the Anglers. On the mound, Joe Goodman (High Point) picked up the win in relief and Kyle Funkhouser (Louisville) picked up a save in his debut. Bourne (7-9) got three hits from Trent Gilbert (Arizona) and two RBI from Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State).

     

    Orleans 11, Falmouth 5

    The Firebirds (8-7) scored double-digit runs for the second time this year and moved over .500 with the victory over Falmouth. They finished with 17 hits off of a parade of Falmouth pitchers, doing all their damage in the first four innings. Zach Fish (Oklahoma State) led the charge, going 3-for-4 with three RBI. Ross Kivett (Kansas State) went 3-for-4 with two RBI, and Austin Davidson (Pepperdine) had two hits and three RBI. Leadoff man Greg Allen (San Diego State) went 2-for-6, stretching his hit streak to six games. He has also had three straight multi-hit games and is now hitting .333, good for third in the league. Corey Miller (Pepperdine) picked up the win with five solid innings. Four relievers worked one inning each. Kevin Newman (Arizona) had three hits for Falmouth (9-7).

     

    Wareham 6, Y-D 3

    The Gatemen (3-13) snapped a give-game skid with a much-needed victory over Y-D (7-8-1). Kurt McCune (LSU), a former Friday starter for the Tigers who spent the spring working his way back from injury, was solid in his first Cape start of the year, striking out two and allowing two runs in five innings. Trey Killian (Arkansas) was terrific in relief, giving up one run and striking out five in a four-inning save. The offense got two hits and two RBI from Trevor Podratz (Hawaii), plus three hits and an RBI from Cole Stancil (St. Leo). The team’s 12 hits were a season-high for the Gatemen.

     

    What to Watch

    Teams square off tonight in the first of two holiday rivalry games, with all the same teams meeting tomorrow on the other’s home field for the Fourth of July. Cotuit hosts Falmouth tonight at 5 p.m. in a battle of two of the West’s best teams. Chris Ellis (Ole Miss), who has given up one earned run in three starts, goes for the Kettleers against Trey Teakell (TCU), who has a 1.47 ERA in three starts. In the East, Orleans hosts Chatham at 7 p.m., with Trent Szkutnik (Michigan) on the mound. He allowed two runs in his first start. Aaron Garza (Houston), who owns a 2.34 ERA, starts for Chatham.