The semifinals opened up last night and Y-D delivered one of the biggest offensive performances in Cape League playoff history, blowing past Orleans 23-10.
The Red Sox scored 11 runs in the first inning alone and finished the day with five home runs. The Firebirds had three home runs of their own — and had 10 runs on 17 hits — but they didn’t stand a chance of keeping up. The Red Sox had 25 hits and they kept ringing the bell: they stranded only six runners. I thought the score was a mistake when I first saw it.
Y-D was led by, well, a lot of people. Jordan Ribera (Fresno State) hit two home runs in the first inning and finished 3-for-4 with six RBI and five runs scored. Joe Panik (St. John’s), Matt Jensen (Cal Poly) and Stewart Ijames (Louisville) also hit home runs. Jensen drove in five, Panik had four hits and knocked in three and Ijames had three hits and three RBI.
Tommy Toledo (Florida) gave up seven runs on 11 hits in 5.2 innings, but the cushion was so big, it didn’t much matter. Orleans never got closer than seven runs.
The Firebirds will try to bounce back today. At least they’ll be playing somewhere other than the friendly confines of Red Wilson Park.
In the other semifinal, Cotuit topped Wareham 6-2. Nick Tropeano (Stony Brook) threw five strong innings and three relievers didn’t allow a run.
The Cotuit offense broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth and added two more runs in the seventh. Joey Hainsfurther (Baylor) and Zach Cone (Georgia) had two RBI each. Deven Marrero (Arizona State) and Jordan Leyland (UC Irvine) also drove in runs.