Amid Orleans’s winning streak and Harwich’s early-season power explosion, you’ve got to do something pretty good to make headlines in the Cape Cod Baseball League these days.
This would qualify.
Hyannis picked up its first win of the season in dramatic style last night, walking off with a 7-6 victory over Bourne. Will Callaway (Appalachian State) singled to score Zac Zellers (Kentucky) with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, touching off a welcome celebration for the Harbor Hawks and the home crowd.
The Harbor Hawks came in with an 0-9 record, and they were the only winless team in the league. Struggling like that after last year’s run to the Western Division title I’m sure made it sting a little more for fans, coaches and the organization. It also didn’t help that six of nine games were decided by two runs or less. Hyannis was close, but just couldn’t get over the top.
This time, right when it looked like Hyannis might find more heartbreak, the win finally happened,
The Harbor Hawks led 6-1 after four innings, but as has been the case a few times this season, they let the lead slip. Bourne scored five runs in the eighth to tie the game.
It could have been a here-we-go-again kind of situation. Instead, Hyannis seized a chance to answer.
Zellers walked to start the bottom of the ninth. A sacrifice bunt by Brandon Trinkwon (UC Santa Barbara) moved him to second before Mitchell Garver (New Mexico) popped out for the second out. But Hyannis stayed alive when Brad Zebedis (Presbyterian) reached on an error. Callaway followed with a single to right field, Zellers raced home and the celebration was on.
Throughout the first week and a half of the season, I think most people have felt like Hyannis was better than their record. Now that the seal’s been broken, we’ll see if the Harbor Hawks can get it going.
For now, they’re just happy to be in the win column.
Elsewhere
Orleans ran its league-best record to 9-1 with a 7-0 victory over Wareham, its seventh win in a row. Jerad Grundy (Kentucky) struck out four and allowed just one hit in five shutout innings and he departed with his team already up 7-0. That lead was no trouble for the strong Orleans bullpen, as four relievers combined to finish off the shutout. As for the offense, Jake Hernandez (USC) and Austin La Bruna (Duke) had two hits each, while Reed Gragnani (Virginia) hit a home run. Conrad Gregor (Vanderbilt) picked up his seventh RBI and Mike Montville (Maryland) grabbed his ninth. Orleans has won two straight shutouts and hasn’t allowed a run since the sixth inning of Friday’s game.
Harwich kept right on rolling, as well, winning its sixth in a row with another big offensive night. Facing Y-D — the other hottest-hitting team in the league — the Mariners trailed 3-1 in the fifth before scoring four unanswered on their way to a 7-3 victory. The Mariners hit three more home runs, bringing their league-leading total to 18. Philip Ervin (Samford) hit his fifth, whole Brian Ragira (Stanford) and Austin Smith (Alabama) each smacked their first. Eric Jagielo (Notre Dame), JaCoby Jones (LSU) and Zane Evans (Georgia Tech) added two hits apiece while Austin Wilson (Stanford) picked up his seventh RBI in just four games. On the mound, Corey Littrell (Kentucky) gave up three runs in 4.1 innings but the bullpen slammed the door. Clark Labitan (Virginia Tech) picked up the win with two scoreless innings.
Orleans and Harwich also picked up some distance on third-place Chatham, as Cotuit beat the Anglers 11-5. Raph Rhymes (LSU) paced the Kettleers with a 2-for-6, five RBI performance. Mike Ford (Princeton) went 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Cael Brockmeyer (Cal State Bakersfield) and Derek Smith (Pittsburgh-Bradford) each had an RBI. The Kettleers also took advantage of four Chatham errors. On the mound, Kevin Ziomek (Vanderbilt) struck out eight and gave up two runs in four innings. Ryan Connolly (Coastal Carolina) got the win in relief and Dan Slania (Notre Dame) got seven outs without giving up a hit for his second save. Cotuit is 5-5 and moved into a tie for first in the West.
Brewster is doing its best to keep pace in the East, and the Whitecaps moved to 4-6 with a 10-5 victory over Falmouth. Brewster was out-hit 12-7 but capitalized on five Falmouth errors and got some big hits when it needed them. Dylan Davis (Oregon State) went 2-for-5 with a home run and Matt Moynihan (Texas) went 3-for-4. Trevor Mitsui (Washington) had a hit and two RBI. On the mound, Tom Windle (Minnesota) allowed one run and struck out six in five innings. Michael Burchett (Sam Houston State) shut down any hopes of a Falmouth comeback with 1.1 innings of scoreless ball to end it.
What to Watch
The makeup of Friday’s rained-out game between Chatham and Bourne is the only thing on the schedule tonight. The teams will meet at 6 p.m.
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How is Philip Ervin defensively? If he’s anything more than adequate, we could be looking at a future first-rounder … and less than two weeks ago I hadn’t even heard of him! Gotta love the CCBL!
He looked pretty good to me when I saw him against Falmouth. His scouting report from the Northwoods League last summer said he was a little raw out there, but he looks like he has the ability.