Harwich had the best pitching numbers in the league last summer. It was a little different through three games this year, as the Mariners surrendered 15 runs in a 1-2 start.
Sunday’s doubleheader was more like it.
Mariner pitchers combined for 16 shutout innings in two games with Hyannis. The only negative for the home squad was that Hyannis pitchers were just as good in the second game – with a nine-inning cap on doubleheader games, the teams played to a 0-0 tie. Harwich settled for one win from the dominant day, a 6-0 triumph in the opener.
Tyler Baum (North Carolina) made his debut in the first game and started the trend. A top 100 draft prospect out of high school last year, Baum had a strong freshman year in Chapel Hill, going 7-0 with a 2.57 ERA – right behind first-round pick J.B. Bukauskas on the team’s stat ranks – and striking out 47 in 63 innings. Sunday, he was in total control, allowing two hits in six innings while striking out three. Both hits were singles and he didn’t let a runner past second base. Jamie Sara (William & Mary) finished off the shutout with a perfect seventh.
Two runs in the first inning would have been enough, but the Mariners added one in the fourth and three in the fifth. Bradley Debo (NC State) – off to a red hot start – went 2-for-3 with three RBI.
The only thing missing in the second game was a similar offensive burst. Dylan Grove (Oklahoma) matched Baum with six clean innings. He struck out two, allowed three hits and didn’t walk a batter, a welcome change after a shaky spring in that department. Grove struck out 48 in 36 innings, but also walked 40.
John Witkowski (Boston College) and Cole Aker (North Carolina) combined to keep the shutout streak going over the final three innings.
Brooks Crawford (Clemson) and Nick Sandlin (Southern Mississippi) did their part for Hyannis, allowing just three total hits. Sandlin struck out six in five innings.
Cotuit 4, Brewster 3; Cotuit 2, Brewster 1
The only undefeated team in the league stayed that way with a pair of one-run victories. The Kettleers won on a walk-off in the eighth inning of game one. With runners on first and second, Gian Martellini (Boston College) singled to score Greyson Jenista (Wichita State) with the winning run. The dramatics made a winner out of Zane Collins (Wright State), who tossed a scoreless inning of relief. Griffin Conine (Duke) kept up his hot start with his first home run of the summer. In game two, the Kettleers took care of business a little earlier, scoring the go-ahead run in the fifth. Conine rolled on with two hits and Ako Thomas (Michigan) stretched his hit streak to four with a base hit and two RBI. Justin Hooper (UCLA) allowed one run in four innings, Collins picked up his second win of the day and Chase Shugart (Texas) notched the save.
Chatham 8, Wareham 3; Chatham 6, Wareham 1
The only other sweep of the day belonged to the other division leader as Chatham moved to 3-1 with a pair of victories over Wareham. Nick Patten (Delaware) – who had 14 home runs for Delaware this spring – hit his first of the summer in game one and then hit his second in game two. He finished the day 4-for-5, with the two runs, three runs scored and five RBI. He’s your early CCBL leader in home runs and batting average. Josh Shaw (ASA College) went 3-for-4 in the opener and a total of six Anglers drove in at least one run. Jacob Stevens (Boston College) pitched four scoreless innings in the first game. Stevens was a 33rd-round pick last week and is back for a second summer in Chatham. He came back to earth a bit this spring on the heels of a great freshman year. Ryan Hedrick (Presbyterian) was credited with the win. Jacob Olson (UCLA) had two hits and an RBI in the second game and John Signore (Fairfield) picked up the win with five innings of one-run ball.
Falmouth 5, Orleans 2; Orleans 9, Falmouth 3
A matchup of winless teams ended with both breaking into the win column. Falmouth got two RBI each from Alec Bohm (Wichita State) and Jason McGowan (Purdue) in the first game. Kyle Bradish (New Mexico State) allowed one earned run in four innings for the win and Mitchell Miller was dominant in relief, striking out six in three innings for the save. Orleans returned the favor quickly in the nightcap, scoring seven runs in the first three innings for an easy first win. Jimmy Herron (Duke) – a 31st-round pick of the Yankees last week after a big spring – got the Firebirds started in emphatic fashion with a second-inning grand slam and added two more hits on the night. Jaxx Groshans (Kansas), Romy Gonzalez (Miami) and Jeff Houghtby (San Diego) each had two hits and an RBI. Daniel Lynch (Virginia) allowed three runs and struck out six in 4.2 innings for the win.
** The Y-D vs. Bourne doubleheader was postponed.
What to Watch
It’ll be a matchup of early division leaders as Cotuit visits Chatham Monday at 7 p.m.
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