The race for the batting title is coming down to the final day of the regular season.
Clark Elliott (Michigan) made his move on Tuesday.
On the heels of an 0-for-4 night that dropped him out of the top spot, Elliott went 3-for-3 in Hyannis’ win over Bourne at McKeon Park and regained the lead.
Harwich’s Pres Cavenaugh (UNC Greensboro) – the leader for much of the last few weeks – is just behind him at .333. With a late surge, Cotuit’s Ryan Ritter (Kentucky) is up to .330 and Wareham’s Tres Gonzalez (Georgia Tech) is at .328. The last regular season games for everybody are on Wednesday night.
In his first full season with Michigan in the spring, Eliott batted .270 with a .403 on-base percentage. He made his Hyannis debut two weeks into the season on July 5 and took an 0-for-5 in his first game, then an 0-for-3 the next night.
Suffice it to say, things got better.
Elliott record his first hit on July 8. After one more 0-for-3 put his batting average at .077, delivered six two-hit games in his next seven starts. He added four more multi-hit games soon after, with his average topping out at .381.
He’s had a few 0-for-4’s since then, including Monday’s, but his 3-for-3 night has him right back on track. He led off the bottom of the first with an infield hit, then had a single to left in the third inning. After walks in his next two at-bats, he finished his night with a double in the eighth.
Elliott’s performance helped Hyannis win 10-2 over Bourne. Central Florida teammates Nick Romano and Trent Taylor both hit home runs and Mark Adamiak (Arkansas) was fantastic on the mound, striking out 11 in 6.2 innings.
Cotuit 10, Y-D 5
Y-D scored five runs in the top of the first inning, but Cotuit scored 10 unanswered the rest of the way for the win. Jace Grady (Dallas Baptist) and Nick Martorella (California) had three hits each to pace a 16-hit onslaught. Carter Trice (Old Dominion) and Brett Roberts (Florida State) drove in two runs apiece. Michael Ciminiello (Seton Hall) came out of the bullpen in the second inning and started the shutout effort with 2.1 scoreless frames. Logan Maitland (UMass Dartmouth) was credited with the win. Y-D had taken the lead thanks to a grand slam by Kody Huff (Stanford) in the top of the first.
Wareham 3, Falmouth 1
Wareham pitchers struck out 14 batters in a 3-1 win over Falmouth. Making his third start since a mid-July arrival, Blake Sodersten (Cal State Northridge) was dominant over six innings, allowing an unearned run on two hits and striking out 10 of the 21 batters he faced. Hunter Schilperoort (Pacific) kept it going with four strikeouts over three scoreless frames. Jimmy Crooks (Alabama) had two hits and an RBI to lead the Gatemen offense.
Chatham 11, Brewster 6
With the playoffs looming, it was a staff day for Brewster’s pitching, and Chatham took advantage, scoring in six of its eight turns at the plate in a victory. Lyle Miller-Green (Chipola) hit his eighth home run in a 3-for-4 night and also took over the league lead in RBI with 28. Maxwell Romero Jr. (Vanderbilt) and Joshua Rivera (Florida) each had two hits and two RB. Danny Serretti (North Carolina) went 2-for-4 with a home run. Porter Brown (TCU) had three hits, including a home run, for Brewster. Zachary Maxwell (Georgia Tech) was credited with the win in relief for Chatham.
Harwich 2, Orleans 2
Orleans scored two in the fifth to take the lead, but Harwich answered with one in the sixth and the teams played to a 2-2 draw. Chase DeLauter (James Madison) and Trae Harmon (Stetson) drove in the runs for the Firebirds. Tatem Levins (Pittsburgh) scored Harwich’s first run on a wild pitch. Josh Hood (Penn) tied the game with a sacrifice fly. Both starters pitched well. Jack Filby (UCLA) allowed one run in five innings for Orleans. Beau Keathley (Cincinnati) went four scoreless for Harwich.
WHAT TO WATCH
Will Orleans teammates Tyler Locklear or Chase De Lauter share the home run crown or will one break ahead on the final day? They each have nine heading into the season finale.
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