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No hits and a historic pace

Peter Solomon pitched the first five innings of Wednesday's no-hitter.
Peter Solomon pitched the first five innings of Wednesday’s no-hitter.

 
The best pitching staff on the Cape hit its highest note yet Wednesday night – and it may have been just the beginning of a run to history.

Four Harwich pitchers combined on the first no-hitter of the Cape League season in a 10-0 win at Chatham. It was fitting – and not surprising – that the Mariners were the team to do it. They own nine shutouts this season and lead the league in ERA by a wide margin.

The staff is also on a stunning pace. With 83 runs allowed in 38 games, the Mariners are on track to allow just 96 runs in the 44-game season. That would be the fewest allowed by any team since at least 2000, which is as far back as the league’s online records go (and the Cape League online record book for some reason lists the runs allowed mark as a record for the most, rather than the least).

Regardless, you’re looking at one of the best pitching staffs on the Cape in decades. The previous low in runs was 116 by Orleans in 2002, so even if the Mariners fall off their ridiculous pace a bit over the final six games, they’ve got a cushion for beating that number.

And on the road to the potential big finish, the Mariners got their signature moment Wednesday.

Power arm Peter Solomon (Notre Dame) wasn’t at his absolute best – walking five and striking out three – but when he departed after five innings, there was a zero in the hit column for Chatham.

Exactly two weeks before, Solomon had pitched four no-hit innings against Chatham, but the innings came in relief, when the Anglers had already notched two hits.

This time, Chatham remained hitless through the sixth and seventh innings, with Zach Schellenger (Seton Hall) righting the ship after a tough outing in the All-Star Game by striking out five in his two innings. Tommy DeJuneas (NC State) walked two in the eighth but didn’t allow a hit. Nick Brown (William & Mary) then struck out two in the ninth and when he got Donovan Casey (Boston College) to ground in to the final out, the Mariners had themselves a combined no-hitter.

It’s the league’s first no-hitter since last June, when the Mariners themselves were shut down by Hyannis’ Devin Smeltzer.

The Mariners also had plenty of offense, with Austin Filiere (MIT) leading the way. Coming in, his average had dipped to .211 but he went 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBI. He’s now tied for the league lead in home runs with seven and is one back of the league lead in RBI.

Pavin Smith (Virginia) added a home run and Nick Dalesandro (Purdue) drove in two runs, but the story of this night – and most nights for Harwich – was the pitching.

With Y-D losing, it led the Mariners back to first place in the East. It authored the league’s top performance of the summer.

And it kept up the pace for a historic season.

 

Wareham 5, Hyannis 0

The Gatemen won their eighth consecutive game with a 5-0 shutout of Hyannis. Gunner Leger (Louisiana-Lafayette) – who hasn’t pitched as much as some fellow stars but has had kind of an incredible summer – started the shutout with four scoreless innings and six strikeouts. Leger now has a 0.42 ERA and 29 strikeouts against just one walk in 21 innings of work as a starter and reliever. Nick Sprengel (San Diego) finished the shutout with five strong innings. He fanned four. Joey Bart (Georgia Tech) led the Wareham offense with a triple and three RBI. Joey Bartosic (George Washington) added three hits, Nico Giarratano (San Francisco) had two and Cole Freeman (LSU) scored two runs. Wareham is now 21-14-3.

Brewster 3, Bourne 0

The Whitecaps made it three shutouts on the day and gained a bit of breathing room on Chatham for the final playoff spot in the East. The Whitecaps now have a three-point edge. Hunter Martin (Tennessee) set the table for the win with eight shutout innings. He allowed three hits and struck out three while improving to 4-1 on the year. Wyatt Burns (Samford) allowed one hit in the ninth but finished out the win. Brent Rooker (Mississippi State) homered and drove in two for the Whitecaps, while Zack Gahagan (North Carolina) and Julian Infante (Vanderbilt) chipped in two hits each.

Orleans 5, Cotuit 4

Cotuit rallied from 2-0 and 4-2 deficits to force extra innings but Orleans walked off in the bottom of the 11th for a dramatic win. Brian Miller (North Carolina) walked and stole second to create a threat in the 11th and Payton Squier (UNLV) brought him in with a base hit. The heroics made a winner out of Will Stokes (Ole Miss), who had pitched a scoreless top of the 11th. Before that, Brandon Bielak (Notre Dame) went 3.1 scoreless frames. And long before that, Orleans starter Kevin Smith (Georgia) struck out eight in five innings. Cotuit’s Alec Byrd (Florida State) also shined as the game headed to extras, pitching four scoreless innings with five strikeouts. Riley Adams (San Diego) had a huge day to lead the Orleans offense, going 4-for-5 with his first home run of the summer. The standout catcher is on a seven-game hitting streak in which his average has risen from .316 to .372. Squier added two hits. A.J. Balta (Oregon) added two hits for the Kettleers.

Falmouth 8, Y-D 5

If Wareham weren’t on an eight-game streak, the team the Gatemen are chasing in the West would be the league’s hottest. The Commodores won their third straight and their eighth in the last 10 games, improving to a league-best 25-13. Deacon Liput (Florida) hit his second homer of the summer and drove in three runs to pace a solid offensive showing. Michael Gigliotti (Lipscomb) added two hits and two runs scored, while J.J. Matijevic (Arizona), Joshua Watson (TCU) and Tyler Lawrence (Murray State) drove in one run apiece. Starting pitcher Brendan King (Holy Cross) was touched up for three runs in four innings – the first runs he had allowed since June 24 – but the Falmouth bullpen kept Y-D at bay. Thomas Ponticelli (San Francisco) earned the win in relief and Seth Elledge (Dallas Baptist) picked up the save. Y-D got a home run from Deon Stafford (St. Joseph’s), his fourth.

 

What to Watch

One last league-wide off-day today before a sprint to the finish line. When action resumes Friday, there will be a couple of intriguing games in the West. Cotuit, still not mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, gets a chance to make up some ground as it hosts fourth-place Hyannis in the penultimate Barnstable Patriot Cup game. In Falmouth, the first-place Commodores will try to stop second-place Wareham’s eight-game winning streak.
 

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Back to Business

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I was out of action the last few days thanks to a wedding and more travel for Summer Nine. When I last took a hard look at the Cape League standings after Friday, anything seemed possible. Cotuit had beaten Harwich. Y-D had topped Falmouth to take over the best record in the league.

Two days later, Harwich and Falmouth have calmed everything down.

The Mariners and Commodores have both won two in a row and have holds on first place in their respective divisions.

Harwich has come back with a bang since getting shut-out by Cotuit for 11 innings Friday night. After an 11-0 win over Orleans Saturday, the Mariners scored a key 12-4 win over red-hot Y-D, which had won four in a row and was threatening to take over first place outright.

Seventeen hits powered Sunday’s win. Joe Dunand (NC State) and Austin Filiere (MIT) each homered, with Dunand going 4-for-6 and driving in three runs. Filiere also had three RBI while five players recorded two hits apiece.

Harwich has now hit six home runs in the last two games with a season total of nine.

With the league’s best pitching, an offensive surge could cement the Mariners as the top team on the Cape. Shane McCarthy (Seton Hall) was the beneficiary Sunday with 4.1 solid innings. Four relievers kept Y-D off the board from the sixth inning on.

Meanwhile, in Cotuit, Falmouth shut-out the Kettleers 3-0 on the heels of Saturday’s win over Hyannis. Falmouth has a seven-point cushion in first place.

Brady Puckett (Lipscomb) was outstanding again for the Commodores, going six shutout innings for a second consecutive start and a third time this season. He has a 1.09 ERA and leads the league with four wins. Perhaps only his Lipscomb and Falmouth teammate Jeffrey Passantino has been better this summer.

Three relievers combined to hold Cotuit without a hit over the last three innings to finish Puckett’s shutout bid. Corbin Martin (Texas A&M) recorded his third save.

Willie Burger (Missouri State) led the offense with two RBI and J.J. Matijevic (Arizona) knocked in one run.

 

Wareham 2, Orleans 1

The Gatemen are just 2-6-2 in their last 10 but Sunday’s win moved them back to the .500 mark at 14-14-3. A sacrifice fly by Joey Bart (Georgia Tech) and a Nico Giarratano (San Francisco) RBI single in the seventh provided the Gatemen with all the offense they would need. Zach Pop (Kentucky) went five shutout innings and Gunner Leger (Louisiana Lafayette) allowed one run in three innings. After Orleans closed the gap in the seventh on a Riley Mahan (Kentucky) RBI, Jake Matthys (Angelo State) pitched a scoreless ninth.

Hyannis 11, Chatham 9

A six-run third inning gave Hyannis a leg up in a slugfest win over Chatham. Ford Proctor (Rice) hit his first home run of the summer to start the burst and Brett Netzer (Charlotte) delivered two runs with a double. Both would finish with three hits. Dylan Busby (Florida State) added two hits and two RBI, while Chris Hudgins (Cal State Fullerton) drove in two, as well. Chatham got three hits from Jake Palomaki (Boston College) and Patrick Mathis (Texas), plus three RBI from Tanner Gardner (Texas Tech) but the comeback attempt ran into Garrett Cave (Florida International), who pitched two scoreless innings for his eighth save.

Brewster 6, Bourne 6

Brewster trailed 6-0 but scored a run in the seventh and five in the eighth and eventually played the Braves to a tie. A solo home run by Julian Infante (Vanderbilt) started the scoring in the eighth and Zack Gahagan (North Carolina) had a two-run double. Gahagan scored the tying run on a double steal with Nick Dunn (Maryland). Gahagan finished with three hits and three RBI and A.J. Graffanino (Washington) had four hits. Justin Yurchak (Binghamton) led Bourne with three hits.

What to Watch

Peter Solomon (Notre Dame) hasn’t allowed a run since June 16 – a span of one start and four relief appearances. He’ll take that stretch to Wareham as Harwich visits the Gatemen.

And if you happen to be looking for something completely different, check out Summer Nine on Twitter. Today, we’re watching a home run derby on the literal shores of Lake Michigan.

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Back in Town

J.J. Matijevic, pictured last summer, had a two-run homer in his 2016 Cape debut.
J.J. Matijevic, pictured last summer, had a two-run homer in his 2016 Cape debut.

 
J.J. Matijevic came back to the Cape with a bang.

An all-star last summer and probably the top returning player currently on a Cape League roster, Matijevic (Arizona) made his season debut on the Fourth of July and smacked a two-run homer that sent Falmouth to a 2-0 win over Cotuit.

Matijevic finished third in the league in hitting last summer, batting .333 with four home runs. He hit .287 with four homers this spring and was a key part of Arizona’s runner-up finish in the College World Series.

He wasted little time returning to Falmouth after Thursday’s final game in the CWS championship series. Monday, he was in the starting lineup for the Commodores, batting second and playing first base.

His homer in the fifth inning – after a Cadyn Grenier (Oregon State) walk – was all the offense Falmouth needed. Jeffrey Passantino (Lipscomb) allowed just two hits and fanned seven in seven shutout innings. Seth Elledge (Dallas Baptist) and Corbin Martin (Texas A&M) finished the shutout with a scoreless inning each.

Tristan Gray (Rice) added two hits for the Commodores and Joshua Watson (TCU) – another late arrival from Omaha – also had two.

Falmouth and Cotuit split their holiday series, with the Commodores improving to 11-10 after Monday’s win.

 

Wareham 2, Bourne 1

A holiday sweep of Bourne has Wareham alone in first place in the West. The Gatemen rode strong pitching and an opportunistic offense to their third consecutive victory and their second in a row over the Braves. Zachary Pop (Kentucky) gave up one run in five innings in his second start of the summer and Gunner Leger (Louisiana-Lafayette) was again dominant in relief. Leger, who has made two starts and two relief appearances, has given up three hits in 11 innings with 15 strikeouts this season. Monday, he surrendered one hit in three scoreless innings and struck out four. Casey Mize (Auburn) followed Leger and pitched the ninth for the save. Joey Bart (Georgia Tech) went 2-for-3 to lead the offense and his RBI single in the second – following an error – staked Wareham to a 1-0 lead. In the fifth, Bart scored what proved to be the winning run on a passed ball, making both of Wareham’s runs unearned. That made for a hard-luck loss for Tony Dibrell (Kennesaw State) who struck out eight and six innings and now leads the league in strikeouts.

Harwich 11, Brewster 7

For the first time all season, an opponent scored more than five runs against Harwich – and the Mariners won anyway. They racked up 20 hits – which might be a league-season high – and broke a 7-7 tie with a grand slam in the top of the eighth for a slugfest win over Brewster. Nick Feight (UNC Wilmington), back after a stint at Team USA trials, came through with the grand slam after a single and two walks loaded the bases. It was Feight’s first homer of the summer. Austin Filiere (MIT) also homered and drove in two, Antoine Duplantis (LSU) had two hits and two RBI and Anthony Critelli (Holy Cross) went 4-for-4 and scored two runs. Johnny Adams (Boston College) and Joseph Dunand (NC State) had three hits each. Harwich raised its team batting average from .246 to .260. Brewster had plenty of offense of its own, with Bryce Jordan (LSU) going 4-for-4 with two RBI, Matt Davis (VCU) getting three hits and Logan Warmoth (North Carolina) driving in three runs. It was the fourth straight loss for Brewster.

Chatham 6, Orleans 3

The longest win streak in the league met its end at Veterans Field as Chatham topped Orleans 6-3. The Anglers took a lead in the fifth, added to it in the seventh and held off a push by Orleans. Lincoln Henzman (Louisville) struck out eight and allowed just an unearned run in 5.2 innings for the win. Austin Magestro (UNC Wilmington) notched a four-out save. Stuart Fairchild (Wake Forest) and Jordan Romero (LSU) led the Anglers at the plate with two hits and an RBI apiece. Chase Pinder (Clemson), Sean Bouchard (UCLA) and Patrick Mathis (Texas) drove in one run each. Orleans – which had won five in a row – got a home run from Drew Lugbauer (Michigan) but only six hits on the day.

Hyannis 8, Y-D 5

The second-longest win streak in the league also came to an end as Hyannis stopped Y-D’s four-game heater. The Harbor Hawks broke a 5-5 tie in the eighth on a Chris Hudgins (Cal State Fullerton) RBI double and a two-run single by Jordan Rodgers (Tennessee). Garrett Cave (Florida International) ran with the lead, striking out two in a scoreless ninth for the save. That made a winner out of James Harrington (New Mexico), who tossed three perfect innings of relief. Hudgins was one of four Harbor Hawks with a multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-4. Cody Henry (Alabama) went 3-for-3, Dylan Busby (Florida State) went 2-for-2 with two RBI and Trey Truitt (Mercer) went 2-for-5. Y-D got two hits and two RBI from J.J. Muno (UC Santa Barbara).

 

What to Watch

The best pitching staff in the league will try something a little different in the rotation as dominant reliever Austin Bain (LSU) makes his first start when Harwich hosts Bourne. Bain has 12 strikeouts in seven scoreless relief innings this summer.
 

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What a Relief

Taylor Lehman dominated in relief as Cotuit snapped an eight-game losing streak.
Taylor Lehman dominated in relief as Cotuit snapped an eight-game losing streak.

 
The Cotuit Kettleers could breathe a sigh of relief Saturday – thanks to some relief.

Taylor Lehman (Penn State) pitched five no-hit innings out of the bullpen to maintain an early lead and the Kettleers snapped an eight-game slide with a 6-3 victory over Yarmouth-Dennis at Lowell Park.

The Kettleers had issues in just about every facet of the game in their 1-12 start, and pitching was near the top of the list, with the team ERA hovering over five. Friday, they got a strong showing from a pair of pitchers in a hard-luck 2-1 loss to Hyannis. Saturday, there was more success, with the finish proving even better than the start.

Ross Achter (Toledo) held his own for four innings, allowing three runs. Then came Lehman, the 6-foot-8 left-hander. Both of his prior appearances had been starts. He allowed three earned runs in his first outing then was touched up for five in 3.2 innings the next time out.

Saturday, he relieved Achter to start the fifth and worked around a walk for a scoreless frame. And then he was rolling. Lehman retired the final 13 batters he faced after the fifth-inning walk. Since the walk was erased by a caught stealing, Lehman ended up facing the minimum in his five innings. He finished the game with a strikeout, his third.

The breakout performance helped the Kettleers stay in front after they had taken a 4-2 lead in the first inning. Ryan Hagan (Mercer) had a sacrifice fly and Cory Voss (New Mexico) delivered a two-run double to key the rally. Cotuit added single runs in the fifth and seventh innings, with Patrick Dorrian (Herkimer CC) and Jackson Klein (Stanford) knocking them in.

The Kettleers improved to 2-12 while Y-D went to 6-8.

 

Bourne 4, Falmouth 2

With first place in the West on the line, the Braves topped Falmouth to stay in the top spot. Patrick Raby (Vanderbilt) went six strong innings in his second start of the summer, allowing two runs and striking out four. Doug Norman (LSU) and Andrew Wantz (UNC Greensboro) finished the job by combining for three hitless innings. The offense was led by Justin Yurchak (Binghamton), who took over the league lead in hitting with his fourth consecutive multi-hit game. A transfer from Wake Forest who sat out this spring, Yurchak is now batting .438. Evan Mendoza (NC State) added two RBI and Connor Wong (Houston) knocked in one. For Falmouth, Michael Gigliotti (Lipscomb) went 1-for-4 to stretch his hitting streak to nine games.

Chatham 2, Brewster 0

The league’s top scoring offense was shut-out for the first time all season as a pair of Chatham pitchers led the Anglers to a key 2-0 win. Both teams are now 8-6, tied for second in the East. Tanner Chock (Presbyterian) and Simon Mathews (Georgetown) did the honors on the shutout, scattering a combined five hits. Chock surrendered only two in five innings but left with the game in a scoreless tie. Mathews followed with four scoreless frames and earned the win when Chatham scored single runs in the seventh and eighth innings. Brewster starter Kade McClure (Louisville) struck out eight in six shutout innings before the Anglers break through against the bullpen. Hunter Lee (High Point) broke the 0-0 tie with an RBI single and Jake Palomaki (Boston College) homered the next inning.

Harwich 2, Orleans 1

The Mariners broke a 1-1 tie in the eighth and topped Orleans to improve to 11-3. They still haven’t lost consecutive games this season. Nick Feight (UNC Wilmington) delivered the key hit with an RBI double in the eighth and he finished 2-for-4 while pushing his hit streak to four. A walk to Austin Filiere (MIT) put a runner on and pinch-runner Steven Foster (Hofstra) moved to second on a wild pitch before Feight’s clutch hit. The rally made a winner out of Austin Bain (LSU), who went two scoreless inning in relief. Peter Solomon (Notre Dame) notched the save. Starter Packy Naughton (Virginia Tech) had gone six strong innings, allowing one run and striking out nine to take over the league lead in Ks. Joseph Dunand (NC State) added an RBI for the Mariners. Will Golsan (Ole Miss) knocked in the lone run for Orleans.

Wareham 5, Hyannis 4

Wareham lost a one-run lead in the top of the eighth but got it back in the bottom half and went on to a 5-4 win over Hyannis. Harrison Wenson (Michigan) plated what proved to be the winning run in the eighth with an RBI single after Colton Shaver (BYU) had started the rally with a single. Ryan Wilson (Pepperdine), who had given up the lead a half-inning before, returned to the mound for the ninth and pitched around a walk to seal the win. Shaver went 2-for-3 with two RBI to lead the Wareham offense. Joey Bartosic (George Washington) and recent arrival Cole Freeman (LSU) added two hits apiece. Hyannis got three hits from Dylan Busby (Florida State). With the win and Falmouth’s loss to Bourne, the Gatemen leapfrogged into second place.

What to Watch

The league’s Pitcher of the Week in the first two installments of the season will try to go for a third as Shane McCarthy (Seton Hall) makes the start for Harwich at Y-D. McCarthy has yet to allow a run this season. He’s up against Mitch Hart (USC), who struggled in his first start but tossed five shutout innings his last time out.
 

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A different year

HYA YD 15
 
Last seen in a well-played, three-game Cape League championship series, Hyannis and Yarmouth-Dennis are still looking for their first victories of the 2016 season. The Harbor Hawks fell to 0-4 with a 6-1 loss to Orleans Monday, while defending champion Y-D dropped to 0-3 with a 9-1 defeat at the hands of Harwich.

Hyannis has had two close games mixed in with the winless start, falling 3-2 to Bourne on opening night and 5-4 to the Braves again two days later. Y-D has struggled a little more, with a league-worst 8.64 ERA setting the stage for some tough endings. The Red Sox actually lead the league in home runs with five but still haven’t had enough offense.

Both teams will have some reinforcements arriving as we get deeper into the season – particularly Y-D’s pitching staff – but there was no help on the way Monday.

Orleans raced to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first against Hyannis and never looked back. A two-run double by Chris Triano (Keystone College) was the big blow. Riley Adams (San Diego) also knocked in a run with a double.

Jason Morgan (North Carolina) ran with the early lead, allowing one run on two hits in five innings, while fanning five. A fourth-inning home run by Zach Rutherford (Old Dominion) provided Hyannis with its only offense. Charlie Barnes (Clemson) struck out seven in four innings for the Harbor Hawks but was touched up for the early runs.

For Orleans, Riley Mahan (Kentucky) and Adam Haseley (Virginia) each had three hits. Triano, who hit .405 with 13 homers for D-III Keystone, is off to a 5-for-7 start with the Firebirds.

In Harwich, Y-D ran into the team that’s off to the hottest start this summer. Harwich raced to a 4-0 lead in the first two innings and cruised to its fourth straight win.

Austin Filiere (MIT) hit his second home run of the summer and drove in four. Pavin Smith (Virginia) also went deep for the Mariners. Anthony Critelli (Holy Cross) added two RBI.

Harwich starter B.J. Myers (West Virginia) delivered one of the best starts of the young Cape League season with seven strong innings. He allowed one run and struck out four. Y-D managed just five hits against Myers and the Harwich bullpen.
 

Bourne 10, Cotuit 1

Cotuit also remained winless while Bourne ran its record to 3-0 with a 10-1 win at Doran Park. The Braves smacked 16 hits, with Willy Yahn’s (Connecticut) 3-for-5 day leading the charge. Former Wareham Gateman David MacKinnon (Hartford) had two hits, as did Connor McVey (Cincinnati) and Tyler Friis (Indiana State). Nine of Bourne’s 16 hits went for extra bases. Joshua Shapiro (Marshall), who had an ERA over five this spring, shined in his Cape debut, pitching six shutout innings for the win.

Falmouth 5, Wareham 4

The Commodores held off a late charge for a win over Wareham, as both teams went to 2-1 on the year. Willie Burger (Penn State) went 3-for-4 with three RBI to lead the Falmouth attack. Kevin Merrell (South Florida) added two hits and two runs scored. Jeffrey Passantino (Lipscomb) went 6.1 strong innings, while Tyler Jones (Wichita State) got the win in relief. Brac Warren (Oregon) went two innings for the save. Robert Metz (George Washington) had two hits for the Gatemen and Colton Shaver (BYU) continued his hot start with a double and an RBI.

Brewster 14, Chatham 6

The Whitecaps scored double-digit runs for the second straight game but took an unusual route. Trailing 5-4, they scored 10 runs in the seventh inning to blow the game open. Sixteen men came to the plate in the big inning and several of them reached more than once. Seven hits, four walks, two hit-batsmen and two errors accounted for the offense. Colby Maiola (UMass Lowell) drew a bases-loaded walk for the go-ahead run and the lead grew from there. Eight different Whitecaps finished with at least one RBI in the game. Matt Davis (VCU) drove in three runs. Nick Dunn (Maryland) had four hits. Jacob Westphal (Tennessee) was the beneficiary of the big inning and got the win in relief. Chatham got three hits from Patrick Mathis (Texas).

What to Watch

Harwich will try to get to 5-0 as it visits Orleans. Ryan McAuliffe (St. John’s), who’s coming off a pretty good spring in the Red Storm rotation, is slated to start for the Mariners. Colton Hatchcock (Memphis) is set for his Orleans debut.
 

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Scoring in the rain

HAR16_austin filiere
 
Harwich leads the league in runs scored so far this summer, and that might have been the case even if everyone else wasn’t rained out on Saturday. After scoring eight runs in their opener, the Mariners ran past Hyannis 12-4 Saturday in the only game on the schedule.

Both teams had double-digit hits, but a combination of key hits, three Hyannis errors and 10 walks issued by Hyannis pitchers made Harwich significantly more productive. The Mariners scored two runs in the second, three in the third and busted the game open with six runs in the fourth, with three consecutive walks setting the table for the outburst.

Austin Filiere (MIT) had the only extra-base hit for the Mariners – a double – but there were plenty of run-scoring singles. Anthony Critelli (Holy Cross) and Max Burt (Northeastern) had two hits, two RBI and two runs scored apiece. Ryan Brown (College of Charleston) and Kyle Davis (West Virginia) drove in two runs each. Tyler Kirkpatrick (Marist) scored three runs.

Harwich’s own pitchers were knocked around a bit, too, but they didn’t hurt themselves further. Starter Packy Naughton (Virginia Tech) allowed four runs on 11 hits in five innings but didn’t walk a batter. Brandon Bass (Notre Dame) shined in three scoreless innings of relief, striking out six of the 10 batters he faced, while also not issuing any walks. Spencer Stockton (Jacksonville) finished off the win with a perfect ninth.

Cody Henry (Alabama) homered to lead Hyannis, which fell to 0-2.

 

What to Watch

Looks like the weather will cooperate for a full slate of games Sunday. Orleans and Chatham get their annual rivalry series started at 7 p.m. at Veterans Field.
 

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Bringing the bats

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Pitching is often ahead of hitting in the early days of a summer league season, but that wasn’t really the case on opening night in the Cape Cod Baseball League Friday. Every team scored at least two runs and the longest outing by any pitcher was five innings.

The team that did the most scoring is a familiar one.

After watching 10 standouts from last year’s 30-win, offensive juggernaut go in the first four rounds of the Major League Draft, the new Orleans Firebirds didn’t miss a beat. With 15 hits, they broke things open in the late innings in a 9-4 victory over Brewster at Stony Brook Field.

It was a familiar name – though maybe not to Orleans fans – who led the charge. Former Wareham Gateman Logan Sowers (Indiana) – who hit under .200 in 29 games last summer – got nearly a fourth of last year’s season total in hits in one night. Coming off a bounce-back spring in which he hit eight home runs, Sowers went 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI. Each of his hits knocked in a run.

Riley Mahan (Kentucky) also had a fast start, going 4-for-6, knocking in one and scoring three runs from the No. 2 hole. Joe Baker (Texas) added two hits and two RBI and Riley Adams (San Diego) also chipped in two hits. Drew Lugbauer (Michigan) and Dane Hutcheon (Montevallo) had one RBI each, with Lugbauer plating the first run of the Cape League season.

Lefty Sean Guenther (Notre Dame) was the beneficiary of the hot start, allowing one run in five innings for the opening night win. He struck out four and surrendered two hits. Relievers Connor Alexander (Memphis) and Logan Roberts (Lane CC) finished the job.

While Brewster managed only four runs, it did show some pop. Ryan Noda (Cincinnati) and Matt Davis (VCU) both homered.

 

Falmouth 7, Chatham 4

Even a great pitching matchup wasn’t immune to an offensive opening night as Falmouth beat Chatham and North Carolina star J.B. Bukauskas. Falmouth scored five runs off Bukauskas in 4.2 innings, though only three were earned. Bukauskas, who is also a Team USA invite, struck out eight, more than any pitcher in the league on opening night, but took the loss. Falmouth starter Brady Puckett, a standout at Lipscomb this spring, surrendered three runs in four innings of work and saw Chatham jump to a 3-0 lead. But a four-run sixth inning sent the Commodores on their way. Willie Burger (Penn State) homered for Falmouth while leadoff man Kevin Merrell (South Florida) went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and Matt McLaughlin (Kansas) had two hits. Brendan King (Holy Cross) got the win in relief and Stephen Villines (Kansas) – who saved six games for Falmouth last year – notched his first this season. Falmouth got three hits and two RBI from Gunnar Troutwine (Wichita State).
 

Harwich 8, Cotuit 3

Cotuit made three errors in the first two innings as Harwich jumped to a 7-2 lead. The Mariners went on to the 8-3 win. Austin Filiere, a star at MIT and a rare Engineer to earn a Cape League spot, made his debut count by blasting a three-run home run in his first at-bat. A bases-loaded triple by Logan Farrar (VCU) in the second inning broke things open. Filiere and Farrar also scored one run each while Nick Dalesandro (Purdue) had three hits and three runs scored. Cotuit got early RBI from Jordan Pearce (Nevada) and Ben Ruta (Wagner) but Harwich starter Hunter Williams (North Carolina) settled in and allowed just those two runs in five innings, with five strikeouts. Keith Rogalla (Creighton) started for Cotuit and allowed eight runs, but only one was charged as earned. Ross Achter (Toledo) pitched three scoreless innings of relief.
 

Wareham 6, Y-D 3

Colton Shaver (BYU) had probably the best spring of any Cape League player in action Friday and he got his summer off to a roaring start as Wareham beat defending champion Y-D. Shaver, who hit 10 home runs for BYU this year, homered and went 2-for-4 with three RBI in leading an 11-hit Wareham attack. The homer sparked a three-run sixth inning that put the Gatemen in control. Niko Buentello (Auburn) added three hits and an RBI while Brett Netzer (Charlotte) also homered. Jake Fishman (Union College) allowed one run in five innings for the win. For Y-D, Matt Winaker (Stanford) hit a home run and Kevin Smith (Maryland) had two hits.
 

Bourne 3, Hyannis 2

The only low-scoring game of opening night was also the most dramatic as Bourne walked off (literally) with a 3-2 win over Hyannis. The Braves were out-hit 12-6, but the game was tied 2-2 in the ninth when Connor Wong (Houston) drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the winning run. The walkoff made a winner out of Zach Cook (Winthrop) who pitched 2.1 scoreless innings of relief after a scoreless relief outing by David Drouin (Hartford). Starter J.T. Perez (Cincinnati) pitched well with seven strikeouts and two runs allowed in five innings. Zach Rutherford (Old Dominion) had three hits and an RBI to lead the Harbor Hawks.
 

What to Watch

Orleans and Wareham, two of the hottest teams Friday, will square off at Eldredge Park at 7 p.m. Joe Ryan, who had a solid spring for Cal State Northridge, goes for the Firebirds against Nick Sprengel (San Diego), who had a high ERA but struck out more than a batter an inning in his freshman year with the Toreros.
 

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Mariners back at it

harwich

 
Harwich will aim for a return to the playoffs after a rare down year.
 

FIVE TO WATCH

1. Nick Feight
2. Zach Schellenger
3. Tyler Wilson
4. Evan White
5. Cal Raleigh

 

NOTABLE

  • Nick Feight had an enormous sophomore season, perhaps the best performance among sophomores around the country. The UNC-Wilmington catcher hit .349, blasted 21 home runs and racked up an eye-popping 91 RBI in only 60 games.

  • Zach Schellenger fanned 30 in 33 innings pitched with Harwich last summer, and it’s safe to say he upped that K-rate this spring. Schellenger struck out 70 in 45.1 innings out of the Seton Hall bullpen.

  • Pitchers in the Atlantic 10 are apparently playing for second place in the race for the conference’s top pitching honor with Tyler Wilson. The Rhode Island sophomore has won the award in each of his first two years in Kingston and was dominant this year. He also led URI’s upset of South Carolina in the opening round of an NCAA regional, battling back for a strong showing after giving up four early runs. It was URI’s first NCAA tournament win in school history.

  • Kentucky had a down year, but Evan White didn’t. His .376 average was good for third in the SEC.

  • If the Mariners didn’t have enough pop behind the plate in Feight, they’ll welcome in Florida State’s Cal Raleigh, who has 10 homers in his first season with the Seminoles.

  • Antoine Duplantis of LSU stepped right into a starting job and hasn’t disappointed. His athleticism will likely stand out this summer, as you’d expect with his genes. His mother was a heptathlete and volleyball player at LSU and his father was an All-American pole vaulter for the Tigers.

  • Florida has so much pitching depth that a reliever who’s not even the close went on the first day of the Major League Baseball Draft. Once the depth thins out a bit next year, Harwich-bound Jackson Kowar could be next in line as a Gator star. He has fanned 44 in 34 innings as a freshman.

  • Another Gator freshman, Jonathan India, is ticketed for Harwich, as well. Jonathan India has been one of the team’s top hitters.

  • If you’re looking for the old small school underdog type to root for, your search is over. Austin Filiere of MIT is slated to play for the Mariners off a huge sophomore season in which he hit over .400 with double-digit home runs. Not many MIT baseball players have been on the Cape or been drafted, for that matter. Filiere is aiming for both.

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    PITCHERS

    Maddux Conger – FR – Vanderbilt – Limited action but strong performer in Vandy bullpen, with .79 ERA in nine appearances
    Austin Bain – SO – LSU – Started two games but pitching mostly in relief for Tigers and has struck out 31 in 28 innings
    Brad Bass – JR – Notre Dame – Saved two games and posted 1.91 ERA in 19 relief appearances for Fighting Irish
    Jackson Kowar – FR – Florida – Successful as starter and reliever with 3.37 ERA, 44 Ks in 34.2 innings in debut with Gators
    Shane McCarthy – SO – Seton Hall – Top starter for Pirates went 6-4 with 2.38 ERA and 84 Ks in 102 innings
    B.J. Myers – SO – West Virginia – Worked as a starter and reliever, finishing with 4.05 ERA, 53 strikeouts in 66.2 innings
    Packy Naughton – SO – Virginia Tech – Native of West Roxbury, Mass., had ERA over six but struck out 74 in 76 IP this spring
    Teddy Rodliff – SO – Stony Brook – Notched seven saves with 3.20 ERa, 26 Ks and just three walks in 39.1 innings
    Zach Schellenger – SO – Seton Hall – Returning Mariner saved six games and struck out a whopping 70 batters in just 45.2 innings
    Peter Solomon – SO – Notre Dame – Struck out a batter an inning with 1.40 ERA in nine bullpen outings
    Hunter Williams – SO – North Carolina – Started seven games with solid numbers for Harwich last year and had 3.10 ERA in swing role at UNC
    Tyler Wilson – SO – Rhode Island – Two-time Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year went 13-1 with 2.29 ERA, 122 Ks in 102.1 IP this year
    Tommy DeJuneas – SO – NC State – Finished with six saves and 6.37 ERA while striking out 27 in 29.2 innings pitched this spring
    Brian Brown – SO – NC State – Weekend starter for Wolfpack went 7-3 with 3.70 ERA, 79 Ks in 87.2 innings
    Nick Brown – JR – William & Mary – Led team in strikeouts by wide margin with 85 in 96 innings, while posting 5.53 ERA
    Ethan Landon – RS SO – Michigan State – Pitched well in Spartans’ rotation, tallying 2.75 ERA, 59 Ks in 85 IP
    Matt Minnick – SO – Mercyhurst – Went 7-1 and struck out 61 in 54.1 innings for D-II power Mercyhurst
    Spencer Stockton – SO – Jacksonville – Finished with 3.21 ERA as a starter for Dolphins
    Speros Varinos – JR – Tufts – Fanned 79 in 67 innings and went 7-1 with 2.15 ERA for D-III Jumbos
    Ryan McAuliffe – JR – St. John’s – Went 5-2 with 4.32 ERA in weekend rotation for Red Storm
    David McKay – SO – Florida Atlantic – Led team in strikeouts with 66 and had 3.74 ERA in weekend rotation
    Brett Daniels – SO – North Carolina – Finished third on the team in appearances and posted 2.17 ERA with 34 Ks in 37.1 IP
    Liam Conboy – JR – Susquehanna – Racked up nine saves with 33 Ks in 27 IP for D-III squad
     

    CATCHERS

    J.D. Andreessen – SO – Campbell – Hit .294 with two homers for emerging Big South squad
    Cal Raleigh – FR – Florida State – Standout freshman making quick impact in Tallahassee, hitting .308 with 10 HR and 50 RBI
    Nick Feight – SO – UNC Wilmington – All-American led one of nation’s best offenses with .349 AVG, 21 HR, 91 RBI
     

    INFIELDERS

    Ernie Clement – SO – Virginia – Second-best hitter for Cavs finished at .351 with a homer and 18 XBH
    Jonathan India – FR – Florida – As Gators head to Super Regionals, ranks second on the team with .310 AVG and has 4 HR, 13 SB
    Jack Flansburg – JR – Oklahoma – Batted .278 and hit four homers for Sooners, while finishing third on team in RBI
    Pavin Smith – SO – Virginia – Hit .329 and finished second to first-round pick Matt Thaiss for team lead in home runs with eight
    Joe Dunand – SO – NC State – Hit .297 with four home runs and finished third on the team with 47 RBI this season
    Evan White – SO – Kentucky – Ranked third in SEC with .376 average, and added five home runs, 40 RBI and 10 stolen bases
    Kyle Davis – SO – West Virginia – Batted .280 with .394 OBP and led Mountaineers with 10 home runs
    Kyle Fiala – JR – Notre Dame – Leading hitter for Fighting Irish finished at .301 with 4 HR, 28 RBI, 10 SBs
    Austin Filiere – SO – MIT – Starred for D-III MIT with .428 AVG, .546 OBP, 13 HR, 55 RBI and 14 stolen bases
    Ryan Tufts – JR – Virginia Tech – Batted .284 with 18 extra-base hits and finished third on Hokies with RBI
    Anthony Critelli – JR – Holy Cross – Batted .267 and led team in home runs with nine and RBI with 41
    Max Burt – SO – Northeastern – Started every game for Huskies and hit .238
     

    OUTFIELDERS

    Ryan Brown – SO – College of Charleston – Freshman All-American last year met sophomore slump this year, finishing with .223 AVG
    Antoine Duplantis – FR – LSU – Burst onto scene with .323 AVG, 14 XBH, 36 RBI and 13 stolen bases while starting every game
    Steven Foster – SO – Hofstra – Hit .278 while getting on base at .407 clip and stole nine bases
    Trey Harris – SO – Missouri – SEC All-Freshman pick struggled with the bat this year, hitting .216 though he drove in 36
    Brock Deatherage – SO – NC State – Returning Mariner hit .317 this spring with six homers and stole 14 bases
    Logan Farrar – JR – VCU – Hit .295 with three home runs and stole team-best 15 bases
    Tyler Kirkpatrick – JR – Marist – Batted .263 with two homers for Red Foxes this spring