Posted on

Small Ball, Big Play

Y-D's Cole Peragine makes a play at second earlier this summer.

 
The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox are the league’s best hitting team, and for a while there, they were playing like a squad that was exclusively the league’s best hitting team – either turning in blowout wins or finding themselves in slugfests.

On Saturday night, they were laying down squeeze bunts and flashing the leather so well that they ended up on ESPN.

The Red Sox rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat Brewster 4-3. The tying and go-ahead runs both came home on safety squeeze bunts by Andrew Daniel. In the ninth, Trevor Mitsui (Washington) hit what looked like the game-tying home run for the Whitecaps, but Y-D center-fielder Brandon Downes (Virginia) made a leaping catch to pull it back and keep the Red Sox in front. (You can watch the catch here.)

The play by Downes was so good that ESPN picked it up for SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays. That’s the first time I can remember that a Cape League play has ended up on the Top 10. Kudos to Downes for making the play and to the Y-D broadcast crew for capturing it.

The squeeze bunts won’t be making ESPN, but they were key plays too. After the Red Sox got their first two runs on an RBI double by Taylor White (UNLV) and an RBI single by Taylor Smart (Tennessee), they went to small ball. Alex Blandino (Stanford) scored on Daniel’s bunt single in the sixth. In the eighth, with D.J. Stewart (Florida State) on third, Daniel dropped down another bunt, beat it out and watches Stewart scamper home with the go-ahead run.

The small-ball success made a winner out of reliever Darrell Hunter (Oregon), who struck out four in three spotless innings. Y-D is now 6-7-1.

 

Bourne 4, Cotuit 3

The hyped-up pitching match-up between Alex Haines and Ryan Kellogg ended up as a footnote when Bourne (7-7) rallied from a two-run deficit with three in the ninth and walked off with a 4-3 win. Mason Robbins (Southern Miss), who had a flair for the dramatic last summer, started the ninth with a double and came home on an error. A sac fly by Tyler Kuresa (UC Santa Barbara) brought home the tying run before Pat Kelly (Nebraska) singled home Bobby Boyd (West Virginia) with the winning run. Clint Freeman (East Tennessee State) went 2-for-3 to lead the Braves offense. Kellogg (Arizona State) struck out three and gave up one earned in five innings. Haines (Seton Hill) struck out three in four scoreless frames and still hasn’t given up a run this summer.

 

Chatham 8, Harwich 4

The Anglers (8-5-1) stopped Harwich’s three-game winning streak with an 8-4 victory. Matthew Gage (Siena) struck out four and gave up two runs in five innings to pick up his first win and Jacob Dorris (Texas A&M Corpus Christ) worked two scoreless innings for the save. Dante Flores (USC) led the offense, going 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI. Cal State Fullerton standout J.D. Davis, who was 1-for-9 since arriving on the Cape, broke out with a 2-for-4 night. Connor Joe (San Diego) and Blake Butera (Boston College) also drove in runs. Harwich (9-5) got three hits from Branden Cogswell (Virginia) but couldn’t get back into the game after falling behind early.

 

Falmouth 9, Wareham 1

The Commodores (9-5) stretched their win streak to three and matched Cotuit and Harwich for the league’s best record with a blowout win over the Gatemen (2-12). Falmouth has won six of seven overall. Craig Schlitter (Bryant) was dominant on the mound, striking out three and giving up just a run on three hits in seven innings. Sam Gillikin (Auburn) went 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI to lead a 13-hit attack. Joseph Maggi (Arizona) also had three hits, Kevin Newman (Arizona) had two and Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) drove in two runs.

 

What to Watch

Two good match-ups on tap in the West. Bourne and Cotuit will meet for the second straight night. Austin Gomber (Florida Atlantic), who was part of a combined no-hitter the last time he faced Cotuit, gets the ball again for the Braves, while Christian Cecilio (San Francisco) is slated to start for Cotuit. In Falmouth, the Commodores host 8-4 Hyannis at 5:30 p.m. John Means (West Virginia), who has a 1.86 ERA in two games, goes for Falmouth. Andrew Thome (North Dakota), who’s 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA, gets the ball for Hyannis.

Posted on

Five Wins and No Hits

Austin Gomber tossed five no-hit innings, part of a combined no-hitter for the Braves.

 
With an 8-0 victory over Cotuit yesterday, Bourne became the third team already this season to put together a five-game winning streak.

The Braves’ No. 5 was best of all.

Austin Gomber (Florida Atlantic), Josh Laxer (Ole Miss) and Ryan Harris (Florida) combined on a no-hitter as the Braves cruised past Cotuit, who came in as one of the league’s best offensive teams. The Braves’ Jeff Thompson threw a no-hitter last year in a game that went only six innings. Last night’s effort was the league’s first nine-inning no-hitter since June 30, 2010, when Jordan Pries did it for Y-D.

This one wasn’t celebrated right away. When Mike Ford (Princeton) reached base on a mis-played ground ball in the seventh, it was ruled a double. After the game, the official scorer changed it to an error, giving the Braves the no-no.

Gomber, who had as good a spring as any pitcher on the Cape, was terrific in his first start. He struck out five in five innings and walked two. Laxer picked up where he left off, striking out one in three innings. Harris finished it off, working around a walk to pitch a hitless ninth.

Not only was it a no-hitter, Bourne pitchers have now turned in three consecutive shutouts. And in the game prior, they gave up one run. The scoreless streak is at 33 innings. Not surprisingly, the Braves now lead the league in team ERA.

The Braves’ offense also got it done last night, which was no small feat. Alex Haines (Seton Hill) turned in his second dominant start in as many outings, striking out seven in five scoreless innings. But the Braves bided their time and broke out against the Kettleer bullpen, scoring two runs in the eighth and six in the ninth.

Eric Fisher (Arkansas) went 2-for-5 with three RBI. Tim Caputo (Rhode Island), Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State) and Bobby Boyd (West Virginia) drove in one run apiece, while Pat Kelly (Nebraska), Mason Robbins (Southern Miss) and Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech) all had two hits.

 

Hyannis 3, Orleans 2

The Harbor Hawks (6-2) took over first place in the West with Cotuit’s loss and their win over the Firebirds (4-4). Andrew Thome (North Dakota) worked six strong innings, giving up one run and striking out three in six innings. Andrew Istler (Duke) picked up his first save. The offense was led by Jake Hernandez (USC), a former Firebird, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Skyler Ewing (Rice) also knocked in a run. In eight games, the Harbor Hawks have now won three in a row, lost two in a row and won three in a row. The wins are coming despite a league-worst .188 team batting average.

 

Falmouth 6, Chatham 1

Chatham has hit the skids since its 6-0 start, with Falmouth (5-4) as the latest conqueror. The Commodores handed the Anglers (6-3) their third straight loss. Craig Schlitter (Bryant) got the win with five strong innings and three relievers allowed just one hit over the final four innings. Oregon standout Garrett Cleavinger had an adventure in his first outing, walking three but striking out three in the ninth. Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) led the offensive charge with two RBI and he is now tied for the league lead with eight RBI. Kevin Cron (TCU) added two hits, including his fourth double. Chatham has scored one total run in its last three games.

 

Harwich 2, Wareham 1

The Mariners (5-3) are the hottest team in the East thanks to their third straight win, a 2-1 triumph over the Gatemen, who dropped to 1-8. Aaron Bummer (Nebraska) pitched seven shutout innings and now hasn’t allowed a run in 13 innings this season. Sean Fitzgerald (Notre Dame) picked up the save. Josh Anderson (Florida International) drove in both Harwich runs. The Gatemen got a quality start from Tucker Simpson (Florida) but the offense continued to struggle. The Gatemen are hitting just .216.

 

Brewster 14, Y-D 8

The Red Sox (3-6) found themselves in a slugfest for the second straight day and lost this one too, as Brewster improved to 3-6 with its best offensive day of the season. Trent Woodward (Fresno State) went 3-for-4 with four RBI and Cole Lankford (Texas A&M) went 3-for-5 with three RBI. Jose Brizuela (Florida State) knocked two triples and drove in three. Ford Stainback (Rice) added three hits and Keaton Aldridge (Memphis) drove in two runs. Corey Taylor (Texas Tech) picked up the win in relief. Y-D got a home run from Taylor Smart (Tennessee) and two RBI from Auston Bousfield (Ole Miss).

 

What to Watch

A couple of rivalry games on tap tonight as Cotuit visits Hyannis and Orleans heads to Chatham. Eric Karch (Pepperdine), who’s 2-0, goes for Cotuit against Hyannis’ Jordan Foley (Central Michigan), who had a great spring. Chatham sends Andrew Chin (Boston College) after he went five shutout innings in his last start. Orleans counters with Bobby Poyner (Florida), who has pitched just two innings thus far.

Posted on

Party Like It’s 2012

Chris Marconcini had six RBI as Orleans out-slugged Y-D 17-12.

 
So. About that lack of offense.

As expected this year, one of the league’s early storylines is the return to typical Cape League offensive numbers after last year’s inflation. For one night, though, Orleans and Y-D didn’t get the memo. The Firebirds won 17-12 at Red Wilson Field.

The combined run total was more than the season run total of eight Cape League teams. The Firebirds and Red Sox also combined for five home runs, which is more than the season total for nine Cape League teams. And the night’s biggest star, Chris Marconcini (Duke), had six RBI, more than anyone in the league had for the season coming into last night.

It was that kind of night.

The fireworks started early. Orleans scored four runs in the top of the first on a Zach Fish (Oklahoma State) grand slam. The score was actually 4-4 going into the fifth before the Firebirds delivered two more big innings, getting five in the fifth and four in the sixth.

The Firebirds got their second grand slam from Marconcini, who finished 3-for-5 with the home run and six RBI. Jordan Betts (Duke) also homered for the second time in as many games.

Y-D did its part for the slugfest too. The Red Sox got home runs from Robert Pehl (Washington) and Taylor Gushue (Florida), while D.J. Stewart (Florida State) had two doubles and two RBI. Trailing 17-6, the Red Sox scored six runs in the ninth and the Firebirds committed three errors in the inning, but the hole was too big.

Orleans held on and for one night, celebrated a whole lot of offense.

 

Harwich 3, Cotuit 2

Harwich (4-3) got no-hit by Cotuit’s Chris Ellis (Ole Miss) for six innings but broke out for three runs in the final three innings to knock off the Kettleers 3-2. The Kettleers (6-2) pushed one across in the ninth, but Chris Oliver (Arkansas) struck out Steven Duggar (Clemson) to end it. That made a winner out of reliever Jonathan Frebis (Middle Tennessee State). Derek Fisher (Virginia) had the first hit for Harwich, an RBI double that came after Branden Cogswell (Virginia) had reached on an error. A single, two errors and a sacrifice fly by Mark Zagunis (Virginia Tech) plated two runs in the eighth. The Kettleers made four errors, but Mike Ford (Princeton) was a bright spot, going 3-for-4. He now leads the league in hitting at .476.

 

Hyannis 1, Chatham 0

Just three days after losing to Chatham 10-0, Hyannis (5-2) shut down the Anglers for a 1-0 victory, handing Chatham (6-2) its second consecutive 1-0 loss. Cy Sneed (Dallas Baptist) struck out three and gave up just two hits in seven scoreless innings. Mike Gunn (Arkansas) and Sarkis Ohanian (Duke) worked the final two innings without allowing a hit. Lukas Schiraldi (Navarro College) struck out five in six innings for Chatham, but Hyannis got to him for one run that proved to be enough. Austin Slater (Stanford) knocked in the only run with one of his two hits. Jay Baum (Clemson) scored the lone run.

 

Bourne 3, Brewster 0

The Braves (4-4) won their fourth straight game with their second consecutive shutout. Arizona State star Ryan Kellogg didn’t disappoint in his Cape League debut, tossing six shutout innings with three strikeouts. Jack English (Florida Gulf Coast) struck out four in two innings of relief and Trace Dempsey (Ohio State) struck out two in the ninth to pick up the save. Eric Fisher (Arkansas) led the offense, going 3-for-4 with two RBI. Bobby Boyd (West Virginia) added two hits and Clint Freeman (East Tennessee State) had two RBI.

 

Falmouth 8, Wareham 3

The Commodores (4-4) pounded out 12 hits en route to a victory over the Gatemen (1-7). Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) led the big night, going 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. Kevin Cron (TCU) also had two RBI, Kevin Newman (Arizona) had three hits and Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) had two. Hunter Brothers (Lipscomb) got the win in relief for the Commodores.

 

What to Watch

It should be a great pitching match-up in Bourne, where the red hot Braves send Austin Gomber (Florida Atlantic) to the mound against Cotuit’s Alex Haines (Seton Hill). Gomber struck out 103 this spring, while Haines was the NECBL’s top prospect last year and a 33rd round pick of the Rockies this year.

Posted on

Six With a Flourish

Chatham's Joshua Eldridge leads off in a game earlier this year. The Anglers are a perfect 6-0 thus far.

 
It would have been impressive enough for the Chatham Anglers to run their record to 6-0. No Cape League team has started that hot since the 2007 Y-D Red Sox, and they were Cape League royalty.

But to do it like the Anglers did – just go ahead and tip your hat at this point.

Chatham went on the road Tuesday to take on the Hyannis Harbor Hawks, the league’s only other unbeaten team, and dispatched them with ease, winning 10-0. It’s the most lopsided victory of the season for any team in the league. Chatham smacked 15 hits, and Andrew McGee (Monmouth) delivered his second straight dominant start.

Chatham now leads the league in average, on-base percentage, slugging, runs, hits, doubles, total bases and walks. On the pitching side, they lead the league in ERA.

Add all that up, and this is what you get.

On Tuesday, they immediately went to work, scoring four runs in the first four innings. They blew it open with one in the eighth and four more in the ninth.

The first five hitters in the Chatham lineup all had two hits, while No. 8 hitter Kenny Koplove (Duke) went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and an RBI. The two-hit parade was manned by Mitchell Gonsolus (Gonzaga), Connor Joe (San Diego) and Jimmy Pickens (Michigan State), who also had two RBI each. Brandon Sedell (Nova Southeastern) and Erich Weiss (Texas) had two hits as well.

As good as the offense was, it was largely unnecessary. McGee, the reigning NEC Pitcher of the Year, made his second start of the summer and was just as good as he was the first time. He struck out three and allowed just two hits in six shutout innings. On the year, he has struck out 12 and hasn’t allowed a run.

The bullpen also did its part. Stephen Marino (Williams) worked out of a mini-jam in the seventh and Mitch Merten (UC Irvine) struck out three over the final two innings.

Chatham will try to stretch the streak to seven tonight when it visits Bourne. The Anglers are slated to face Ohio State standout Jaron Long, who’s just arrive back in town for a second summer with the Braves. It’ll be a challenge, but at this point, I wouldn’t bet against the Anglers.

 

Coutit 8, Y-D 3

The Kettleers also stayed hot, improving to 5-1 with a lopsided win over the Red Sox (2-4). Cotuit scored seven runs in the seventh inning to bust open what had been a one-run game. Bradley Zimmer (San Francisco), Mike Ford (Princeton) and Yale Rosen (Washington State) drove in two runs each to lead the Cotuit offense. Connor Castellano (Sante Fe CC) went 1-for-2 and remained the league’s leading hitter at .462. Kevin Bradley (Clemson) added two hits. On the mound, Jared Walsh (Georgia) turned in his second impressive start of the summer, allowing three hits in six shutout innings. For Y-D, Erick Fedde (UNLV), the best starter on opening night, struck out five and gave up one earned run in six innings before the Kettleers got to the Red Sox bullpen. Fedde leads the league in strikeouts with 13. Robert Pehl (Washington) had two hits for the third straight game for Y-D.

 

Falmouth 5, Wareham 3

After three straight losses, Falmouth got back into the win column with a victory over the Gatemen (1-4). Every player in the Commodore lineup had at least one hit, part of a 13-hit attack. Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) extended his season-long hitting streak to six games, the longest in the league, with a 1-for-4 night. Sam Gillikin (Auburn) had three hits and three RBI, while Conner Hale (State College of Florida) and Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) had two hits apiece. Preston Morrison (TCU) got the win with 5.1 innings in relief of TCU teammate Brandon Finnegan. Nic Manuppelli (Youngstown State) picked up the save.

 

Orleans 8, Brewster 2

Orleans cruised past Brewster, becoming the only East team other than Chatham to own a winning record and keeping Brewster as the only winless team in the league. Colin Welmon (Loyola Marymount) tossed five shutout innings and the offense delivered 10 hits. Will Fulmer (Montevallo) and Riley Moore (Arizona) knocked in two runs each, while Collin Slaybaugh (Washington State) and Chris Marconcini (Duke) had two hits apiece.

 

Bourne 7, Harwich 1

After its first win on Monday, Bourne made it two in a row with a win over the Mariners (2-3). The Braves scored three runs in the sixth and three more in the ninth to take control. Tim Caputo (Rhode Island) had three hits and two RBI, while Vinny Siena (UConn) had three hits and drove in one. Eric Fisher (Arkansas Baptist) and Bobby Boyd (West Virginia) had two hits each. Kyle Kubat (Nebraska) scattered six hits in 5.1 scoreless innings. Jack English (Florida Gulf Coast) struck out the side in the ninth.

 

What to Watch

Chatham sends Aaron Garza (Houston) to the hill in the aforementioned match-up with Bourne, which is set for 6 p.m. at Doran Park. In Orleans, Cotuit will try to keep its streak going against Firebirds starter Kyle Twomey (USC), an unsigned third round pick from last year’s draft.