Complete Dominance

Ryan Kellogg nearly tossed the Cape's first nine-inning, solo no-hitter since 2010. — Ryan Kellogg nearly tossed the Cape’s first nine-inning, solo no-hitter since 2010.

Before last night, there had not been a single nine-inning complete game pitching performance in the 2014 Cape Cod Baseball League season.

And now there have been two, including the best performance of the summer.

Bourne’s Ryan Kellogg (Arizona State) came within one out of a no-hitter in a 5-0 win at Chatham, settling for the aforementioned best performance of the summer – a one-hit shutout, with 11 strikeouts. In Wareham, Sean Adler (USC), who had started only one other game this summer, tossed a complete-game shutout with eight strikeouts in a 5-0 win over Cotuit.

Sometimes, teams start running out of pitching and cobbling things together as the season winds down. Clearly, not these two.

Kellogg has been a terrific Cape League pitcher, posting a 1.36 ERA last year and a 2.63 mark this season, but last night – fittingly, his final start as a Brave – was his master work. The lefty was perfect through five innings, with seven strikeouts. He issued a leadoff walk in the sixth but the runner was erased on a double play, and Kellogg kept cruising. He struck out two in the seventh and worked a one-two-three ninth. After a fly-out and a swinging strikeout, he was one out away, but Landon Cray (Seattle) reached on a slow roller to third base to break up the no-hit bid at the last possible moment.

Kellogg was bidding to become the first solo pitcher to toss a nine-inning no-hitter since Y-D’s Jordan Pries in 2010 (three of his Bourne teammates combined on one last summer and Bourne’s Jeff Thompson tossed a six-inning no-no in 2012).

Though he didn’t get it, it was still an incredible performance and Kellogg finished it – of course – with a strikeout.

Zander Wiel (Vanderbilt) hit a grand slam to lead the offense, while Brett Sullivan (Pacific) had three hits. Kellogg’s gem and the solid offensive day allowed the Braves to set a franchise record for regular-season victories with 26. With the win and a Falmouth loss, Bourne has a two-game cushion in first place, with two games to play.

Adler gives Wareham a gem

Sean Adler gave up a hit to the third batter he faced, so there was no talk of no-hitters in Wareham. But his performance was almost as good. He scattered six hits and went the distance in an efficient 104 pitches.

Adler only made his debut for Wareham in mid-July and has made just four appearances. His longest previous outing was six innings.

But as the scoreless frames piled up, Adler got better and better. He gave up two hits in an inning just once. After giving up a two-out double to Kyle Holder (San Diego) in the sixth, he struck out the next batter and didn’t allow another hit. He retired nine of 10, with the only exception coming on an error. That runner was erased on a double play.

Adler’s performance gave the Gatemen something to celebrate a night after they were eliminated from playoff contention. Kyri Washington (Longwood) and Adler’s USC teammate Blake Lacey each had a hit and two RBI to lead the Gatemen offense.

Harwich 3, Y-D 1

How good were the pitching performances? A division title plays second fiddle. Harwich clinched the regular season Eastern Division crown with a 3-1 victory over the Red Sox, coupled with an Orleans loss. The Mariners have been at the top since the very beginning of the season, when they won their first three games. Y-D and Orleans have made charges, but Harwich never faltered and is in the midst of a surge to the finish, thanks to three straight victories. Last night, James Mulry (Northeastern) – who put Harwich in first place way back on opening night – tossed 6.2 innings for the win, giving up one run and striking out five. Seth McGarry (Florida Atlantic) pitched 1.1 scoreless frames and Jacob Evans (Oklahoma) pitched a scoreless ninth for his ninth outing of zero earned runs in 10 games this season. The offense got an RBI each from Anthony Hermelyn (Virginia Tech), C.J. Hinojosa (Texas) and Angelo Amendolare (Jacksonville). Y-D, who is tied with Orleans for second place, has lost three in a row.

Brewster 7, Orleans 2

Don’t look now, but Brewster is making a push to the playoffs that would go down as one of the most improbable in recent memory. The Whitecaps have won four of five games – and tied the other – and with Chatham’s loss last night, they’re just one point back of the Anglers for the fourth and final playoff spot, with two games to play. Tyger Talley (Arizona), making just his third start, allowed two runs in five innings and Levi MaVorhis (Kansas State) pitched four hitless innings to seal the win. Andrew Lee (Tennessee), who has eight hits in the five-game stretch, homered and drove in two to lead the offense. Scott Kingery (Arizona) had two hits and three RBI. Bobby Dalbec (Arizona) homered for the Firebirds, who have lost four in a row. Brewster will finish the season with two games against Harwich. Chatham, as it tries to hold off the Whitecaps, has two against Orleans.

Hyannis 10, Falmouth 0

Hyannis leap-frogged Cotuit back into third place, while putting Falmouth into an uphill battle on its quest for first. Four Harbor Hawks combined on the shutout. Shaefer Shepard (Catawba) went five innings, Matt LaRocca (Akron) struck out four in two innings while Chris Mourelle (Florida International) and Lance Thonvold (Minnesota) pitched one inning each. Carl Wise (College of Charleston) hit his sixth home run to pace the offense, while Dylan Bosheers (Tennessee Tech) also homered. Daniel Kihle (Wichita State) had two hits and two RBI. For Falmouth, Kevin Newman (Arizona) went 0-for-4, putting him into a tie with Bourne’s Billy Fleming for the batting title. Newman is trying to become the first-ever two time Cape League batting champ.

What to Watch

Bourne will try to clinch the West title outright when it hosts Wareham at 6 p.m. In the suddenly interesting race for the last East playoff spot, Brewster visits Harwich at 5:30 p.m. and Chatham heads to Orleans at 7.

July 31, 2014July 31, 2014

Big Finish

Falmouth is just two points out of first place.

Kevin McCanna (Rice) made some good starts for Falmouth last year but allowed at least three runs in each of his last four starts, including seven runs in his season finale. He left the Cape with an ERA north of six.

Fresh off a good year in Houston, McCanna returned to Falmouth this year and got off to a strong start, but on July 8, he hit that unlucky seven again. McCanna surrendered seven runs in an 11-8 loss to Hyannis.

Last year, he never got a chance to rebound from his seven-run showing. This time, he did.

And he has.

Since that loss to Hyannis, McCanna has gone three consecutive starts without allowing a single run, a string that continued last night as Falmouth knocked off first-place Bourne 5-3.

He’s gone from poor finish last year to as good a finish as you could ask for in 2014. McCanna now has a 2.47 ERA and, with victories in each of his three scoreless outings, he now leads the league in wins with six.

Last night, McCanna’s performance helped Falmouth get within one game of Bourne for the top spot in the West. McCanna struck out four, walked three and scattered six hits in five scoreless innings. He found himself in trouble on a number of occasions, but wiggled out, stranding the bases loaded in the first and third innings.

His offense backed him with a 13-hit attack. Shaun Chase (Oregon) hit his fifth homer, Steven Duggar (Clemson) had three hits and Kevin Newman (Arizona) went 2-for-5 with two RBI. Four relievers followed McCanna to the mound, with Matt Eckelman (St. Louis) getting a save to finish off the victory.

Falmouth has won four of five and has now won the season series with Bourne, taking four of six. With four games left, it’ll be a sprint to the finish line as they chase the top seed.

Harwich 6, Orleans 3

The Mariners regained sole possession of first place in the East with a 6-3 victory over Orleans and a Y-D loss to Chatham. Jon Harris (Missouri State) was solid on the mound for the Mariners, allowing three runs in 5.1 innings, and Johnathan Frebis (Middle Tennessee State) pitched 3.2 scoreless innings to finish it off. It was the third save for Frebis, who has turned in seven scoreless outings in 10 total appearances. Harwich did their damage against Orleans ace Kolton Mahoney (BYU). Mahoney only allowed two earned runs but three errors behind him led to six runs total. Mahoney had not allowed more than four runs in any start this year. Joe McCarthy (Virginia) led the Harwich offense with two hits and three RBI. Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech) added two RBI.

Chatham 6, Y-D 5

Chatham cannot rise any higher than the fourth seed in the East, but the Anglers must take care of business to be assured of that spot and they took a step in the right direction by holding off Y-D. Jordan Hillyer (Kennesaw State) got the win with 5.2 solid innings, and Kyle Davis (USC) kept a Y-D rally from getting off the ground for his fifth save. Nicholas Sciortino (Boston College), a reinforcement making his first appearance of the summer, went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Chris Shaw (Boston College) and Bryant Burleson (Texas Tech) added two hits and an RBI apiece. Chatham touched up Y-D starter Kevin Duchene (Illinois) for five runs in five innings. He had allowed two runs or fewer in four straight starts.

Cotuit 12, Hyannis 10

In the first of two meetings on consecutive days, Cotuit out-slugged Hyannis and moved within a point of the Harbor Hawks for third place in the West. The game was tied 10-10 heading into the top of the ninth, where Cotuit’s Jackson Glines (Michigan) knocked a two-run single to give his team the lead. That was all standout reliever Adam Whitt (Nevada) needed. The league’s ERA leader struck out two in a perfect ninth to seal the victory for Cotuit. Logan Taylor (Texas A&M) had four hits and scored three runs from the leadoff spot for the Kettleers. Drew Jackson (Stanford) added three hits, while Glines and Kyle Holder (San Diego) had two each. For Hyannis, Carl Wise (College of Charleston) had five RBI in the losing effort.

Wareham 6, Brewster 6

The two teams trying to sneak into their respective last playoff spots both helped themselves a bit as Wareham and Brewster played to a 6-6 tie after darkness ended the game in the 10th. Blake Lacey (USC) had three hits and Nick Halamandaris (California) had two RBI for the Gatemen, who scored two in the top of the ninth to force the tie. John Sansone (Florida State) drove in two runs for Brewster. Jason Richman (Georgia Southern) kept Brewster off the board with 3.1 scoreless innings of relief for Wareham. The Gatemen are seven points out of a playoff spot with four games to play. Brewster is five games out in the East.

What to Watch

Playoff implications in a lot of games. Keep an eye on two match-ups in the West. Bourne will play Orleans as it tries to hold onto first place, while Falmouth hosts Wareham as it tries to catch the Braves. The Falmouth-Wareham match-up features a good pitching match-up, with Kyle Cody (Kentucky) starting for the Gatemen against Alex Young (TCU).

July 8, 2014July 8, 2014

The Next Wave

Grant Kay went 4-for-4 with a walk-off homer in Cotuit's win Monday. — Grant Kay went 4-for-4 with a walk-off homer in Cotuit’s win Monday.

The 2013 season in Cotuit was marked by a lot of departures, a lot of arrivals and ultimately a run to the Cape Cod Baseball League championship.

We’ll see what happens in 2014. The Kettleers are a little off their pace from last year and every day seems like a bullpen day for their starting rotation. But one thing isn’t changing: Cotuit still knows how to find reinforcements.

The Kettleers walked off with a 9-8 victory over Falmouth yesterday and three guys who arrived after June 30 helped power it. Grant Kay (Louisville) went 4-for-4 and hit a walk-off home run, John Norwood (Vanderbilt) went 2-for-4 with three RBI and Tres Barrera (Texas) had a homer and two RBI.

Kay and Norwood were both in Omaha when the Cape League season began and neither was on Cotuit’s initial rosters. Kay hit .285 with five homers for Louisville but lasted until the 27th round in the MLB draft. Norwood hit .298 and stole 17 bases for national champion Vanderbilt but went undrafted. Of course, Norwood was the hero of the College World Series, smashing a home run in the eighth inning of game three to put his team in front for good.

Norwood played his first game in a Cotuit uniform on Sunday. Kay played his first one on June 30. Barrera, a top catching prospect from the University of Texas, was on Cotuit’s initial roster but only made his debut on Saturday.

The Kettleers – who have needed to replace some production since Austin Byler left to sign a pro contract – were glad to have all three of their new guys on Monday. Norwood had a two-run single as part of a five-run second inning and Barrera hit a solo home run in the third.

Kay had his second consecutive four-hit game and ended up as the hero. With darkness closing in and two outs in the bottom of the seventh – what would be the final inning – Kay fell behind 0-2, worked it to 2-2 then smashed the walk-off homer.

Cotuit is now 10-12-1 and sitting in third place in the West.

Orleans 3, Chatham 1

Chatham, winners of four straight, carried a 1-0 lead into the eighth inning but Orleans scored three decisive runs in the eighth for a 3-1 victory. The Firebirds have now won three straight – and nine of 10 – and have a three-point edge on Chatham for second place in the East. With the bases loaded in the eighth, Mitchell Tolman (Oregon) knocked a base hit to bring in the tying run and when the ball got past the right fielder, the other two runners scored as well. That was all Orleans needed, with Reilly Hovis (North Carolina) tossing a scoreless ninth to seal the win. The game was a pitcher’s duel in the early going, with Chatham’s Andrew Chin (Boston College) going six shutout innings and Orleans’ Kyle Twomey (USC) allowing one run in five innings. Jake Fraley (LSU) broke a scoreless tie in the fourth for Chatham with an RBI double, and that was the only scoring until Orleans’ eighth-inning rally.

Harwich 7, Brewster 3

As hot as Orleans has been, Harwich continues to hold onto first place and stayed there again on Monday with a win over Brewster. Brendon Sanger (Florida Atlantic) homered and drove in three and Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech) also homered. Ian Happ (Cincinnati) and Kyle Barrett (Kentucky) added two hits each. Jon Harris (Missouri State), who was chased in the second inning of his last start, rebounded with five solid innings. Johnathan Frebis (Middle Tennessee State) pitched three scoreless innings of relief and Ray Castillo (Alabama) tossed the final inning. Harwich is now 14-8-1.

Bourne 8, Wareham 5

The Braves held off a late charge by Wareham to move to 9-3 in home games this season. The Braves have the best record in the league at 15-8. Bourne led 8-2 in the eighth before Wareham scored four runs in the final two innings. John Gorman (Boston College) eventually got out of trouble in the ninth to finish off the win. Ryan Kellogg (Arizona State) allowed one run in seven innings with six strikeouts for the win. Richard Martin Jr. (Florida) hit his second home run in three games to power the Bourne offense and recent arrival Zander Wiel (Vanderbilt) also homered. Brian Serven (Arizona State) had two RBI and Billy Fleming (West Virginia) delivered three hits. Wareham got a home run from Kramer Robertson (LSU) and three RBI from Chris Chinea (LSU).

Y-D 10, Hyannis 8

Y-D won its second straight and sent Hyannis to its seventh straight loss with a slugfest victory. Nico Giarratano (San Francisco) had two hits and three RBI for the Red Sox while Jesse Jenner (San Diego) knocked in two. Josh Lester (Missouri) had three hits and scored three runs. and Andrew Stevenson (LSU) added two hits. Dimitri Kourtis (Mercer) allowed one run over the final 1.1 innings to hold off Hyannis. Parker Bugg (LSU) got the win in relief. Daniel Kihle (Wichita State) hit a home run for Hyannis and is now tied for the league lead. Carl Wise (College of Charleston) also homered.

What to Watch

Cotuit hosts West-leading Bourne at 5 p.m., and another reinforcement gets the ball for the Kettleers. Grayson Jones (Shelton State CC), who was drafted in the 14th round by the Indians this year, will make his first start. Travis Bergen (Kennesaw State), who went six scoreless in his last start, is the listed starter for Bourne.

June 30, 2014June 30, 2014

The Last Blast

A.J. Murray hit a walk-off home run as Chatham beat Hyannis.

Sunday night was a big one for home runs in the Cape Cod Baseball League, with seven of 10 teams hitting at least one and those squads combining for 10 total.

They saved the biggest one for last.

In the bottom of the 12th at Veterans Field, Chatham’s A.J. Murray (Georgia Tech) hit a walk-off solo home run to give the Anglers a 5-4 victory over Hyannis.

Chatham was coming off a one-run loss to Brewster in which it was the victim of a late Whitecaps home run. This time, after tying the game in the eighth, the Anglers held Hyannis down and finally broke through in the 12th.

Murray led off the inning against Hyannis closer Ian Gibaut (Tulane), who had given up two runs – and no homers – in five appearances this summer. Murray jumped off the first pitch Gibaut threw – and made it the only pitch Gibaut would throw.

The homer was the third of the year for Murray, which puts him in a tie for the league lead.

It made a winner out of the other hero, Kyle Davis (USC), who continued to look like perhaps the most valuable pitcher in the league. He leads the league in appearances with eight, ranks second in the league in strikeouts with 20 and has a 1.35 ERA. He was at his bullpen-saving best on Sunday, coming on in the ninth and pitching four scoreless innings to keep the game tied. He allowed just one hit and struck out four. In the top of the 12th, he struck out the last two batters on four pitches each to give Chatham a little surge of momentum ahead of Murray’s blast.

Murray finished the night 3-for-4 with two RBI. Kal Simmons (Kennesaw State) added two hits. Nick Collins (Georgetown), in as a pinch-hitter, knocked in the tying run in the eighth with a single.

Hyannis got a home run from Carl Wise (College of Charleston) and four hits from Donnie Dewees Jr. (North Florida). Ryan Perez (Judson) struck out five in three scoreless innings of relief and is now tied with Davis for second in the league in K’s.

Chatham improved to 8-8-1 while Hyannis fell to 10-7.

Orleans 15, Harwich 8

No one’s been very close to first-place Harwich since the first week of the season, but the Firebirds drew within two games thanks to their fourth straight win, a blowout of the Mariners. The Firebirds (9-8) scored five runs in each of the first two innings. After Harwich (11-6) chipped away to make it 10-7 going into the eighth, Orleans delivered another five-run inning to put the game away. Bobby Dalbec (Arizona) and R.J. Ybarra (Arizona State) hit back-to-back home runs to account for the five runs in the eighth. Dalbec finished with four RBI. Geoff DeGroot (Rutgers), Edwin Rios (Florida International) and Mitchell Tolman (Oregon) all had three hits. For Harwich, Angelo Amendolare (Jacksonville) had three hits and Ian Happ (Cincinnati) had three RBI.

Wareham 7, Cotuit 6

Cotuit (8-9) joined in the home run party with two, but the Gatemen (6-11) had a little more offense in the end in a 7-6 victory. Jake Little (Memphis) homered for the Gatemen, his third of the year, while Willie Calhoun (Arizona) went 2-for-4 with his 12th double. Charlie Warren (Rice) added two hits while Corey Ray (Louisville) had two RBI. Wareham finished with 10 hits and now leads the league in team batting average. The Gatemen bullpen also delivered, with four pitching combining on 6.1 innings of one-run ball. Nick Fuller (UMass-Dartmouth) was credited with the win and Ryan Olson (San Diego) picked up the save. For Cotuit, Logan Taylor (Texas A&M) and Austin Byler (Nevada) each hit their third home run of the summer.

Falmouth 8, Bourne 3

The Commodores touched up Bourne standout Andrew Sopko (Gonzaga) for three runs then really broke out against the bullpen and pulled away for an 8-3 victory. Sopko had struck out 13 and given up one run in 10 innings thus far, but Falmouth got a leadoff home run from Sam Gillikin (Auburn) in the first inning and tacked on single runs in the second and fourth innings. Sopko departed in the sixth, and Austin Afenir (Oral Roberts) – who went 4-for-4 – broke a 3-3 tie with an RBI single. Cameron O’Brien (West Virginia) delivered an RBI double in the seventh. In the eighth, Afenir doubled home a run and Nicholas Ramos (Indiana) knocked in two with a base hit. The late surge made a winner out of reliever Kyle Zimmerman (Wayne State), who went two scoreless innings. Bourne still leads the West with an 11-6 record. Falmouth improved to 8-8-1.

Y-D 9, Brewster 7

Y-D held off a late charge by Mikey White (Alabama) and Brewster to snap a two-game skid. The Red Sox (6-11) led 9-4 going into the ninth before the Whitecaps (7-10) made it interesting. After a sacrifice fly by Wade Wass (Alabama), White hit his second home run of the game – a two-run shot – to get his team within two runs. But with a runner on first, Phil Bickford (Cal State Fullerton) came out of the Y-D bullpen and struck out Andrew Lee (Tennessee) to end the game. The win went to starter Bryan Bonnell (UNLV), who allowed three runs in six innings. The Y-D offense was led by Andrew Stevenson (LSU) and Josh Lester (Missouri), who had two hits each. Jason Goldstein (Illinois) had one hit and four RBI, while Rob Fonseca (Northeastern) drove in two.

What to Watch

The league leaders in ERA among qualified starting pitchers will square off as Falmouth visits Hyannis. Matt Hall (Missouri State), who has a 0.56 ERA, will go for the Commodores against Hyannis and Tate Scioneaux (SE Louisiana), who has a 1.56 ERA.

June 19, 2014June 19, 2014

Sun Splashed

Ryan Kellogg, pictured last year, had a strong first start in 2014.

Wednesday was one of the hottest days of the summer so far, and two Sun Devils must have felt right at home.

Arizona State’s Ryan Kellogg went six strong innings for Bourne as the Braves topped Cotuit 5-4, while spring teammate Brett Lilek went four scoreless frames in a 5-0 shutout for Orleans over Brewster.

The perennial powerhouse Sun Devils didn’t have their best season this year, finishing 33-24 and losing in an NCAA Tournament Regional to Sacramento State. But the uncharacteristic early exit wasn’t for lack of success from their top two starting pitchers. Lilek emerged as an ace in his sophomore season, putting up a 2.68 ERA with 79 strikeouts on his way to first-team all-conference honors. Kellogg, who starred last year as well, had his ERA climb to 3.76 but still went 8-3 and was a workhorse with 103 innings pitched.

Both Kellogg and Lilek look poised for big summers, and they delivered in their first appearances.

Kellogg, making a return trip to Bourne, struck out seven and scattered seven hits in six innings. He gave up three runs, but only one was earned. Cotuit threatened against the Braves bullpen, but Lucas Laster (Mississippi State) and John Gorman (Boston College) slammed the door.

The Bourne offense scored four runs in the first inning and never trailed. Billy Fleming (West Virginia), Blake Davey (Connecticut), Ryan Howard (Missouri) and Kellogg’s ASU teammate Brian Serven all had one RBI. Logan Taylor (Texas A&M) had three hits for Cotuit. Bourne improved to 5-2 while Cotuit dropped to 4-3.

In Orleans, the Firebirds also staked their ASU starter to an early lead, scoring all five of the game’s runs in the bottom of the first. David Fletcher (Loyola Marymount), a defensive whiz who was off to a slow start with the bat, broke out with a 3-for-3 night. Timmy Robinson (USC) hit a home run and drove in three, adding to the Firebirds’ league-best total of eight.

Lilek went only four innings but was dominant, striking out six of the 14 batters he faced and giving up just two hits, both singles. Ryne Combs (Kentucky) and Kyle Wilcox (Bryant) followed with two scoreless innings apiece before a perfect ninth from Bobby Dalbec (Arizona).

Levi MaVorhis (Kansas State) rescued Brewster after the first inning and went six scoreless, striking out five.

Orleans improved to 3-4. Brewster is also 3-4.

Harwich 6, Hyannis 3 (11 innings)

In a battle of teams off to strong starts, Harwich continued the best start in the league with an extra-innings victory over Hyannis. The Mariners, now 6-1, had allowed Hyannis to tie the game with a run in the eighth, but they struck first in extras with three in the top of the 11th. Cavan Biggio (Notre Dame) had a sacrifice fly, Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech) had an RBI single and Ian Happ (Cincinnati) had a sacrifice fly. Ray Castillo (Alabama) gave up two hits in the bottom of the 11th, but with the tying run at third, he struck out Dylan Bosheers (Tennessee Tech) to end it. The win went to Jacob Evans (Oklahoma), who went 2.1 strong innings. Starter James Mulry (Northeastern), dominant on opening night, gave up two runs in six innings in his second start. Happ had two hits and is hitting .500 for the summer. Gonzalez, Kyle Barrett (Kentucky), and Sal Annunziata (Seton Hall) also had two hits. Bobby Melley (Connecticut) had two hits and Carl Wise (College of Charleston) homered for the Harbor Hawks.

Chatham 4, Y-D 1

The Anglers won their second straight and created a logjam of 3-4 teams in the East. Jordan Hillyer (Kennesaw State) allowed one hit and one unearned run in five strong innings for Chatham. Lou Distasio (Rhode Island) and Kyle Davis (USC) combined for four scoreless innings in relief. A.J. Murray (Georgia Tech) led the Chatham offense with a home run and two RBI. Blake Butera (Boston College) and Ty Moore (UCLA) had two hits each.

Falmouth 5, Wareham 4

Wareham out-hit Falmouth 14-8 but the Commodores managed one more run on the scoreboard in the 5-4 victory. Tate Matheny (Missouri State) went 2-for-4 with a home run in his last game before Team USA training camp, while Kevin Newman (Arizona) also had two hits before he departs. Sam Gillikin (Auburn) added two hits and an RBI for Falmouth. Kevin McCanna (Rice) picked up his second win of the season with his second six-inning effort. He gave up three runs and struck out four. Wareham got three hits apiece from Willie Calhoun (Arizona), Keaton Aldridge (Memphis) and Chris Chinea (LSU) but left 12 runners on base.

What to Watch

Jason Inghram (William & Mary) makes his second start for Harwich after seven innings of two-hit baseball last week. The Mariners host Chatham at 7 p.m.

June 9, 2014June 10, 2014

Harbor Hawks Have the Pieces

When Hyannis won the Western Division title in 2011, it ended a long drought. The next two years saw the Harbor Hawks at opposite ends of the spectrum, but they’ve been steadier than their record would indicate. For two straight years, they’ve had the league’s best pitching prospect – Sean Manaea in 2012 and Jeff Hoffman in 2013 (not to mention Kyle Freeland) – and they seem to bring in good crops of talent every year.

I would expect more of the same this year. If there isn’t a top-notch pitching prospect, there are at least some very good weekend starters and some big bullpen arms. The position players group features some steady sophomores to go with talented freshmen, plus a host of guys who have been part of successful seasons this spring.

The Harbor Hawks have the pieces for another good year.

THE SKINNY

Manager: Chad Gassman
Last Year: 25-17-2; Lost in West semifinals
Returning Players: 1
Juniors: 1
Sophomores: 21
Freshmen: 5

NOTABLE

I don’t remember a whole lot of Florida State guys playing in Hyannis, but the Harbor Hawks have two this year and I think they’ll represent the Seminoles well. Freshman pitched Alec Byrd and freshman infielder/outfielder Ben DeLuzio were both highly-touted recruits. Byrd didn’t pitch a ton this year so could be poised for an emergence this summer, while DeLuzio – a third-round pick out of high school – was a mainstay in the Noles’ lineup as a freshman.

Hyannis has had good luck with Central Michigan players, and Nick Deeg is the latest to make the trip. As a freshman this year, Deeg ranked third on the team in strikeouts. The leader? Former Harbor Hawk Jordan Foley.

Ian Gibaut burst onto the scene at Tulane last year with 12 saves.

Iowa’s Blake Hickman will be an interesting player to watch this summer. A 20th-round pick out of high school, he reportedly chose college in part because he wanted to catch. But his future may be on the mound, where he gave scouts a brief look in the Northwoods League last summer and earned a spot on the league’s top prospects list.

Southeastern Louisiana pitcher Tate Scioneaux is about as experienced a sophomore as you’ll find in college baseball. A weekend starter since his freshman year, he’s racked up over 200 collegiate innings.

Two Virginia pitchers will head to Hyannis with very different resumes, but similar potential. Cameron Tekker has seen limited action for the Cavs but starred in the NECBL last summer. Brandon Waddell was the Friday starter as a freshman and has continued to be a huge part of the rotation this year.

Austin Listi has hit 19 homers in two seasons at Dallas Baptist, about as good a two-year stretch as anybody in the 2014 Cape League has had.

It looks like this team has the potential to be very fast on the bases. Five players stole at least 14 bases this spring.

Three Harbor Hawks will head to the Cape on the heels of history-making seasons with college teams that aren’t typical powerhouses. Kyle Survance led Houston to a Super Regional, Blake Trahan did the same for Louisiana-Lafayette (and the Ragin’ Cajuns are still alive as of Monday), and Carl Wise powered College of Charleston to just its second-ever Super Regional.

Last summer, UConn’s Bobby Melley – a Barnstable native – was the hometown kid getting a brief look in Hyannis. This year, he’s coming in off a huge season that established him as one of the best college players in New England.

FIVE TO WATCH

1. Bobby Melley
2. Brandon Waddell
3. Alec Byrd
4. Blake Trahan
5. Cam Gibson

PITCHERS

Marcus Brakeman – RHP – 6’1 185 – Stanford – Sophomore
Alec Byrd – LHP – 6’3 180 – Florida State – Freshman
Nick Deeg – LHP – 6’5 210 – Central Michigan – Freshman
Matt Denny – LHP – 6’1 215 – Ole Miss – Sophomore
Dylan Dwyer – LHP – 6’1 170 – Kentucky – Sophomore
Peter Fairbanks – RHP – 6’6 205 – Missouri – Sophomore
Ian Gibaut – RHP – 6’3 215 – Tulane – Sophomore
Blake Hickman – RHP/C/1B – 6’5 210 – Iowa – Sophomore
Matthew Margaritonda – RHP – 5’10 185 – Marshall – Junior
Tate Scioneaux – RHP – 6’2 185 – Southeastern Louisiana – Sophomore
Joseph Shaw – RHP – 6’4 240 – Dallas Baptist – Sophomore
Cameron Tekker – RHP – 6’3 185 – Virginia – Sophomore
Brandon Waddell – LHP – 6’3 180 – Virginia – Sophomore

Marcus Brakeman – RHP – 6’1 185
Stanford
Sophomore

A Florida high-school star, Brakeman has been a key reliever for the Cardinal in each of the last two seasons. This year, he pitched in 15 games with a 3.86 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 32 innings.

Alec Byrd – LHP – 6’3 180
Florida State
Freshman

Byrd was a 37th-round pick out of high school and eased into the Seminoles pitching staff as a freshman. In nine appearances, he had a 3.68 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 14.2 innings. Byrd was the Miami Herald’s Pitcher of the Year as a high school senior, no easy task, so this is a guy who should break out as he gets more opportunities.

Nick Deeg – LHP – 6’5 210
Central Michigan
Freshman

A Michigan high-school star, Deeg jumped right into the Central Michigan weekend rotation and had a decent debut. In 14 starts, he went 5-4 with a 4.08 ERA. He struck out 64 in 81 innings

Matt Denny – LHP – 6’1 215
Ole Miss
Sophomore

Denny had a good freshman season as a reliever, striking out better than a batter an inning and finishing with an ERA just a shade over two. He’s made 15 appearances for the Super Regional bound Rebels this season and has a 4.20 ERA.

Dylan Dwyer – LHP – 6’1 170
Kentucky
Sophomore

Dwyer acquitted himself well in 14 relief appearances as a freshman then helped his team win the championship in the Perfect Game Collegiate League. He pitched more as a starter in 2014 and finished with a 5.46 ERA. He struck out 47 in 56 innings.

Peter Fairbanks – RHP – 6’6 205
Missouri
Sophomore

A second-generation Missouri Tiger, Fairbanks had an ERA over five in limited duty as a freshman last year. He made eight starts and 19 total appearances this season and finished with a 4.33 ERA. He was at his best in the SEC play, where he dropped his ERA to 3.86.

Ian Gibaut – RHP – 6’3 215
Tulane
Sophomore

Gibaut earned a host of All-American accolades last year after he saved 12 games as a freshman, while striking out 38 in 40.2 innings and posting a 2.66 ERA. He was limited by injury this year but did well when he had a chance, putting up an ERA under two in 10 appearances.

Blake Hickman – RHP/C/1B – 6’5 210
Iowa
Sophomore

Hickman was a 20th round pick of his hometown Chicago Cubs out of high school but headed to Iowa, where he hit .220 as a freshman but didn’t pitch. Over the summer, he flashed his potential on the mound in the Northwoods League, where he was tabbed by Perfect Game as the circuit’s seventh-best prospect largely because of what he showed in six innings on the hill. This spring, he did two-way duty, hitting .217 and continuing to pitch well with a 3.94 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 34.1 innings.

Tate Scioneaux – RHP – 6’2 185
Southeastern Louisiana
Sophomore

Scioneaux became a weekend starter from day one last year and led the team in innings pitched. He was a workhorse again this season, pacing the squad with 110 innings and pitching well throughout. He had a 3.02 ERA with 77 strikeouts.

Joseph Shaw – RHP – 6’4 240
Dallas Baptist
Sophomore

A 40th round pick out of high school, Shaw led Dallas Baptist in ERA as a freshman reliever last year. He also totaled four saves. Shaw was even a little better this year, finishing with a 2.94 ERA in 26 appearances.

Cameron Tekker – RHP – 6’3 185
Virginia
Sophomore

Tekker has seen very limited action in two years at Virginia, making four appearances as a freshman and only five so far this season. But Tekker shined in the NECBL last summer and was named the league’s 10th-best prospect by Perfect Game. He is eligible for this year’s draft.

Brandon Waddell – LHP – 6’3 180
Virginia
Sophomore

Unlike his teammate Tekker, Waddell has been very busy in Charlottesville. He was the Cavs’ Friday starter as a freshman last year and has been part of a dynamic weekend rotation this year. Heading into Super Regionals, Waddell is 8-3 with a 2.73 ERA.

POSITION PLAYERS

Jarret DeHart – OF – 6’2 205 – LSU – Freshman
Ben DeLuzio – SS/OF – 6’1 185 – Florida State – Freshman
Donnie Dewees – OF – 6’3 180 – North Florida – Sophomore
Cam Gibson – OF – 6’3 185 – Michigan State – Sophomore
Sam Haggerty – INF – 5’11 175 – New Mexico – Sophomore
David Houser – C – 6’1 220 – Tennessee – Sophomore
John La Prise – INF – 6’3 180 – Virginia – Sophomore
Austin Listi – IF/OF – 6’0 200 – Dallas Baptist – Sophomore
*Bobby Melley – 1B/C – 6’3 210 – Connecticut – Sophomore
Arden Pabst – C/IF – 6’4 200 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
Joe Purritano – 1B/OF – 6’1 200 – Dartmouth – Sophomore
Kyle Survance – OF – 6’1 180 – Houston – Sophomore
Blake Trahan – SS – 5’9 175 – Louisiana Lafayette – Sophomore
Carl Wise – INF – 6’2 210 – College of Charleston – Sophomore
* – returning player

Jarret DeHart – OF – 6’2 205
LSU
Freshman

DeHart was a highly-touted high school player in New Jersey. After going undrafted, he headed to LSU but played in only 10 games. It was reported in May that he’ll be transferring.

Ben DeLuzio – SS/OF – 6’1 185
Florida State
Freshman

Deluzio was a third-round pick of the Phillies last year, the 80th overall selection, but opted to head to Tallahassee. He had a steady debut with the Seminoles, hitting .281 with a .371 OBP and stealing 16 bases.

Donnie Dewees – OF – 6’3 180
North Florida
Sophomore

Dewees had a big freshman year for North Florida, earning all-conference honors after hitting .347. He was limited to 12 games this spring.

Cam Gibson – OF – 6’3 185
Michigan State
Sophomore

The son of former Major Leaguer and current Diamondbacks manager Kurt Gibson, Cam followed his father’s footsteps to Michigan State and has had two solid years. He hit .315 this year, with two homers, 14 extra base hits and 16 stolen bases. Gibson played in the Northwoods League last summer, where he was rated the second-best prospect by Perfect Game.

Sam Haggerty – INF – 5’11 175
New Mexico
Sophomore

Haggerty was the Mountain West’s Co-Freshman of the Year last season and he followed up the big debut with an even better sophomore season. Haggerty hit .340 with a .420 on-base percentage and he delivered 13 extra-base hits. He also stole 14 bases.

John La Prise – INF – 6’3 180
Virginia
Sophomore

La Prise played in only 19 games as a freshman. He has worked his way into more playing time this year, starting 37 of the team’s 60 games and he leads the team in hitting with a .383 average.

Austin Listi – IF/OF – 6’0 200
Dallas Baptist
Sophomore

Listi hit nine home runs as a freshman last year and continued to flash some of the best pop in the Missouri Valley Conference again this year. He hit .285 this year, had an on-base percentage of .380 and slugged .477. He led the team with 10 homers and had 24 extra-base hits. He tied for third in the conference in home runs.

Bobby Melley – 1B/C – 6’3 210
Connecticut
Sophomore

A native of Barnstable, Melley got a cup of coffee with the hometown Harbor Hawks last year, but will likely make a much bigger impression this summer. Emerging as one of the top players in the American Athletic Conference, Melley hit .359 with a .475 OBP and a .502 slugging percentage, while cracking four home runs.

Arden Pabst – C/IF – 6’4 200
Georgia Tech
Freshman

Pabst was a high school star in California and headed East for Tech. He started 38 games in his freshman year and hit .217.

Joe Purritano – 1B/OF – 6’1 200
Dartmouth
Sophomore

Purritano hit .343 last year en route to Ivy League Freshman of the Year honors. This season, he hit .265 with three home runs.

Kyle Survance – OF – 6’1 180
Houston
Sophomore

A freshman All-American last year, Survance was a big reason why Houston had one of its best-ever seasons this year. Survance hit .308 with a .411 OBP and stole 31 bases, which put him among the top 10 nationally. When Houston knocked off LSU to win the Baton Rouge Regional a few weeks ago, Survance was named Regional MVP.

Blake Trahan – SS – 5’9 175
Louisiana Lafayette
Sophomore

Trahan has had a huge season in helping lead the Ragin’ Cajuns to the brink of the College World Series. The shortstop is hitting .359 with a .459 OBP. He’s also stolen 14 bases.

Carl Wise – INF – 6’2 210
College of Charleston
Sophomore

Wise also led a big year for his college club as Charleston made a Super Regional. Wise hit .295, slugged .419 and led the team in RBI by a wide margin with 54.