Newman’s Old Tricks

Kevin Newman is hitting .376 this season after winning the batting title with a .375 mark last year.

In the first week of his Cape Cod Baseball League career, Kevin Newman (Arizona) went three games without a hit. That career has now spanned nearly 70 games, and Newman has never again gone three games without a hit. More often than not, he hasn’t even gone two without a hit.

For two years running, he’s been the Cape League’s most consistent hitter, and it’s about time to take a step back and marvel.

Last night, Newman went 2-for-5 – his second straight multi-hit game – as Falmouth got within a game of first place with a 7-5 victory over Wareham. Newman was the 2013 Cape League batting champion and he’s well on his way to winning the batting title again in 2014. He hit .375 last year, and – believe it or not – is so consistent that he’s hitting .376 this season. He leads the league, with his next closest competitor .19 points behind.

When Newman won the batting title in 2013, he was the steady, contact guy on a team full of sluggers. He was hitting .338 when he went 6-for-6 on one of the final days of the season to surge to the batting title. He was the first freshman in league history to win it.

This season, Newman is a veteran leader for the Commodores. He of course picked up where he left off, getting two hits in the season opener. He spent part of the summer at Team USA trials but returned and has continued to shine for a solid Falmouth team. He’s shown a little more pop, with seven extra-base hits thus far, compared to only three last year. But mostly, he’s just hit the ball. He will start the All-Star game for the second year in a row.

Newman’s 2-for-5 day on Saturday helped Falmouth inch closer to the top of the standings. Falmouth trailed Wareham 5-4 in the ninth, but a Newman single was part of a three-run inning that turned the game around. Conner Hale (LSU), another veteran standout, had a two-run double as part of a four-hit night and Austin Afenir (Oral Roberts) knocked in a run as Falmouth took control. Garrett Cleavinger (Oregon) struck out three in the bottom of the ninth for the save.

West-leading Bourne fell to Hyannis for the second straight day, meaning Falmouth is now just a game back of the Braves for first place.

With just six games left, Falmouth could certainly make a run for the top spot. It’s a safe bet Kevin Newman will do his part.

Hyannis 8, Bourne 7

Hyannis beat Bourne for the second night in a row and moved to 4-2 against the Braves this season with a one-run victory. The Harbor Hawks led 7-2 before Bourne tied the game in the eighth. Jarret DeHart’s RBI single in the bottom half put Hyannis back in front to stay, as Lance Thonvold (Minnesota) rebounded from the tough eighth inning to strike out two in a scoreless ninth. Daniel Kihle (Wichita State) and Donnie Dewees (North Florida) both homered for the Harbor Hawks, while John La Prise (Virginia) had two hits. Tate Scioneaux (SE Louisiana) went seven strong innings for Hyannis. Bourne got another home run from Zander Wiel (Vanderbilt), who has four in 16 games, plus three RBI from Mark Laird (LSU).

Orleans 1, Cotuit 0

Orleans won a very well-pitched game in anti-climactic fashion when Johnny Sewald (Arizona) drew a bases-loaded, walk-off walk in the 11th inning for the only run of the game. Kyle Twomey (USC) started for Orleans and went four scoreless innings. Hayden Stone (Vanderbilt) and Bobby Poyner (Florida) combined for five innings without allowing a hit before Jacob Cronenworth (Michigan) pitched two scoreless innings. Four Cotuit pitchers kept things scoreless before Orleans got a base hit, a walk and a hit batsman to load the bases for Sewald, who walked on a 3-1 pitch. For Orleans, David Thompson (Miami) and David Fletcher (Loyola Marymount) had two hits each. John Norwood (Vanderbilt) had two hits for Cotuit.

Harwich 9, Chatham 8

Harwich also walked off with a victory in extra innings as Skye Bolt (North Carolina) knocked in the game-winning run with a single in the bottom of the 10th. Chatham had scored four in the top of the ninth to take an 8-6 victory, thanks in large part to Chris Shaw’s (Boston College) league-best seventh home run of the season, a three-run shot. But in the bottom of the ninth, C.J. Hinojosa (Texas) and Bolt scored runs on wild pitches to tie the game. After a scoreless top of the 10th by Kenny Towns (Virginia), Craig Aikin (Oklahoma) reached on an error, Ian Happ (Cincinnati) was intentionally walked and Bolt delivered the game-winning hit. Harwich is now tied again with Orleans for first place in the East, while Y-D fell two points back with a loss.

Brewster 13, Y-D 3

Y-D has pitched extremely well lately, but when it hasn’t done so well, the results have been rough, and Saturday’s game fell in line with that trend. Brewster pounded 16 hits and scored a season-high 13 runs in the lopsided win. Y-D has only lost three times in its last 14 games, but all three losses have been by at least 10 runs. Luke Lowery (East Carolina) homered and drove in three, Andrew Lee (Tennessee) went 4-for-4, Kyle Overstreet (Alabama) had three hits and two RBI, and Gio Brusa (Pacific) knocked in three runs to lead the charge. Kenneth Oakley (UNLV) allowed two earned runs in five innings for the win. Three relievers combined for four scoreless innings, with Levi MaVorhis (Kansas State) striking out three in his two innings.

What to Watch

The All-Star game is set for today at Bourne’s Doran Park. Gates open at 2 p.m. The home run hitting contest is at 5 p.m., while the game is set for 6:05 p.m. For a full schedule of activities, see the league website.

June 15, 2014June 15, 2014

Daily Fog: Shutout Central

Bourne and Harwich are off to the best starts in the first week of the Cape League season, each with a 3-0 record to their name. They won’t play each other until next Friday, June 20.

Maybe by then, they’ll have given up a run or two.

The Braves and Mariners have gone three-for-three by dominating on the mound. Harwich has a 0.33 ERA, Bourne owns a 0.62 ERA. They both notched their second consecutive shutouts last night.

For Harwich, the pitching has coincided with a whole lot of offense. They’ve scored more runs than any team in the league, paving the way for lopsided shutouts – 10-0 on Thursday and 7-0 over Wareham last night. But last night’s win began, again, with the starting pitching. This time, Zack Erwin (Clemson) went five scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and striking out five against a Gatemen team that scored 13 runs in its previous game. Jacob Evans (Oklahoma) and Robby Kalaf (Florida International) finished the shutout.

At the plate for the Mariners, Kyle Barrett (Kentucky) went 4-for-4 and Craig Aikin (Oklahoma) went 3-for-5 with three RBI. Anthony Hermelyn (Oklahoma), who’s had a hit in all three games, went 2-for-3.

Over in Bourne, the Braves shut out Falmouth 6-0 on the heels of a 1-0 victory over Orleans. Andrew Sopko (Gonzaga), one of the top pitching prospects in the Alaska League last year, had a big debut on the Cape, giving up three hits and striking out six in six scoreless innings. He faced just two over the minimum. Brett Morales (Florida) and Joey Strain (Winthrop) closed out the shutout.

Brett Sullivan (Pacific) led the Bourne offense with two hits, including the team’s first home run of the year. Gavin Collins (Mississippi State) also had two hits.

Orleans 9, Chatham 0

Orleans doesn’t have the 3-0 record that Bourne and Harwich boast, but the Firebirds got into the win column with a shutout of their own last night over Chatham. After rehabbing third-round pick Trevor Megill (Loyola Marymount) went one scheduled inning, Nathan Bannister (Arizona) tossed four scoreless frames. Kolton Mahoney (BYU) then struck out seven of the 14 batters he faced in four scoreless innings. The offense handled the rest, smacking 16 hits. Christin Stewart (Tennessee) hit the Firebirds’ first home run of the year, while Edwin Rios (Florida International) drove in three runs.

Cotuit 2, Y-D 1

The Kettleers picked up their first win and kept Y-D as the only winless team in the league with a 2-1 victory at Lowell Park. Two runs in the fourth were the difference as Cotuit rallied from an early 1-0 deficit. After Blake Stevens (Birmingham Southern) struck out seven in four innings, Sam Tewes (Wichita State) picked up the win with 3.1 innings of relief. The Kettleers offense only had four hits, but scratched across the tying run before an RBI single by Brendan Hendricks (San Francisco) brought home the go-ahead run.

What to Watch

Every team is set for doubleheaders today so there’s plenty of baseball with beautiful weather in the forecast. In Yarmouth, the Red Sox are hosting Wareham and will send former first-round pick Phil Bickford (Cal State Fullerton) to the mound in game one. Bickford was the 10th overall pick in last year’s draft but opted for the college ranks and had a strong freshman year for the Titans.

June 9, 2014June 9, 2014

Talent Coming to Harwich Again

In recent years, the Harwich Mariners have won the preseason roster battle almost every year. Of course, that means little in any season, especially in a Cape Cod Baseball League season, and the results bear that out. The Mariners won the league championship in 2008 and finished in last place the next year. They won again in 2011, but have been up and down since.

But the fact remains. The Mariners are very good at bringing in talent. And when it comes together well, look out.

This year should be no different. Harwich brings back the league’s top returning prospect in Ian Happ, and has other sophomore stars joining him. The pitching staff features some young guys with upside and quite a few veterans who have had big college success.

It adds up to a club that’s in preseason contention again. We’ll see how it pans out.

THE SKINNY

Manager: Steve Englert
Last Year: 23-19-2; Lost in East Semis
Returning Players: 3
Juniors: 10
Sophomores: 20
Freshmen: 4

NOTABLE

Michael Boyle comes to Harwich from Radford, the same path taken by Colorado Rockies prospect Eddie Butler, who vaulted from the Cape to the Majors in just three years. Boyle had a strong sophomore season.

Jake Drossner returns to Harwich after emerging as a solid weekend starter for Maryland this spring. He had a better ERA than teammate Jake Stinnett, a second-round pick of the Cubs.

Oklahoma pitcher Jacob Evans had a high ERA this spring but had a terrific strikeout-to-walk ratio of 54 to 7.

Harwich has quite a few guys who have been very consistent starters for mid-major programs, like Boyle, Jon Harris at Missouri State and Jason Inghram at William & Mary.

Jason Vosler was just drafted by the Cubs in the 16th round, so we’ll see if he makes it to Harwich.

The Citadel’s Skyler Hunter has 28 career saves, so I’d bet on him taking the closer’s job.

LSU freshman Jared Poche’ jumped right into the weekend rotation in Baton Rouge, which you don’t see all that often. That alone makes him a pitcher to watch.

Skye Bolt looked destined for stardom last spring and spent the summer with Team USA. Bolt had kind of a down year by comparison in 2014, but the bright side for Harwich is that Team USA probably won’t come calling again.

No returning hitter has a better Cape League track record than Ian Happ, who was one of the top prospects in the league last year.

Harwich has two sons of former Major Leaguers, and their dads were teammates. Tyler Servais is the son of Scott Servais and Cavan Biggio’s dad is Craig Biggio. Both played with the Astros.

Joe McCarthy has put up terrific all-around numbers for Virginia this spring. You could make the case that he’s been one of the two or three best players for the Omaha-bound Cavaliers.

FIVE TO WATCH

1. Ian Happ
2. Skye Bolt
3. C.J. Hinojosa
4. Jake Drossner
5. Jared Poche’

PITCHERS

Michael Boyle – LHP – 6’2 185 – Radford – Sophomore
Ray Castillo – RHP – 6’0 180 – Alabama – Sophomore
*Jake Drossner – LHP – 6’3 195 – Maryland – Sophomore
Zack Erwin – LHP – 6’4 180 – Clemson – Freshman
Jacob Evans – LHP – 6’2 205 – Oklahoma – Sophomore
Ronnie Glenn – LHP – 6’3 220 – Pennsylvania – Junior
Jon Harris – RHP – 6’4 160 – Missouri State – Sophomore
Skylar Hunter – RHP – 6’1 185 – The Citadel – Sophomore
Jason Inghram – LHP – 6’3 195 – William & Mary – Junior
Robby Kalaf – RHP – 6’0 210 – Florida International – Junior
Seth McGarry – RHP – 6’0 180 – Florida Atlantic – Sophomore
James Mulry – LHP – 6’3 215 – Northeastern – Sophomore
Gavin Pittore – RHP – 6’3 230 – Wesleyan – Sophomore
Jared Poche’ – LHP – 6’1 195 – LSU – Freshman
Robert Youngdahl – LHP – 6’2 190 – Notre Dame – Sophomore
* – returning player

Michael Boyle – LHP – 6’2 185
Radford
Sophomore

Boyle had a solid freshman season in Radford’s weekend rotation last year and flashed ace potential in a return engagement this season. Boyle finished with a 4.09 ERA but led the team in strikeouts with 69 in 81.1 innings. He twirled a two-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts against Winthrop in his career-best outing. Boyle dominated the Cal Ripken League last year with a 0.77 ERA and he was named the circuit’s top prospect by Perfect Game.

Ray Castillo – RHP – 6’0 180
Alabama
Sophomore

Castillo set an Alabama freshman record with 12 saves on his way to Freshman All-American honors last year. The Crimson Tide went with a different closer this year, as Castillo finished with a 5.09 ERA and no saves.

Jake Drossner – LHP – 6’3 195
Maryland
Sophomore

Drossner had an ERA over six in his freshman campaign but had a good showing in Harwich, where he posted an ERA under one in 10 appearances. That was a sign of things to come, as Drossner emerged as a solid weekend starter this year. Drossner sported a team-best 2.45 ERA to go with 59 strikeouts in 62.1 innings.

Zack Erwin – LHP – 6’4 180
Clemson
Freshman

Erwin has shuffled in and out of the starting rotation for the Tigers the last two years, but has delivered decent results in both roles. He had a 3.45 ERA as a freshman. This year it was at 4.21. He picked up two saves this year while ranking third on the team in strikeouts with 62.

Jacob Evans – LHP – 6’2 205
Oklahoma
Sophomore

Evans saved nine games as a freshman in Norman but met some struggles in a swing role this year. He finished with an ERA over five, while starting nine games and making 12 relief appearances. On the bright side, he struck out 54 in 58.2 innings and walked just seven all season.

Ronnie Glenn – LHP – 6’3 220
Pennsylvania
Junior

Glenn tied a school record with eight saves last year but left the late-inning duty behind as he converted to starting full-time this season. It was a smooth transition as Glenn put up a 3.46 ERA and earned an Honorable Mention All-Ivy nod.

Jon Harris – RHP – 6’4 160
Missouri State
Sophomore

Injuries thrust Harris into the weekend rotation as a freshman last year and he responded by becoming the first pitcher in school history to win his first eight starts. The streak eventually ended, but Harris continues to pitch well. He had a 3.16 ERA this year with 66 strikeouts in 79.2 innings.

Skylar Hunter – RHP – 6’1 185
The Citadel
Sophomore

Hunter burst onto the scene last year, saving 13 games with an 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings mark. He reprised his closer’s role again this year and was even more dominant, saving 15 games while posting a 1.67 ERA. He struck out 44 in 43 innings and allowed opponents to hit just .143 against him.

Jason Inghram – LHP – 6’3 195
William & Mary
Junior

After two good seasons for the Tribe, Inghram blossomed into a bona fide ace this season. He went 10-2 with a 2.71 ERA and struck out 91 in 109.2 innings. He earned second-team All-CAA honors. He led the conference in innings pitched.

Robby Kalaf – RHP – 6’0 210
Florida International
Junior

Kalaf dominated in the JUCO ranks for the State College of Florida and made a pretty good transition to D-I baseball this season. Kalaf had an ERA of 3.74 while making 10 starts and four relief appearances.

Seth McGarry – RHP – 6’0 180
Florida Atlantic
Sophomore

McGarry has made only 13 appearances in two seasons but has done well in the limited action. He had a 1.52 ERA in 11.2 innings this year.

James Mulry – LHP – 6’3 215
Northeastern
Sophomore

Mulry earned Colonial Athletic Association All-Rookie honors last year and followed it up with a pretty good sophomore season. He lowered his ERA to 4.06 and struck out 30 in 37.2 innings.

Gavin Pittore – RHP – 6’3 230
Wesleyan
Sophomore

A late addition to the roster, Pittore is coming off a big season for Wesleyan. He went 7-1 with a 2.88 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 59.1 innings.

Jared Poche’ – LHP – 6’1 195
LSU
Freshman

Poche’ took a rare leap when he joined the Tigers weekend rotation in his first season in Baton Rouge, but it was a smooth ride. Poche went 9-3 with a 2.45 ERA, striking out 52 in 91.2 innings. He took home several Freshman All-America honors.

Robert Youngdahl – LHP – 6’2 190
Notre Dame
Sophomore

A 37th-round pick in 2011, Youngdahl bounced from Kansas State to Iowa Western Junior College to Notre Dame and seems to have found a home in South Bend. He delivered a 1.93 ERA out of the bullpen this spring despite walking more batters than he struck out. He also was a regular in the Irish lineup, hitting .225 and leading the team in extra-base hits with 15.

POSITION PLAYERS

Craig Aikin – OF – 5’10 170 – Oklahoma – Sophomore
Angelo Amendolare – INF – 5’10 170 – Jacksonville – Junior
Kyle Barrett – OF – 5’11 – 180 – Kentucky – Sophomore
Cavan Biggio – INF – 6’2 180 – Notre Dame – Freshman
Skye Bolt – OF – 6’3 185 – North Carolina – Sophomore
Guy Davidson – INF – 6’1 185 – Wesleyan – Sophomore
Matt Gonzalez – INF – 6’0 192 – Georgia Tech – Sophomore
*Ian Happ – INF – 5’11 192 – Cincinnati – Sophomore
Anthony Hermelyn – C – 6’1 200 – Oklahoma – Sophomore
*C.J. Hinojosa – INF – 5’10 180 – Texas – Sophomore
Joe McCarthy – OF – 6’3 215 – Virginia – Sophomore
Alex Perez – INF – 5’10 165 – Virginia Tech – Junior
Brendon Sanger – OF – 6’0 155 – Florida Atlantic – Sophomore
Tyler Servais – C – 6’2 215 – Princeton – Junior
Jordan Tarsovich – OF – 5’10 175 – VMI – Junior
Kenny Towns – INF – 6’0 185 – Virginia – Junior
Jason Vosler – INF – 6’1 190 – Northeastern – Junior
Matt Winn – C – 6’0 210 – VMI – Junior
Danny Zardon – INF – 6’1 185 – LSU – Freshman
* – returning player

Craig Aikin – OF – 5’10 170
Oklahoma
Sophomore

Aikin has started all but one game in his two seasons at Oklahoma and has been a steady contributor. After hitting .286 as a freshman, he bumped to .326 this year, good for second on the team. He led the team in OBP at .411 and stole five bases.

Angelo Amendolare – INF – 5’10 170
Jacksonville
Junior

A junior-college transfer, Amendolare hit .278 and stole 16 bases in his first season with the Dolphins.

Kyle Barrett – OF – 5’11 – 180
Kentucky
Sophomore

After leading the Wildcats in hitting as a freshman, Barrett was named the third-best prospect in the Perfect Game Collegiate League last summer. His averaged dipped to .253 this spring.

Cavan Biggio – INF – 6’2 180
Notre Dame
Freshman

The son of former Big Leaguer Craig Biggio, Cavan came to Notre Dame with high expectations after getting selected in the 29th round out of high school by the Phillies. Joining big brother Conor on campus, Cavan hit .246 in his debut season but showed some pop with 14 extra-base hits.

Skye Bolt – OF – 6’3 185
North Carolina
Sophomore

Bolt was one of the top freshmen in the country last year and spent the summer with Team USA. He didn’t have quite as much success this spring, hitting .257 with four home runs.

Guy Davidson – INF – 6’1 185
Wesleyan
Sophomore

A Harwich native, Davidson was a late addition to the roster and will get a shot to make an impression with his hometown club. This spring, he hit .273 with 21 extra-base hits for Wesleyan.

Matt Gonzalez – INF – 6’0 192
Georgia Tech
Sophomore

An 11th-round pick out of high school, Gonzalez had a good freshman season in Atlanta then played 26 games for Bourne in the Cape League last summer. Now ticketed for Harwich, Gonzalez is coming off a sophomore season in which he hit .314 with 23 extra-base hits.

Ian Happ – INF – 5’11 192
Cincinnati
Sophomore

Happ delivered one of the most eye-opening performances of the 2013 Cape Cod Baseball League season and was named the league’s ninth-best prospect by Perfect Game and its top freshman. For an encore, Happ was a model of consistency, finishing the spring with the same .322 average he finished with in 2013. He had five homers, a .443 OBP and 19 stolen bases.

Anthony Hermelyn – C – 6’1 200
Oklahoma
Sophomore

Like his teammate Aikin, Hermelyn has been an everyday player from the word go and has been solid throughout his career. He hit .289 this season with two homers.

C.J. Hinojosa – INF – 5’10 180
Texas
Sophomore

A 26th-round pick out of high school, Hinojosa was off to a strong start with Harwich last summer when he got the call to Team USA. This spring, he has helped lead the Longhorns to the College World Series this year, hitting .300 with a homer and 33 RBI.

Joe McCarthy – OF – 6’3 215
Virginia
Sophomore

McCarthy had a Freshman All-American season for the Cavs in 2013 and has been one of the best hitters for an Omaha-bound squad this season. He’s hitting .303 with six homers, a team-high 22 extra-base hits and 46 RBI. He was named the 37th-best prospect in the Northwoods League by Perfect Game last summer.

Alex Perez – INF – 5’10 165
Virginia Tech
Junior

Perez has started 170 consecutive games since arriving in Blacksburg three years ago. He hit .249 this year and made only four errors in the field.

Brendon Sanger – OF – 6’0 155
Florida Atlantic
Sophomore

Sanger led the Owls in hitting as a freshman and did the same this year, finishing at .332 to go with a .451 OBP and 15 extra-base hits.

Tyler Servais – C – 6’2 215
Princeton
Junior

The son of former Major League catcher Scott Servais, Tyler was a 36th-round pick out of high school. He hasn’t broken out with the bat in his time at Princeton, hitting .216 this year. Knowing his father, I’d venture a guess that he’s a strong defensive catcher.

Kenny Towns – INF – 6’0 185
Virginia
Junior

Towns has been a consistent contributor for Virginia in each of his three seasons in Charlottesville. He’s hitting .261 this year with two home runs.

Jason Vosler – INF – 6’1 190
Northeastern
Junior

Vosler has been a mainstay for the Huskies for three years and is coming off a junior season in which he hit .322 with a .419 OBP. As a junior, he was eligible for the draft this year and went in the 16th round to the Cubs, so he’ll have a decision to make.

Matt Winn – C – 6’0 210
VMI
Junior

Winn hit .333 as a sophomore and was on the Johnny Bench Award watch list. He struggled this year to a .204 average.

Danny Zardon – INF – 6’1 185
LSU
Freshman

Like his teammate Poche’, Zardon was a highly-touted recruit for LSU. He didn’t get as much of a chance to prove himself this year but did hit .268 in 28 games.