Four-for-Four

Nick Solak and Bourne improved to 4-0 against Hyannis this summer with a win Wednesday.

For most of the summer, the West Division standings have had Hyannis at the top and nobody else particularly close. The Harbor Hawks are 17-13 right now and no other team is even above .500.

But in that landscape, a funny thing has happened: Bourne has consistently gotten the better of the first-place Harbor Hawks.

With a 3-2 victory Wednesday night at Doran Park, the Braves moved to 4-0 against Hyannis this summer. That’s nearly a third of their 13 total wins on the season. Hyannis still owns a six-point lead on the second-place Braves but it would be a whole lot bigger if not for their head-to-head series.

Wednesday, the Harbor Hawks took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning and made it 2-0 in the sixth. Starter Vance Tatum (Mississippi State) was cruising with the lead and took a no-hitter into the fifth.

Even from that beginning, Bourne still found a way.

The Braves scored three runs in the sixth inning, with a double by Jacob Robson (Mississippi State) and a single by Camden Duzenack (Dallas Baptist) setting up RBI for Pete Alonso (Florida), Corey Julks (Houston) and Reid Humphreys (Mississippi State).

Bourne’s Indiana State bullpen tandem then took over. Ryan Keaffaber, who had served up a home run in the top of the sixth, worked a scoreless seventh and college teammate Austin Conway followed with two perfect innings en route to his seventh save.

The Harbor Hawks got two hits from Blake Tiberi (Louisville), who now qualifies for the batting average leaderboard – and vaulted to the top spot with his .380 average. They also got the first home run of the summer from recent arrival Matt Thaiss, who won a national championship with Virginia.

But against Bourne, nothing the Harbor Hawks do has mattered much.

The Braves have their number.

Orleans 12, Harwich 3

Orleans is on its third streak of at least four wins this summer thanks to a 12-3 drubbing of Harwich last night. The Firebirds scored five runs in each of the first two innings as they put the game away quickly. Nick Zammarelli (Elon), who’s quietly been one of the team’s steadiest performers, had a loud night, hitting a three-run homer in the first and knocking in two with a single in the second. He finished 2-for-4 with five RBI. Willie Abreu (Miami) and Alex Call (Ball State) drove in two runs each. Leadoff man Bryan Reynolds (Vanderbilt) scored three runs. Starting pitcher Kyle Serrano (Tennessee) allowed two runs in four innings. Carmen Benedetti (Michigan) got the win in relief.

Y-D 4, Falmouth 3

The Firebirds aren’t the only hot team in the East, as Y-D pushed its win streak to five in dramatic fashion with a 4-3 walk-off victory over Falmouth. With the game tied 3-3 in the ninth, the Red Sox strung together four straight singles, with the fourth one winning the game. Tommy Edman (Stanford) delivered it, plating Joshua Vidales (Houston) with the winning run. Earlier in the at-bat, Edman had failed to get down a squeeze bunt, which caused the runner from third to get tagged out in a rundown. Edman then came through and now has a hit in 10 straight games and ranks fourth in the league in hitting at .341. Vidales and Cole Billingsley (South Alabama) each had three hits. Chad Hockin (Cal State Fullerton) made his first appearance of the summer and got the win with three innings of relief. Y-D improved to 16-14, tied with Brewster for third place in the East.

Brewster 2, Cotuit 1

The Whitecaps stayed hot with a little late drama as well, edging Cotuit for their third straight win. Trailing 1-0 in the ninth, the Whitecaps tied it on a J.C. Escarra (Florida International) RBI single and won it later in the inning when Escarra raced in from third on a wild pitch. Brewster had been shut-out by Jon Woodcock (Virginia Tech) but had managed to stay within a run thanks to a strong pitching performance of its own. Alex Schick (California) gave up one run in 6.1 innings Four relievers teamed up for the final 2.2 innings and allowed just one hit.

Chatham 2, Wareham 1

The Anglers rallied from an early 1-0 deficit to slip past Wareham at Veterans Field. Daulton Jefferies (California) made his return from Team USA for the Gatemen and allowed one run in four innings, but Chatham pushed through against the Gatemen bullpen, plating the go-ahead run in the seventh on an RBI single by Todd Czinege (Villanova). Brandon Miller (Millersville) earned the win with three scoreless innings of relief. Cameron Stone (Stony Brook) and Aaron McGarity (Virginia Tech) finished off the victory. Aaron Barnett (Peppedine) added two hits and an RBI for the Anglers.

What to Watch

Nothing on the schedule today. When games get going again Friday, Orleans will host Brewster in a battle of streaking East teams.

July 15, 2015July 15, 2015

Red Hot Return

Gio Brusa is riding an 11-game hit streak for Y-D, who has won four in a row.

Baseball America listed Gio Brusa (Pacific) as the Cape League’s fourth-best prospect last summer. The other players in the top five all were selected among the first 73 picks in the 2015 draft. Brusa was selected with pick number 701, in the 23rd round. The 6’3, 225-pound outfielder was coming off an injury-hampered junior season and he had reportedly indicated to teams before the draft that he was leaning toward a return to Pacific.

With another year of college ahead, Brusa headed for the Cape and hooked on with the Y-D Red Sox, after spending last summer in Brewster. He got off to a shaky start, going 3-for-23 out of the gates, but since then, he has looked the part of the guy who kept good prospect company last year.

Brusa is on an 11-game hitting streak and hit his fifth home run in that span last night as Y-D beat Harwich 5-3. Brusa is now hitting .277, is tied for the league lead in home runs with five and ranks sixth in the league in RBI with 14.

Again, he has done essentially all of this in 11 games.

Brusa’s hot streak has helped the Red Sox find their footing, too. Tuesday’s win was their fourth in a row. They’re 7-4 in the month of July and have moved one game over .500 at 15-14.

Tuesday, they were tied with Harwich 1-1 before Brusa’s three-run homer powered a four-run fifth inning.

Donnie Walton (Oklahoma State) and Tommy Edman (Stanford) added two hits and an RBI each. Edman is on a hot streak of his own, with hits in nine straight games.

Stater Brett Adcock (Michigan) allowed two runs in 4.2 innings before a strong showing by the Y-D bullpen. Dalton Lehnen (Cincinnati) got the win in relief and Ben Bowden (Vanderbilt) picked up his first save. Bowden, a late arrival after Vandy’s run in Omaha, has struck out 12 in 6.1 scoreless innings this summer.

Y-D is now tied with Brewster for third place in the East and only one game back of Chatham for second. With Brusa streaking toward a second straight all-star summer, the defending champion Red Sox may be primed for another run.

Brewster 6, Chatham 0

Alec Rash (Missouri) delivered perhaps the best performance of his college and Cape League career as Brewster shut out Chatham. Rash, a former second-round pick of the Phillies that has struggled at Missouri, tossed six innings of one-hit ball against the Anglers. He struck out five and didn’t walk a batter. Three relievers followed him to the hill and finished off the shutout, as Chatham managed just three hits. Toby Handley (Stony Brook) led the Brewster offense with two hits and two RBI. League batting and RBI leader Nick Senzel (Tennessee) went 1-for-5 and knocked in his 19th run. J.C. Escarra (Florida International) and Ryan Peurifoy (Georgia Tech) also had RBI. Brewster is now just one game back of Chatham for second place in the East.

Hyannis 5, Falmouth 2

The Harbor Hawks stopped Falmouth’s four-game winning streak and upped their West division lead to four games with a 5-2 victory. Devin Smeltzer (Florida Gulf Coast) delivered his best start since his no-hitter last month, giving up one earned run and striking out five in 6.2 innings of work. Aaron Civale (Northeastern) notched his third save in relief of Smeltzer. Ryne Birk (Texas A&M) went 2-for-4 with three RBI to lead the Hyannis attack. Austin Hays (Jacksonville) homered, while Jacob Noll (Florida Gulf Coast) and Arden Pabst (Georgia Tech) had two hits each.

Orleans 8, Wareham 2

East-leading Orleans also gained a little more distance, pushing its lead to five games with a win over Wareham and a Chatham loss. Eric Lauer (Kent State), who’s doing his best to keep up with teammate Mitchell Jordan, struck out nine and gave up one run on two hits in five innings of work. Lauer is now second in the league in strikeouts to Jordan with 39 and fifth in ERA with a 1.45 mark. Catcher Sean Murphy (Wright State) went 3-for-5 for the second time in four games, raising his average to .235 and continuing his emergence as another big bat in the powerful Firebirds lineup. Bryson Brigman (San Diego) added two RBI.

Cotuit 3, Bourne 1

The Kettleers moved within two games of second-place Bourne in the tightly-packed West standings with a 3-1 win over the Braves. Jeren Kendall (Vanderbilt) had two hits, a home run and an RBI, giving him six hits in five games since his late arrival. Brett Stephens (UCLA) added two hits. Matthew Milburn (Wofford) allowed just an unearned run in 5.2 innings for the win. Justin Dunn (Boston College) tallied his fourth save.

What to Watch

Daulton Jefferies (California), who had a 2.57 ERA with Team USA, makes his return to Wareham as the Gatemen visit Chatham tonight.

June 18, 2015June 18, 2015

Joining the Club

Charlie Warren, pictured last summer, scored a run as Wareham beat Hyannis Wednesday.

Some statistics lie. Others tell a pretty good story. Runs scored and runs allowed can generally be counted among the more reliable. They tend to have a direct impact on the columns that accompany them in the standings – wins and losses.

A quick glance at those numbers in the Cape League standings shows three teams that should be above everybody else. Orleans, Hyannis and Wareham have all scored 44 runs, best in the league. They have all allowed 30 or under, with run differentials of at least 14. No one else in the league has a differential better than five.

And yet, only two of those teams are above everybody else where it counts. Hyannis and Orleans are 7-2. Wareham is 4-5.

The Gatemen have been the victims of two 1-0 losses and a game they lost in which they scored 11 runs. They have found some unique ways to lose.

Wednesday night, they were happy to find a unique way to win. Taking full advantage of four Hyannis errors, the Gatemen scored five unearned runs off potential Harbor Hawks ace Nick Deeg (Central Michigan) and won 7-0 over the previously red-hot Harbor Hawks.

Hyannis had won five in a row since its only loss, which incidentally came at the hands of the Gatemen in the first week of the season. Wareham had lost four in a row heading into Wednesday.

The Gatemen began capitalizing in the second inning. Deeg’s own error on a sacrifice bunt attempt came back to hurt when the Gatemen pushed three runs across on the extra out. Jarett Rindfleisch (Ball State) had a sacrifice fly and Mark Karaviotis (Oregon) brought in two runs with a two-out single.

An error on a stolen base attempt and another on a ground ball allowed two runs to score in the fifth. Andrew Knizner (NC State) had a two-run double in the seventh to cap the scoring.

Hyannis never got back into the game, as three Wareham pitchers combined on a four-hit shutout. Bailey Clark (Duke) went five innings for the win, Daulton Jefferies (California) allowed one hit in three innings and Shea Spitzbarth (Molloy) pitched a scoreless ninth.

Wareham’s losing skid was over. And for one night at least, the Gatemen were right where the numbers say they should be.

Bourne 4, Falmouth 3

Winless until Tuesday, Bourne has now won two straight after a dramatic 4-3 victory over Falmouth last night. The Braves trailed 3-1, tied it with two in the sixth and won it in the bottom of the ninth when Mike Garzillo (Lehigh) raced home with the winning run on a passed ball. Garzillo had singled to start the inning. The walk-off passed ball came with two outs and the bases loaded. Garzillo had previoulsy tied the game in the sixth with an RBI double. Charles Galiano (Fordham) also had an RBI double in that frame. Bryan Baker (North Florida), who pitched the final two innings in relief, picked up the win.

Harwich 4, Chatham 0

Harwich won for a second consecutive night over the Anglers, and this one was even more impressive than the first. Geoff Bramblett (Alabama) tossed 6.1 innings of two-hit ball and the Mariners had a steady night at the dish for the 4-0 win. Bramblett, who improved to 2-0, gave up just two singles – one of the infield variety – and struck out six. Anthony Ciavarella (Monmouth) and Williams Durruthy (Florida International) finished off the shutout. Cavan Biggio (Notre Dame) went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, continuing a strong start to his second summer in Harwich. He hit .203 last year but is at .360 so far this year as he rides a four-game hitting streak. Connor Justus (Georgia Tech) also had two hits and an RBI. Harwich has won three straight and is 5-3-1, good for second place in the East behind Orleans.

Orleans 6, Y-D 5

Orleans won its fourth in a row and matched Hyannis for the league’s best record with a victory over Y-D. The Firebirds got three hits and an RBI from Bryson Brigman (San Diego). Kyle Lewis (Mercer) added two hits and two runs scored. Eric Lauer (Kent State), who had gone five scoreless in his first start, allowed two runs in five innings this time in moving to 2-0. Donovan Walton (Oklahoma State) had three hits and three RBI for Y-D, which scored three runs in the ninth to get within one before Jason Harper (Southern Connecticut) wiggled out of trouble for the save.

Cotuit 4, Brewster 3

The Whitecaps dropped their fifth straight since a 3-0 start as Cotuit scored a run in the eighth for the narrow margin. An RBI single by Jackson Klein (Stanford) brought in the go-ahead run. Cotuit also got two RBI from Brody Weiss (Riverside CC). Jon Woodcock (Virginia Tech) earned the win with four strong innings of relief. After Brewster scored a run in the top of the eighth – and his team answered – Woodcock worked a perfect ninth to finish off the win.

What to Watch

Just one game on tap today, a make-up of the fogged-out match-up between Chatham and Brewster. The Anglers will have T.J. Zeuch (Pittsburgh) on the hill for his second start. He went 5.2 innings without giving up an earned run in his first start. Brewster counters with Jacob Jenkins (Pacific), who will be making his first appearance.

June 12, 2015June 12, 2015

Catching a Wave

The Brewster dugout makes some noise during a game last season. With a 3-0 start to 2015, the Whitecaps have had even more to cheer about this year.

Brewster had one three-game winning streak all of last summer. With only three games in the books in 2015, the Whitecaps already have one this summer.

After a 6-0 shutout of Chatham Thursday night, Brewster is 3-0 and the only undefeated team in the league. The Whitecaps won their opener by a single run and their next game by two before pulling away from Chatham. The Anglers also came in with a 2-0 record but couldn’t keep up on this night.

It’s just a start, of course, but a lot has gone right. Thursday, it was both pitching and hitting that did the trick. Brewster had 12 hits – four that went for extra bases – and saw five pitchers combine on a three-hitter.

Eli White, a late roster addition who had a solid spring with Clemson, led the way with a 3-for-4, two RBI night. Toby Handley (Stony Brook) also went 3-for-4 and knocked in a run. Catcher Cassidy Brown (Loyola Marymount) homered and Nick Senzel (Tennessee) hit a pair of doubles. Senzel has five hits this season for a .417 average, and four of the hits have gone for extra bases. Ryan Peurifoy (Georgia Tech) went 1-for-2 and has had a hit in each game this year.

On the mound, Georgia Tech’s Brandon Gold picked up where he left off after a strong spring and tossed four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits. Hansen Butler (North Carolina) followed with two innings, before Nick Highberger (Creighton), Gage Griffin (Franklin Pierce) and Alex Schick (California) went the final three innings without surrendering a hit. That continued an early trend – the Brewster bullpen has allowed one run in 12.2 innings of work so far this season.

Brewster takes on Chatham again tonight, this time at Veterans Field. The Whitecaps didn’t have a single four-game winning streak last year, but they’re in position to break that spell quickly in 2015.

Orleans 7, Y-D 0

The Firebirds (2-1) won by shutout for the second time this season in a 7-0 victory over Y-D. Eric Lauer (Kent State), a former 17th-round pick of the Blue Jays who was terrific this spring (1.98 ERA, 103 Ks), delivered more of the same in his first Cape start, striking out seven and giving up two hits in five scoreless innings. Three relievers combined on four hitless innings to finish off the win. Colby Woodmansee (Arizona State) and Alex Call (Ball State) each knocked in two runs to pace the Orleans offense. The Red Sox, who fell to 0-3, got hits from Stephen Wrenn (Georgia) and Connor Wong (Houston).

Falmouth 4, Harwich 1

Falmouth got hits from eight different players and broke through for its first win, 4-1 over Harwich. Both teams are now 1-2. Boomer White (Texas A&M), in his second summer with the Commodores, had two hits, as did Michael Tinsley (Kansas), the second-team All-Big 12 catcher this past season. Andrew Frankenreider (Northern Illinois) picked up the win with 3.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Stephen Villines (Kansas) notched the save.

Wareham 6, Hyannis 2

The Gatemen are 2-1 and have now scored the most runs in the league after Thursday’s 6-2 victory over previously unbeaten Hyannis. Logan Sowers (Indiana), next in a long line of Hoosiers in Wareham, had the best day of his young Cape career, going 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. David MacKinnon (Hartford) added two hits and five other Gatemen chipped in one apiece. Daulton Jefferies (California) got the start on the mound and made the offense count with five strong innings. Zac Houston (Mississippi State) was dominant in relief, with five strikeouts in three innings. David Martinelli (Dallas Baptist) homered for Hyannis.

Cotuit 7, Bourne 2

Cotuit had only nine hits in its first two games but broke out with 12 in a victory over the Braves. Michael Paez (Coastal Carolina) doubled and knocked in two runs from the leadoff spot. Matthew Dacey (Richmond) added two hits and two RBI, while Spencer Gaa (Bradley) and Matt Albanese (Bryant) chipped in doubles. Jonathan King (Georgia Tech) gave up two runs in 4.1 innings before giving way to Jon Woodcock (Virginia Tech), who was lights out in 4.2 innings of relief. He struck out six and didn’t allow a run. Bourne got three hits each from Corey Julks (Houston) and Ryan Boldt (Nebraska) but remained winless at 0-3.

What to Watch

The second Brewster-Chatham match-up in as many days features an interesting probable starter for the Whitecaps. Missouri’s Alec Rash is a former second-round pick who has seen very limited action in his time with the Tigers. The junior was recently drafted in the 23rd round by the Nationals.

June 8, 2015June 8, 2015

Pitching leads Wareham

Since winning the Cape League championship in 2012, the Gatemen have had a rough go of it, missing the playoffs for two straight years. With a talented pitching staff in place, Wareham will be poised for a return to prominence this summer.

FIVE TO WATCH

1. Corey Ray
2. Anthony Kay
3. Matt Krook
4. Ryan Olson
5. Jarrett Rindfleisch

NOTABLE

Oregon’s Matt Krook was an unsigned first round pick of the Marlins in the 2013 draft. He was looking the part as an Oregon freshman with 60 strikeouts in 45 innings pitched last year before going down with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. The procedure was done 13 months ago and Krook was reportedly ready to burn his redshirt and pitch in the postseason if Oregon needed him. That didn’t happen, so it appears the Cape League season will mark Krook’s return to the mound. He’ll surely be on a tight leash, but he’ll be interesting to watch.

While Krook obviously has a lot of potential, seven other Gatemen pitchers have potential and big seasons as starting pitchers to build on. Connecticut’s Anthony Kay is the best of them, having established himself as an ace for the Huskies with 96 strikeouts this year.

Another of those pitchers is Cal Poly Pomona’s Ryan Olson, who pitched for the Gatemen last year. Like Pomona teammate Cody Ponce, who pitched for Brewster last summer and rocketed up draft boards, Olson is coming off a huge sophomore season. He went 12-0 with a 1.73 ERA and 92 strikeouts.

Ian Hamilton has saved 28 games in two seasons at Washington State.

Indiana University has been good to the Gatemen over the years and fellow Hoosier State school Ball State is on the act this year, with pitcher Zach Plesac and catcher Jarret Rindfleisch poised for big things.

If Louisville’s Corey Ray doesn’t end up with Team USA, he’s primed to be one of the Cape League’s best. The sophomore has flashed power and speed in breakout campaign.

PITCHERS

Shaun Anderson – SO – Florida – Won a Northwoods League title last summer and has 4.29 ERA as Gator reliever this spring
Bailey Clark – SO – Duke – After just six outings as freshman, jumped into rotation and turned in 2.95 ERA in 13 starts
Grant Dyer – SO – UCLA – Went from mid-week starter to shut-down reliever, putting up 1.82 ERA in whopping 42 appearances
Ian Hamilton – SO – Washington State – Broke school record for saves with 15 last year, tacked on 13 with 1.67 ERA this year
Brett Hanewich – SO – Stanford – Has started 27 games in two years for Cardinal, with 3.59 career ERA
Drew Harrington – SO – Louisville – Set to return to Wareham after posting 0.29 ERA with 42 Ks in Louisville bullpen
Zac Houston – JR – Mississippi State – After quiet freshman year, made 21 relief appearances with 3.66 ERA
Daulton Jefferies – SO – California – Strong starter for two years running, went 6-5 this year with 2.92 ERA, team-high 74 Ks
Connor Jones – SO – Georgia – Struggled in sophomore season, with ERA above 8 in 16 relief appearances
Anthony Kay – SO – Connecticut – After strong summer in Wareham, lefty emerged as UConn ace with 2.07 ERA, 96 K in 100 IP
Matt Krook – SO – Oregon – Former first-round pick missed 2015 season after Tommy John surgery, but is ready to work his way back
Ryan Olson – SO – Cal Poly Pomona – After stint with Wareham last year, dominated for Pomona with 12-0 record, 1.73 ERA, 92 Ks
Benton Parr – SO – Georgia Tech – Solid as starter and reliever in two seasons with Yellow Jackets, has career 3.53 ERA
Zach Plesac – SO – Ball State – National freshman pitcher of the year last year had 3.27 ERA, 77 K in sophomore year
Tyler Thorne – SO – Stanford – Has pitched mostly in relief for Cardinal, finishing with 5.18 ERA this year
Ryan Williamson – SO – NC State – Pitched as starter and in relief and finished with ERA over five this season

CATCHERS

Jarett Rindfleisch – SO – Ball State – MAC Freshman of the Year in 2014 hit .310 with 10 homers this year

INFIELDERS

Nick Cieri – SO – Maryland – Infielder/catcher hit .299 as a sophomore for Terps
Mark Karaviotis – SO – Oregon – Hawaii native grabbed starting SS job last year, hit .270 this season in second year with Ducks
Andrew Knizner – SO – NC State – Emerged as standout in sophomore year, with .317 average, five homers
Kramer Robertson – SO – LSU – Returning to Wareham after hitting .232 for Tigers this season
John Sternagel – SO – Florida – Hitting .178 for Gators in limited action this season

OUTFIELDERS

Connor Beck – r-FR – TCU – After redshirt year, has only seen action in 11 games for Horned Frogs this season
Jamison Jabs – SO – Franklin Pierce – Hit .328 and smashed 13 home runs for D-II power Ravens
Corey Ray – SO – Louisville – Team USA invite has been dynamic player for Cards, with .330 average, 11 HR, 34 SBs
Logan Sowers – FR – Indiana – Indiana Mr. Baseball hit .257 with six homers in debut season
Charlie Warren – SO – Rice – Returning Gatemen hit .311 this spring for Owls