Posted on

Still Wild

Kyle Freeland and Hyannis remained in a first-place tie with a victory over Y-D.

 
The Western Division race finally gained some clarity on Saturday night.

But the race for the championship will still come down to the season’s final day.

With Falmouth’s 9-5 victory over Cotuit last night, the Kettleers have been eliminated from title contention. They’re three points out, and with only one game left, they can’t make up that ground. But Hyannis also won last night, 6-1 over Y-D, to remain tied with Falmouth for first place.

It’ll come down to today, the third third time in the past four years that a division champion will be decided on the final day. It was the East race in both 2010 and 2011.

Falmouth won its sixth straight to stay in the first-place tie. Trailing 5-1 in the seventh, the Commodores scored five runs to take the lead and added three in the ninth to pull away.

Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) had two hits and added two RBI to his league-leading total. Troy Stein (Texas A&M) also had two RBI, while Kevin Cron (TCU) had three hits. Kevin Newman (Arizona), who may well be on his way to the batting title, had two more hits after his 6-for-6 night. Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) had two hits and an RBI.

Once the Commodores got the lead, the bullpen closed the door on Cotuit. Jared Price (Maryland) and Hunter Brothers (Lipscomb) struck out two in a scoreless inning each to preserve the lead.

For all the success Falmouth has had in the last week, Hyannis just will not go away. The Harbor Hawks have won three of their last four.

On Saturday, they got a terrific pithing performance from Rocky McCord (Auburn). He went five scoreless innings in his last start and followed it up with 5.2 strong frames. He allowed one run and struck out three. Kyle Freeland (Evansville) struck out two in 1.1 innings before Jordan DeLorenzo (West Florida), who was making just his second appearance, picked up a save with two scoreless innings.

Jose Lopez (Seton Hall) struck out eight in 6.2 innings, but Hyannis scored two unearned runs off of him and added more against the Y-D bullpen. Ryan Padilla (New Mexico) had two hits and an RBI. Austin Slater (Stanford) added two hits, and Landon Curry (Indiana State) went 1-for-2 with an RBI.

All the same teams will meet again today. As far as Hyannis and Falmouth are concerned, we’ll see if either blinks. If they remain tied, the first tiebreaker is head-to-head competition, and Hyannis would own the edge.

 

Orleans 1, Chatham 0

Chatham lost its fourth in a row, while Orleans won its 10th in the last 12 with a 1-0 shutout. Corey Miller (Pepperdine) went five scoreless for the win. Jeremy Rhoades (Illinois State), Brian Clark (Kent State) and Matt Troupe (Arizona) finished it off, with Troupe taking over the league lead in saves at 11. Jordan Luplow (Fresno State) delivered the only offense with a solo home run.

 

Harwich 6, Brewster 4

The Mariners remained within striking distance of Orleans for second place with a victory over the Whitecaps. Harwich scored runs in the eighth and ninth to break a 4-4 tie. Nick Howard (Virginia) went 3-for-4 with two RBI and A.J. Reed (Kentucky) hit a home run to lead the Harwich offense. Derek Fisher (Virginia) added two his and Blair DeBord (Kansas State) knocked in two. On the mound, Logan Jernigan (NC State) gave up just two earned runs in 6.2 innings. Sam Howard (Georgia Southern) went 2.1 scoreless innings for the win.

 

Bourne 8, Wareham 0

Three pitchers combined on a shutout as the Braves beat Wareham. Making his first start of the summer, Christian Colletti (Connecticut) struck out three in five scoreless innings. Cody Livingston (Southern Miss) went three innings and Will Cox (Mississippi State) finished it off. Mason Robbins (Southern Miss) and Mark Laird (LSU) had three hits each to lead the offense. Vinny Siena (Connecticut) backed his college teammate Colletti with two RBI.

 

What to Watch

Falmouth visits Cotuit at 4:30 and Hyannis hosts Y-D at 6 in the West race.
 

Posted on

MVP Return

Kyle Schwarber went 4-for-4 with a game-tying home run in his return to the Cape.

 
Kyle Schwarber’s return to the Cape Cod Baseball League happened on the same field where he left it.

Little else in the setting was the same.

On August 17, 2012, Schwarber led the Wareham Gatemen to the league championship on a sunny afternoon at Red Wilson Field in Yarmouth, with fans tucked into every nook and cranny. On July 25, 2013, Schwarber helped a struggling Wareham team salvage a tie with Y-D on a cool, dreary evening.

The fact that he was here for both is one of the coolest stories of the 2013 Cape Cod Baseball League season.

Schwarber earned Playoff MVP honors last summer when he hit two home runs in Wareham’s championship-clinching victory. His emergence as a star continued on the same trajectory in the spring, when he hit .366 with 18 home runs and led Indiana to the College World Series. He was ticketed for a return to Wareham, but Team USA came calling and Schwarber ran with the opportunity.

But along the way, he told Wareham officials he wanted to come back when Team USA’s season ended. It was easy to envision him returning and pushing the Gatemen over the top, leading them to more playoff glory.

That probably isn’t going to happen. Wareham has had a tough season and needs a miracle just to grab the fourth spot in the playoffs.

And still, Schwarber came.

This is a guy who has been playing baseball non-stop since Indiana’s season began on February 15. The grind took him across the country, then to Omaha then to Japan with Team USA.

Coming back to Cape Cod for a few meaningless games, when scouts already have a good feel for who he is? Nobody would have blamed him if he headed home instead.

But still, Schwarber came.

Last night, karma smiled on that move. Schwarber went 4-for-4 in his 2013 debut and his two-run homer in the ninth inning tied the game at 2-2. Wareham and Y-D went on to finish in a tie. Andro Cutura (Southeastern Louisiana) delivered a strong performance on the mound for the Gatemen.

Schwarber’s move is reminiscent of something another Wareham great once did. Matt Murton, who went on to a Major League career, broke his finger at Team USA tryouts in 2002. The temptation would have been to take the rest of the summer off. Instead, Murton returned to Wareham – where he’d played the summer before – let the finger heal and was in the lineup as the Gatemen won their second consecutive league championship.

Schwarber likely won’t cap his return with the same kind of hardware, but the sentiment is the same. Both had great experiences in Wareham and both felt a measure of loyalty that isn’t always a priority in summer baseball.

Schwarber is now 6-for-9 with three home runs in his last two Cape League games. The gap between those games – when they happened and what they meant – is huge, but Schwarber was doing his thing all the same.

 

Brewster 2, Falmouth 0

The Whitecaps have hit another rough patch but last night was a pretty serious bright spot. Jake Stinnett (Maryland) struck out eight in seven shutout innings as Brewster topped Falmouth 2-0. Stinnett took a no-hitter into the sixth before a base hit by Cameron O’Brien (Northeast Texas CC). It was the only hit he allowed. Justin Kamplain (Alabama) and Brad Schreiber (Purdue) finished the shutout with an inning each. Nick Lynch (UC Davis) delivered all the offense Brewster needed with two RBI, while Boo Vazquez (Pittsburgh) had two hits and scored both runs. Vazquez has a six-game hitting streak. The win was made all the more impressive by the fact that Brewster’s bus broke down before the game and the team arrived just 30 minutes before game time.

 

Orleans 7, Cotuit 3

The Firebirds won their fifth straight, riding a dominant performance by Jared Miller (Vanderbilt) to a victory over the Kettleers. Miller started the summer in the bullpen but went seven shutout innings in his second start last week. This time, he went six scoreless and struck out 10 while allowing just two hits. Shawn O’Neill (La Salle) picked up the save. Austin Davidson (Pepperdine) had two hits and two RBI, while Jordan Luplow (Fresno State) also drove in two. Will Fulmer (Montevallo) and Chris Marconcini (Duke) added two hits each. Orleans is now 18-18, just a point back of Harwich for second place in the West. For Cotuit, Bradley Zimmer (San Francisco) made his return from Team USA and went 1-for-4.

 

Harwich 10, Hyannis 0

Dillon Peters (Texas) turned in his second straight dominant start and the Mariners pulled away late for an easy victory. Peters struck out six in five scoreless innings after seven shutout innings in his last start. Logan Jernigan (NC State) struck out four in three innings of relief and Jake Drossner (Maryland) finished the job. Derek Fisher (Virginia) had two RBI to lead the attack, while Ben Moore (Alabama) and Tanner English (South Carolina) had two hits each.

 

Chatham 7, Bourne 3

The Anglers delivered a steady offensive performance and held off Bourne for their 24th victory of the season. Jimmy Pickens (Michigan State) had two hits, including a home run, to power the offense. Landon Lassiter (North Carolina) added two hits and two RBI, Michael Russell (North Carolina) had two hits, Blake Butera (Boston College) drove in two runs and recent arrival Brett Bell (Texas Tech) added two hits. Andrew McGee (Monmouth) gave up three runs in four innings. Dominic Moreno (Texas Tech) got the win with three scoreless innings of relief and David Speer (Columbia) shut down his former team over the final two innings for the save. Bourne got four hits from Mark Laird (LSU) but was again kept from clinching a playoff spot.

 

What to Watch

Orleans and Cotuit will meet for a second straight night, this time at Lowell Park. It should be a good pitching match-up with Bobby Poyner (Florida) starting for Orleans and Ben Smith (Coastal Carolina) going for Cotuit. Smith was one of the league’s top strikeout pitchers before he missed his last turn in the rotation.

Posted on

No Average Joe

Connor Joe, pictured earlier this summer, went 5-for-5 with two home runs as Chatham beat Bourne.

 
Twice in the past few weeks, solid players have cemented themselves as Cape League stars with five-hit, two-homer nights. Kevin Cron did it for Falmouth and Max Pentecost pulled off the same trick for Bourne.

Connor Joe (San Diego) joined the party on Friday night.

The Chatham slugger went 5-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI as the Anglers beat Bourne 10-7.

It was a coming-out party for a guy who’s been solid all summer. Joe came into the game hitting .300. He leaves it at .333 with team-highs of three homers and 20 RBI.

Joe, like everybody else on the San Diego roster, was in the shadow of Kris Bryant this spring. But Joe more than held his own, ranking behind only Bryant on the team in batting average and sitting third in home runs with seven.

Joe started the summer with two hits in the season opener and has been a model of consistency since. Through the first 24 games he played, he never went more than one game without a hit. That string actually ended this week, when Joe went 0-for-3 on both Tuesday and Thursday.

I’d say he made up for it.

Joe hit a two-run homer in his first at-bat, doubled in his second and homered again the third time he came to the plate. He singled in his final two at-bats, the second of which started the game-turning rally. Despite all of Joe’s pop, Chatham found itself tied with Bourne 7-7 going into the ninth. Joe led off with a single and eventually came around – along with two of his teammates – on a bases-loaded double by Sheehan Planas-Arteaga (Barry).

Jacob Dorris (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) worked a scoreless bottom of the ninth to seal the victory, Chatham’s 21st of the year. At the plate, J.D. Davis (Cal State Fullerton) also drove in a run for Chatham.

For Bourne, the aforementioned had another big night, going 4-for-4 with four RBI. He now leads active players in batting average and is tied for the league lead in RBI.

But this night belonged to Mr. Joe, another star in the making.

 

Hyannis 6, Cotuit 3

The Harbor Hawks scored three in the eighth on their way to a victory over Cotuit, which puts them back atop the West Division with 37 points. Cotuit and Falmouth are both one point back. Skyler Ewing (Rice) delivered an RBI double to break the tie and Chase Griffin (Georgia Southern) knocked in two with a single to up the lead to three. Griffin finished with three RBI, while Tyler Spoon (Arkansas) and Brian Anderson (Arkansas) joined Ewing with one each. Kyle Freeland (Evansville) gave up two earned runs in 6.2 innings and moved into a tie for the league lead in strikeouts. Jordan Foley (Central Michigan) went 1.1 scoreless innings before Eric Eck (Wofford) worked a perfect ninth for his league-leading eighth save.

 

Falmouth 5, Orleans 0

The Commodores pitched well for the third straight night as they shut out Orleans to improve to 18-12. Falmouth has allowed two runs in its last three games. Daniel Koger (Auburn) allowed just one hit in five innings before four relievers finished the job. Richard Martin, Jr. (Florida) led the offense with a 3-for-5 night. The infielder has struggled this summer, coming in hitting .150, but he hit a home run and tripled as part of his breakout performance. Sam Gillikin (Auburn) added an RBI.

 

Brewster 8, Y-D 4

Scott Heineman (Oregon), the league leader in stolen bases and one of its best hitters, added some power to his game. He hit two home runs, his first two of the summer, to lead the Whitecaps past Y-D. Both were solo shots for Heineman, who is now hitting .343. Trevor Mitsui (Washington) also homered for Brewster, who scored seven of its eight runs in the first four innings. Justin Kamplain (Alabama) went six strong innings for his second win, and he’s tied with Hyannis’ Freeland for the league lead in strikeouts. Y-D got home runs from Alex Blandino (Stanford) and Taylor Gushue (Florida) but it wasn’t enough.

 

Harwich 9, Wareham 1

The Mariners out-hit the Gatemen by one but out-scored them by eight in a blowout victory. Nick Howard (Virginia) picked up the win with five shutout innings. He scattered five hits but none of those – and none of the other six for Wareham – went for extra-bases. Harwich, meanwhile, got a home run from Ian Happ (Cincinnati) for the second straight night, giving him four on the summer. Derek Fisher (Virginia), Brett Austin (NC State) and Gunnar Heidt (College of Charleston) had two hits and an RBI each.

 

What to Watch

Four of the top five teams in the league will be squaring off against each other. Cotuit hosts Harwich at 5 p.m. and Chatham welcomes Falmouth to town for a 7 p.m. start.
 

Posted on

The Real Kettleers

Yale Rosen slides in safely for Cotuit during a game this week.

 
You could make a pretty good team out of players who have left Cotuit this summer. From Max Schrock, Will Remillard, Aramis Garcia and Brad Zimmer to Trevor Seidenberger and Dusty Isaacs, you’d be in good shape.

The latest loss is the biggest. Mike Ford arrived for his second summer in Cotuit coming off a draft in which he didn’t hear his name called despite a spring that will go down in Ivy League annals. Ford’s goal was to hook on with a Major League team – and he’s done it. He is expected to sign with the New York Yankees this week.

Ford, who was fresh off a 4-for-4, two home run day, was an MVP candidate. He could make the all-departed Kettleers squad a Cape League contender.

But I have a feeling the real Kettleers would still find a way.

On the day they said farewell to Ford, Cotuit beat Bourne 2-1 and took a three-point lead on Hyannis for first place in the West. The Kettleers – despite all the personnel losses, and despite having had 41 different players don their uniform – have the second-best record in the league.

On Tuesday, they got another strong pitching performance from Jared Walsh (Georgia), who continues to lead the league in ERA at 0.36. The only caveat is that Walsh hasn’t pitched deep into games – he doesn’t have a win or a loss – but he’s been so steady that he’s often set Cotuit on a path to victory.

He went 4.1 scoreless innings against the Braves, striking out three and allowing just one hit. Joel Seddon (South Carolina) allowed his first run of the year in relief but kept Cotuit in front and picked up the victory. Brian Miller (Vanderbilt) turned in his third-straight two-inning stint and picked up the save.

Kyle Kubat (Nebraska) was strong in six innings of work for the Braves, but two unearned runs made the difference. Danny Diekroeger (Stanford) led the Cotuit offense with two hits, while Yale Rosen (Washington State) and Jake Fincher (NC State) had one RBI each.

Cotuit would have loved to have Mike Ford adding a home run to the victory or any of the former Kettleers chipping in. That’s not going to happen, but it sure looks like the Kettleers will be making the best of it anyway.

 

Harwich 3, Chatham 0

Chandler Shepherd (Kentucky) turned in his third scoreless start of the summer and his bullpen finished the job as the Mariners (16-13) knocked off first-place Chatham (9-9-1). Shepherd had gone six shutout innings twice before, and this one may have out-done the first two. He struck out eight and gave up just three hits against a Chatham team that’s been the best in the league. Johnathan Frebis (Middle Tennessee State) worked two scoreless innings in relief before Chris Oliver (Arkansas) struck out the side around a walk in the ninth for the save. Aaron Barbosa (Northeastern) had two hits and an RBI to lead the Mariner attack. Derek Fisher (Virginia) and Branden Cogswell (Virginia) drove in the other runs. Harwich has won three straight.

 

Orleans 6, Hyannis 5

The Firebirds had dropped five in a row and – with Brewster hot on their heels – they were in danger of falling into the East basement. They stopped the streak and avoided that drop in the most dramatic fashion possible. With his team trailing 5-4 and Hyannis closer Eric Eck (Wofford) on the mound, Jordan Luplow (Fresno State) drove in the tying and winning runs with a base hit as Orleans walked off with a 6-5 victory over a Hyannis team that generally doesn’t lose close games. The Firebirds had also rallied for two runs in the eighth after Hyannis had gone up 4-2. The rally made a winner out of Brian Clark (Kent State), who went three innings and actually gave up the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth. Collin Slaybaugh (Washington State) had four hits to lead the Firebirds, who had said goodbye to an injured Greg Allen (San Diego State) earlier in the day. For Hyannis, Tyler Spoon (Arkansas) and Skyler Ewing (Rice) both hit their fourth home runs of the season. Ewing went 4-for-5 and now ranks third in the league in hitting.

 

Falmouth 5, Y-D 1

The Commodores had gone 1-4 in their last five, with the only win coming against Y-D. They matched up with Y-D again Tuesday and used a four-run seventh to pick up another victory, snapping a two-game skid. They’re now 16-12, a point back of Hyannis for second in the West. Troy Stein (Texas A&M) went 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBI to lead Falmouth. Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) and Leon Byrd, Jr. (Rice) drove in one run each. On the mound, John Means (West Virginia) went six innings without allowing an earned run. He struck out three. Donny Murray (Holy Cross) got the victory.

 

Brewster 5, Wareham 1

The Whitecaps (11-17) won for the fifth time in seven tries and remained two points out of fourth in the East. Brandon Leibrandt (Florida State) was dominant for a second-straight start, allowing just an unearned run on three hits in five innings. He now has a 1.59 ERA and hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last two starts. Nick Lynch (UC Davis) went 1-for-3 with three RBI to pace the offense, while Nicholas Vazquez (Pittsburgh) and Cole Lankford (Texas A&M) also drove in runs. For Wareham, Sean Newcomb (Hartford) was a bright spot. The big lefty – who started on opening night then missed a big chunk of time with illness – had his best performance since returning. He struck out five in three innings of relief.

 

What to Watch

Just two games on the schedule today. Orleans visits Hyannis and Wareham heads to Bourne. Both are 6 p.m. starts. In Hyannis, Jeff Hoffman (East Carolina) will make his third start of the summer.

Posted on

The Next Big Thing

Kris Bryant and the Cubs have agreed to a deal

 
Maybe it’s the wishful thinking of a Cubs fan, but I’ve thinking/hoping ever since the draft that Kris Bryant could be the next Cape League alum to hit it big in Major League Baseball.

There are plenty of solid Big Leaguers, of course – the alumni list hit 1,000 just this week – but I’m talking perennial all-star types, the Buster Poseys and Evan Longorias of the world. If it happens, Bryant could be the first Cape League star of the 2010’s.

And there’s reason to think it will happen. Bryant hit 31 home runs for San Diego this past spring, 10 more than anyone in college baseball and more than a lot of teams. He had a remarkable year and shot to the top of draft boards. The Cubs took him with the second overall pick and the sides have reportedly have agreed to terms this week on a record signing bonus.

Bryant’s tim on the Cape was typical of what you expect from a freshmen – some struggles, but flashes too. He hit only .223 but bombed three home runs and had more than a third of his hits go for extra bases.

Had Bryant not gone to Team USA and returned to Chatham, it’s a safe bet he would have been a star. Can you imagine him hitting the juiced balls? I’m not sure any record would have been safe.

As it is, Bryant is still a full-fledged Cape League veteran, not a cameo guy like Mark Appel or Mike Zunino.

And he may be the league’s next star. This Cubs fan hopes so.

 

  • I mentioned this on Twitter, but I’ll make note of it here too. Max Pentecost’s amazing performance Wednesday night is made all the more amazing by the fact that he was the starting catcher that night and remained behind the plate for all 12 innings. It’s been a while since the Cape had an elite catching prospect. Pentecost may fit the bill.

  • Derek Fisher hit eight home runs on his way to top prospect honors in the Northwoods League last summer. The Virginia slugger has yet to hit a home run on the Cape but he’s still been one of the league’s best. Fisher leads the league with a .397 batting average. He has five multi-hit games in his last eight. He has also struck out just six times in 58 at-bats and has a .500 on-base percentage.

  • Chatham is doing perfectly fine for itself this season, but that lineup almost had one of the best hitters in the country. Taylor Sparks of UC Irvine was a late invitee to Team USA, and he’s tearing it up for the National Team. He leads the squad with a .421 average.

  • Speaking of the Anglers, for a while it looked like Chatham was going to be a team of solid players, without any stars. Dante Flores has stepped into the void. After hitting just .154 for Chatham last summer, he’s one of the best hitters in the league this year. His triple-slash line is .354/.419/.576, one of the best in the league.

  • There is quite a battle going on for the league lead in stolen bases. Brewster’s Scott Heineman currently has it with 14 steals, but Harwich’s Aaron Barbosa is hot on his heels with 13. Orleans’ Greg Allen and Falmouth’s Kevin Newman each have 11. All of those guys are on pace to run right past the league-leading totals of the last few years. Tony Kemp led with 18 last year, Kyle Wren had 18 in 2011 and Andy Burns had 25 in 2010. The last huge total came in 2009, when Chris Bisson stole 36.

  • Former Chatham A Grant Green was called up to the Oakland A’s this week. He was hitting .318 with 11 homers at Triple A. If Green makes a name for himself at all in the Big Leagues, he’s got Cape League Hall of Famer written all over him. Green won a championship with Y-D then was an MVP candidate for Chatham the next year.

  • My most underrated players in the league so far? Connor Joe of Chatham and Conner Hale of Falmouth. Joe is hitting .282 with a homer and 10 RBI. Hale is at .278 with a home run and 11 RBI. Also, why are there so many Connors/Conners/Conors in the Cape League this year? I can’t keep the spellings straight.

  • Chatham has two players, Mitchell Gonsolus and Sheehan Planas-Arteaga, with on-base percentages north of .420 – and both of them have batting averages under .270. The Anglers can really work a walk.

  • Wareham reliever Ryan Riga has been a busy man this summer. He leads the league in appearances with 14. The Gatemen have played 24 games.

  • There’s always a middle reliever who doesn’t get as much but deserves as much attention as starters and closers. Cotuit’s Joel Seddon is at the top of the list so far. He’s made six appearances and hasn’t allowed an earned run in 15 innings.

  • Some of my favorite players on the Cape are small-school guys who make an impression and come back the next year when their teams need some help. Cotuit’s Galli Cribbs, Jr. and Wareham’s Fred Shepard are doing it this year. Cribbs, of Clarendon College, is hitting .229 and playing a solid shortstop when asked for a Cotuit team that’s been hit hard by personnel losses. Wareham has been in a similar boat and Shepard has stepped up. The left from Amherst has an ERA that’s on the high side but he’s tied for fourth in the league in strikeouts.

    •  

    Posted on

    Mad Max

    Max Pentecost went 5-for-5 with two home runs for the Bourne Braves last night.

     
    Around 9:30 last night, I was cruising the Cape Cod Baseball League box scores from the evening, trying to get an idea of what I might write about today. I saw that Max Pentecost was having a big night, but his Bourne Braves were losing at the time. I didn’t check again.

    Late into the night, Pentecost’s big performance turned huge.

    The rising junior at Kennesaw State went 5-for-5 with two home runs, including a two-run bomb that broke a tie game in the 12th and sent the Braves on their way to an 8-6 victory over Orleans.

    Every once in a while, you get a masterful performance in the Cape League, and without a doubt, this was one of them.

    Pentecost came in hitting .329 with three home runs, already a solid line. He’s been getting some love lately as potentially the top catching prospect on the Cape.

    After Wednesday, you can drop the catching tag from that and just call him one of the best.

    Pentecost reached base all seven times, adding a walk and a hit-by-pitch to his 5-for-5 night.

    And the five hits weren’t just any five hits. He hit a solo home run in the third to put the Braves ahead 2-1. In the fifth, he singled as part of a three-run rally. In the seventh, with his team trailing 6-5 and two outs, Pentecost singled to bring in the tying run.

    Apparently, he was just setting the stage for even more heroics.

    After three scoreless innings, Pentecost waited in the on-deck circle with two outs in the 12th and watched as Mason Robbins (Southern Miss) worked a walk. That gave Pentecost a chance and he didn’t waste it, smashing a home run over the fence in left to give the Braves the lead.

    Pentecost’s teammate Justin McCalvin loaded the bases in the bottom of the 12th but wiggled out with a game-ending double-play.

    That secured a marathon win – and hero status for Pentecost.

    The Georgia native was a potential early-round pick out of high school but he had to have Tommy John surgery. He still only fell to the seventh round, but headed to Kennesaw State. After being named the seventh-best prospect in the NECBL last summer, he hit three home runs this spring.

    Now he’s officially one of the best on the Cape. Thanks to his big night, he ranks second in the league in hitting, is tied for the lead in home runs and sits third in RBI.

    And he owns the 2013 Cape League season’s most memorable performance.

     

    Hyannis 10, Falmouth 8

    Falmouth’s big bats touched up top pitching prospect Jeff Hoffman (East Carolina) for eight runs in 3.2 innings, but it was Hoffman’s Harbor Hawks who got the last laugh. Hyannis rallied for 10 runs over the final five innings to win 10-8 and grab sole possession of first place in the West with a 15-7 record. Falmouth slipped to 14-9. The comeback started with three runs in the fifth and continued with six in the sixth. Tyler Spoon (Arkansas) led the charge with three hits and two RBI, while Jay Baum (Clemson) and Dominic Jose (Stanford) also knocked in two runs each. Andrew Istler (Duke) stopped the bleeding after Hoffman’s rough outing and got the win. Jay Shaw (Alabama) and Jordan Foley (Central Michigan) finished it off. For Falmouth, Kevin Newman (Arizona) and Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) had three hits each.

     

    Y-D 6, Chatham 4

    Chatham ace Andrew McGee (Monmouth) had his first bad start of the summer and Y-D (11-12-1) took advantage, knocking off the first-place Anglers (15-8-1). Brandon Downes (Virginia) hit his first home run for the Red Sox, Jose Trevino (Oral Roberts) had three hits and D.J. Stewart (Florida State) drove in two runs. Daniel Savas (Illinois State), who went seven shutout innings in his last start, gave up three earned in 5.2 innings for the win. He struck out seven. Darrell Hunter (Oregon) worked three scoreless innings with four strikeouts for the save. Chatham got a home run from Josh Eldridge (Old Dominion) and two hits from Dante Flores (USC).

     

    Brewster 6, Cotuit 5

    The Whitecaps (8-15) won for the second straight time and the fifth time in seven games, as they knocked off Cotuit (14-10). Corey Taylor (Texas Tech) delivered three strong innings of relief for the win and Brad Schreiber (Purdue) got the save. Kyle Overstreet (Alabama) homered for the Whitecaps, while Scott Heineman (Oregon) had three hits and stole two bases. Mike Ford (Princeton) went 2-for-3 with two RBI to lead Cotuit.

     

    Harwich 8, Wareham 3

    The Mariners (13-11) stopped a two-game skid with a victory over the Gatemen (5-19). Harwich broke open a 3-2 game with five runs in the seventh. Derek Fisher (Virginia) led the big offensive night, going 3-for-4 with three RBI. He’s atop the batting average leaderboard at .397. Ryan Lindemuth (William & Mary) added two hits and two RBI. Jalen Beeks (Arkansas) turned in six strong innings on the mound, allowing two runs and striking out four for the win.

     

    What to Watch

    Just two games on the schedule tonight, but it could be a fun one in Bourne. The Braves host Falmouth at 6 p.m., with ace Jaron Long (Ohio State) on the hill – and we saw what Falmouth can do to a top starter last night. With Pentecost now in the mix, the game also features the league’s top five home run hitters.

    Posted on

    Midseason Awards

    The halfway point of the season always sneaks up on me. We’re roughly there now, with a couple of teams just past it and a few more right on the number.

    It’s been an interesting year – not quite as eye-popping as last summer, but with some good storylines. Stars are starting to emerge, and these guys are the best of the best with 22 games in the books.

    MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

    Kevin Cron, Falmouth

    Cron’s teammate Rhys Hoskins has been the front-runner all season in my book, but in a 22-game sample size, one hot streak can mean a lot.

    And Cron is on one.

    He’s been steady all summer, with a nine-game hitting streak at one point, and in the last week, he’s been on fire.

    At the halfway mark, Cron ranked fourth in the league in hitting at .367. He sat second in home runs with four. He led in RBI with 20. Cron’s triple-slash line was .367/.444/.620.

    A former third-round pick, Cron had a great freshman season at TCU in 2012 but followed with a shaky sophomore year. It’s safe to say he’s back on track.

    IN THE RUNNING

    Rhys Hoskins, Falmouth
    Dante Flores, Chatham
    Mike Ford, Cotuit
    Ian Happ, Harwich
    Jose Brizuela, Brewster
    Skyler Ewing, Hyannis
    Jimmy Pickens, Chatham
    Chris Marconcini, Orleans
    D.J. Stewart, Y-D
    Max Pentecost, Bourne

     

    OUTSTANDING PITCHER

    Erick Fedde, Y-D

    This was the toughest of the three awards to pick. Nobody has run through the league with dominant outing after dominant outing. Fedde gets the nod with a blend of dominance, steadiness and durability.

    The rising junior at UNLV delivered the best start of opening night and has kept doing it pretty much every step of the way.

    In five starts, he leads the league in innings pitched with 30.2. He owns a 2.35 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, a league-high 26 strikeouts and just eight walks. Opponents are hitting just .204 against him.

    IN THE RUNNING

    Aaron Bummer, Harwich
    Jaron Long, Bourne
    Andrew McGee, Chatham
    Bobby Poyner, Orleans
    Ryan Kellogg, Bourne
    Justin Kamplain, Brewster
    Andrew Thome, Hyannis
    Chandler Shepherd, Harwich
    Lukas Schiraldi, Chatham

     

    OUTSTANDING RELIEF PITCHER

    Matt Troupe, Orleans

    Troupe is one off the league-leading saves pace of Hyannis’ Eric Eck, but Troupe has been as dominant as any pitcher in the league.

    The Arizona junior has five saves to go with a 0.00 ERA. He has struck out 16 and walked four in just 8.1 innings, giving him an eye-popping K/9 ratio of 17.3.

    It’s still early, so that K/9 number will probably go down. But in the last four years, among pitchers with a good amount of innings, the highest number was around 15.

    However it shakes out, it’s a safe bet Troupe will continue to dominate.

    IN THE RUNNING

    Eric Eck, Hyannis
    Trace Dempsey, Bourne
    Jacob Dorris, Chatham
    Darrell Hunter, Y-D
    Brian Miller, Cotuit
    Sarkis Ohanian, Hyannis
    Joel Seddon, Cotuit
    Bradley Roney, Wareham
    Patrick Corbett, Cotuit
    Chad Sobotka, Chatham
    Ryan Riga, Wareham
     

    Posted on

    A Falmouth Fourth

    Leon Byrd Jr. had a double and a triple as Falmouth ran past Cotuit in a Fourth of July victory.

     
    No team in the Cape Cod Baseball League celebrated America’s independence quite like the Falmouth Commodores.

    While one other team swept its holiday series, and the others all played to splits, Falmouth surged to a pair of victories over Cotuit, the team that came into the holiday week with the most wins in the league.

    With a 5-3 victory Wednesday and a 13-6 win on the Fourth of July, the Commodores have now matched that win total with an 11-7 record. Hyannis also has 11 wins, creating a logjam at the top of the West.

    Falmouth picked up No. 11 – and the holiday sweep – thanks to one of its best offensive nights of the season. The Commodores finished with seven extra-base hits and two home runs. Dylan Davis (Oregon State), who hit two home runs on Wednesday, added another last night, going 3-for-5 with three runs scored and four RBI. He is tied for the league lead in homers with all of three games under his belt and he’s hitting a cool .538.

    Conner Hale (State College of Florida) also homered and went 2-for-4 with four RBI. Leon Byrd Jr. (Rice) had a double and a triple, Kevin Cron (TCU) stayed hot with a 3-for-4 night and two RBI, and Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) went 2-for-4.

    On the mound, Daniel Koger (Auburn) struck out six in four scoreless innings in his first appearance since week one. Kevin Mooney got the win in relief.

    The Kettleers had 12 hits of their own – including four from Mike Ford (Princeton) and two home runs by Yale Rosen (Washington State), who also joined the tie for the league lead – but it wasn’t enough.

    Falmouth, who’s been poised for a breakout all year with its productive offense and strikeout-happy pitching staff, started to do it in style.

     

    Hyannis 9, Y-D 6

    Jeff Hoffman (East Carolina) made his 2013 Cape League debut and didn’t disappoint. The rising junior lefty flashed the stuff that made him Baseball America’s seventh-best prospect in the Cape last year, striking out eight and giving up two runs on five hits in six innings of work. Frankie Piliere of Perfect Game tweeted that Hoffman’s fastball touched 97 and that “the title of best pitcher on the Cape is his to lose.” Hoffman’s debut set Hyannis (11-5) on the course to a victory as they led most of the way and then held off a late run by the Red Sox (8-9-1). Eric Eck (Wofford) picked up his fourth save, which is tied for the league lead. Austin Slater (Stanford) homered for the Harbor Hawks while Jay Baum (Clemson) had three hits and two RBI. Alex Blandino (Stanford) had three hits for the Red Sox.

     

    Chatham 7, Orleans 2

    After getting shut out on Wednesday, the Anglers (11-6-1) got right back on the horse with a 12-hit showing and a series split with the Firebirds (9-8). Dante Flores (USC), who has had more multi-hit games this summer (5) than single-hit games (3), delivered another one, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Five other Anglers had an RBI each as well, including Connor Joe (San Diego), who had two hits to go with it. On the mound, early-season star Andrew McGee (Monmouth) had his shortest outing of the summer but was still solid. He gave up two runs in four innings while striking out three. Tommy Lawrence (Maine) relieved him and got his second win in five days with two perfect innings. J.D. Davis (Cal State Fullerton), a two-way player in the college season, made his first pitching appearance of the summer and struck out two for the save.

     

    Bourne 6, Wareham 1

    Bourne (9-9) had lost its only game with Wareham (3-15) before the holiday, but the series went to the Braves. After a 4-2 victory on Wednesday, they cruised to a 6-1 win on Thursday. Tim Caputo (Rhode Island) went 2-for-5 to finish the holiday series going 6-for-9. Mason Robbins (Southern Miss) and Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State) each had three hits while Tyler Kuresa (UC Santa Barbara) homered, his first. Clint Freeman (East Tennessee State) had two hits and drove in two runs. On the mound, Jaron Long (Ohio State) turned in his third impressive start, striking out two in five innings and giving up his first earned run of the season. Cody Livingston (Southern Miss) had a dominant relief outing, striking out six of the nine men he faced in three perfect innings. Nigel Nootbaar (USC) finished the job with a scoreless frame. For Wareham Fred Shepard (Amherst) struck out eight in 4.2 innings but was touched up for six runs.

     

    Brewster 10, Harwich 5

    The teams combined for 34 hits but the Whitecaps (4-13) had a little more production and knocked off the Mariners (10-8). Jose Brizuela (Florida State) went 2-for-4 with four RBI to lead the parade, Trevor Mitsui (Washington State) had three hits and two RBI and Scott Heineman (Oregon) continued a hot streak with a 4-for-5 night in the leadoff spot. Heineman was hitting .143 on June 25. He is now hitting .321. Nicholas Vazquez (Pittsburgh) added two hits and an RBI. On the mound, Jake Stinnett (Maryland) gave up 10 hits in six innings but limited the Mariners to two runs on his way to the win. He struck out six. Corey Taylor (Texas Tech) pitched three strong innings to close it out. Harwich got a hit from every spot in the lineup, including three from Derek Fisher (Virginia), who has a six-game hitting streak and is batting .359.

     

    What to Watch

    Falmouth will try to stay hot as it heads to Harwich for a 7 p.m. match-up with the Mariners, who have been one of the top teams in the East. Brandon Magallones (Northwestern), who has a 1.86 ERA, goes for Falmouth against A.J. Reed (Kentucky), Harwich’s two-way standout who’s just back from Team USA.

    And a quick site note – Daily Fog will take a brief hiatus Saturday but will be back on Sunday.

    Posted on

    Shut Down

    Greg Allen and Orleans notched a big win over Chatham.

     
    On a night when Cape Cod Baseball League teams combined for 10 home runs, you would have thought Chatham – one of the league’s best teams – would get in on the act.

    Orleans wasn’t having it.

    Four Firebirds pitchers combined on a one-hit shutout of the first-place Anglers in a 3-0 victory. It was the third straight win for the Firebirds and it stopped a three-game winning streak by the Anglers.

    It also stopped a strong offensive run. Chatham had scored 22 runs in its three straight victories, making the Orleans pitching performance look that much more impressive.

    Trent Szkutnik (Michigan) made his second start of the summer and dominated, striking out five in five innings. He gave up Chatham’s only hit of the night, a second inning single by Sheehan Planas-Arteaga (Barry).

    Brian Clark (Kent State), who had a rough go of it the last time he faced Chatham, followed Szkutnik to the hill and cruised, striking out three in two innings of work. Trevor Kelley (North Carolina) then made his second appearance since arriving after UNC’s run to the College World Series and picked up a strikeout in a scoreless frame.

    Matt Troupe (Arizona), as usual, finished it off. The righty struck out the side in the ninth on 14 pitches, despite going through three of the best hitters in the Chatham order. Troupe now leads the league with four saves and he has struck out 14 in just 6.2 innings.

    Orleans backed the stellar pitching effort with just enough offense. Late arrival Ross Kivett (Kansas State), who had gone hitless in his first four games, followed up his 3-hit breakout from Tuesday with a home run in a 2-for-2 performance. He drove in two of the three runs. Austin Davidson (Pepperdine) also added two hits.

    Aaron Garza (Houston) struck out seven in five innings for Chatham and was the hard-luck loser.

    The Firebirds are now 9-7, just three points back of 10-6-1 Chatham.

     

    Falmouth 5, Cotuit 3

    Falmouth (10-7) had a big night with the bats and knocked off the league’s top team. Dylan Davis (Oregon State), playing in his second game of the summer, smashed two home runs and Kevin Cron (TCU) also went yard as the Commodores took an early lead and never looked back. Davis, who played briefly with Brewster last summer, finished 3-for-4 with three RBI. Cron went 2-for-4 and Leon Byrd Jr (Rice) also had two hits. Falmouth did most of the damage against Chris Ellis (Ole Miss), who has been one of the best pitchers in the league. He had allowed just one earned run and only two extra-base hits coming into the game. Trey Teakell (TCU) picked up the win for Falmouth. Mike Ford (Princeton) homered for Cotuit, his second of the year. The Kettleers fell to 11-6.

     

    Harwich 10, Brewster 3

    It was also a big night for the long ball in Harwich, where the Mariners (10-7) also hit three on their way to a blow-out of the Whitecaps (3-13). Ian Happ (Cincinnati) hit two homers as part of a 4-for-5, 3 RBI night that raised his average to .367, good for second in the league. Ben Moore (Alabama) also had a huge night, hitting a home run and going 4-for-4 with three RBI. Ryan Lindemuth (William & Mary) added two hits, while Derek Fisher (Virginia), Gunnar Heidt (College of Charleston) and Branden Cogswell (Virginia) knocked in one run each. Jalen Beeks (Arkansas) picked up the win with five solid innings. Dillon Peters (Texas), a stand-out for the Longhorns this spring, made his Cape debut and struck out three in two innings of relief. Ian Tompkins (Western Kentucky) and Chris Oliver (Arkansas) finished it off.

     

    Y-D 6, Hyannis 5

    The Harbor Hawks (10-5) joined the home run party with two, but Y-D (8-8-1) rallied for two runs in the sixth on its way to the win. Sox ace Erick Fedde (UNLV) had his worst outing of the year, giving up five runs in seven innings, but he still picked up the victory. Kody Kerski (Sacred Heart) and Darrell Hunter (Oregon) worked scoreless innings to keep Y-D in front. Andrew Daniel (San Diego) led the offense with two hits, raising his average back above .400. Taylor White (UNLV) drove in two runs. Kyle Wood (Purdue), Alex Blandino (Stanford) and Jose Trevino (Oral Roberts) drove in one run each. Jeff Schalk (UAB) and Tyler Spoon (Arkansas) hit the home runs for Hyannis.

     

    Bourne 4, Wareham 2

    The Braves (8-9) steadily took control on their way to a victory over the Gatemen (3-14). Kyle Kubat (Nebraska) struck out seven and gave up just two runs in seven innings for the win. Michael Costello (Radford), who has hooked on with the Braves after Harwich let him go, struck out two in a scoreless frame, as did Trace Dempsey (Ohio State). Tim Caputo (Rhode Island) led the offense, going 4-for-4 with two RBI. Eric Fisher (Arkansas) went 3-for-3.

     

    What to Watch

    The holiday series continue with the same match-ups tonight. It should be another good one between Chatham and Orleans, with Andrew McGee (Monmouth), who’s been the league’s best pitcher, going against Josh Sborz (Virginia). In Hyannis, Jeff Hoffman (East Carolina) – Baseball America’s seventh-best prospect in the league last year – returns to the Harbor Hawks and will make his first start. He goes against Y-D and Kyle Wood (Purdue).

     

    Posted on

    Coastal Duo

    Ben Smith delivers a pitch for Cotuit earlier this summer.

     
    Ben Smith and Patrick Corbett left Coastal Carolina in the spring knowing they’d be back together this summer in Cotuit.

    I’m not sure they knew they’d be this together.

    The Coastal Carolina teammates have each pitched in four games for the Kettleers – the same four games. Smith has started four, and Corbett has come on in relief in the same four.

    It’s mostly a quirky coincidence, but it’s also been very effective.

    Smith suddenly leads the league in strikeouts with 22 while Corbett has yet to allow an earned run in 8.1 innings of work. Cotuit has won three of the duo’s four games, with the only loss a walk-off by Chatham – when Smith and Corbett had already departed.

    That Chatham game marked the first use of the tag team. Smith started and went 2.2 innings. Corbett followed him to the mound and went 2.1. Five days later, in a 6-3 win over Orleans, Smith stretched out to five strong innings, while Corbett chipped in for one out in the eighth. Their next game against Wareham, they were in full-on tag team mode, with Smith going six innings and Corbett finishing the job with three.

    Last night, the Kettleers beat Brewster 8-2 with Smith and Corbett combining for seven strong innings. Smith struck out seven and gave up two runs on five hits in 4.1 innings of work. Corbett came on in the fifth and struck out three in 2.2 scoreless innings. Brian Miller (Vanderbilt) then worked two scoreless frames to finish it off.

    The Cotuit pitchers had plenty of run support. Logan Ratledge (NC State) hit his second home run – in his second game with the Kettleers. The rest of the attack was balanced. Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt), Yale Rosen (Washington State), Kevin Bradley (Clemson), Jake Fincher (NC State) and Galli Cribbs, Jr. (Clarendon) all drove in one run each.

    The win was Cotuit’s 11th of the year, best in the league.

    If they need another one five days from now, they’ll know who to call.

     

    Hyannis 4, Harwich 2

    The Harbor Hawks (10-4) matched up against Harwich’s Chandler Shepherd (Kentucky), who hadn’t allowed a run in two starts. Shepherd struck out nine in six innings, but Hyannis touched him up for three runs on its way to an impressive victory. Steve Wilkerson (Clemson), Skyler Ewing (Rice) and Jeff Schalk (UAB) all homered for the Harbor Hawks, while Chase Griffin (Georgia State) drove in the other run. The three home runs matched the team’s season total going into last night. Hyannis also got strong pitching. Austin Pettibone (UC Santa Barbara) struck out four in six scoreless innings on the same night his brother Jonathan picked up a win for the Philadelphia Phillies. Eric Eck (Wofford) picked up his third save with two strikeouts in a scoreless ninth. For Harwich, Derek Fisher (Virginia) went 3-for-4 while Ian Happ (Cincinnati) had two hits and an RBI. The Mariners are 9-7 and have dropped three in a row.

     

    Chatham 7, Bourne 5

    The Anglers (10-5-1) joined Cotuit and Hyannis in the double-digit win club with their third straight win. They scored five runs in the first inning and never trailed, holding off a charge from Bourne to win. Hunter Redman (Texas Tech) had a huge night to lead the offense, going 4-for-4 with an RBI. He had three hits for the season before that. Jimmy Pickens (Michigan State) added two hits and an RBI, while Josh Eldridge (Old Dominion) knocked in two runs. North Carolina standouts Landon Lassiter and Michael Russell made their Cape debuts and had one hit apiece for the Anglers. On the mound, Joe Goodman (High Point) picked up the win in relief and Kyle Funkhouser (Louisville) picked up a save in his debut. Bourne (7-9) got three hits from Trent Gilbert (Arizona) and two RBI from Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State).

     

    Orleans 11, Falmouth 5

    The Firebirds (8-7) scored double-digit runs for the second time this year and moved over .500 with the victory over Falmouth. They finished with 17 hits off of a parade of Falmouth pitchers, doing all their damage in the first four innings. Zach Fish (Oklahoma State) led the charge, going 3-for-4 with three RBI. Ross Kivett (Kansas State) went 3-for-4 with two RBI, and Austin Davidson (Pepperdine) had two hits and three RBI. Leadoff man Greg Allen (San Diego State) went 2-for-6, stretching his hit streak to six games. He has also had three straight multi-hit games and is now hitting .333, good for third in the league. Corey Miller (Pepperdine) picked up the win with five solid innings. Four relievers worked one inning each. Kevin Newman (Arizona) had three hits for Falmouth (9-7).

     

    Wareham 6, Y-D 3

    The Gatemen (3-13) snapped a give-game skid with a much-needed victory over Y-D (7-8-1). Kurt McCune (LSU), a former Friday starter for the Tigers who spent the spring working his way back from injury, was solid in his first Cape start of the year, striking out two and allowing two runs in five innings. Trey Killian (Arkansas) was terrific in relief, giving up one run and striking out five in a four-inning save. The offense got two hits and two RBI from Trevor Podratz (Hawaii), plus three hits and an RBI from Cole Stancil (St. Leo). The team’s 12 hits were a season-high for the Gatemen.

     

    What to Watch

    Teams square off tonight in the first of two holiday rivalry games, with all the same teams meeting tomorrow on the other’s home field for the Fourth of July. Cotuit hosts Falmouth tonight at 5 p.m. in a battle of two of the West’s best teams. Chris Ellis (Ole Miss), who has given up one earned run in three starts, goes for the Kettleers against Trey Teakell (TCU), who has a 1.47 ERA in three starts. In the East, Orleans hosts Chatham at 7 p.m., with Trent Szkutnik (Michigan) on the mound. He allowed two runs in his first start. Aaron Garza (Houston), who owns a 2.34 ERA, starts for Chatham.