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Opening Weekend

Eric Lauer led the Cape League in strikeouts last summer and will be part of a marquee pitching match-up on college baseball's opening day.
Eric Lauer led the Cape League in strikeouts last summer and will be part of a marquee pitching match-up on college baseball’s opening day.

Friday is a major milestone on the march to a Cape League summer – and a great day in its own right.

Division I college baseball opens with 137 games on the schedule. Cape League stars past and future will be on diamonds across America. If you’re in the mood to watch, Watch ESPN has 13 games streaming Friday, beginning at 4 p.m.

Without further ado, some Cape League-centric notes on the opening weekend proceedings . . .

  • Friday’s game between Virginia and Kent State at the Caravelle Resort Tournament in Myrtle Beach could be one of the highlights of the weekend. The Cavaliers are the defending national champs, while the Golden Flashes are a perennial mid-major contender and aren’t far removed from a 2012 trip to Omaha.Friday, the Golden Flashes will send former Orleans Firebird Eric Lauer to the hill, and he figures to give them a chance. Lauer had a terrific sophomore season last year, putting up a 1.98 ERA with 103 strikeouts. He didn’t slow down much on the Cape, leading the league with 50 strikeouts while posting a 2.04 ERA. MLB Pipeline lists Lauer as the 38th-best prospect for the 2016 Major League Baseball draft.His opponent Friday is Virginia’s Connor Jones, MLB Pipeline’s 11th-best prospect. Interestingly, Lauer and Jones were slated to be teammates in Orleans, but Jones sat out the summer after a heavy workload for the CWS champ Cavaliers. (Also an initial member of the Orleans pitching staff? No. 2 draft prospect A.J. Puk of Florida. Just a crazy collection of arms had it panned out).

    Lauer says he’s more confident than ever after his summer on the Cape, and he’ll need to be confident against the Cavaliers.

  • Lauer’s Orleans teammate Mitchell Jordan gets the start for Stetson Friday at 6:30 p.m. against Delaware. In a Stetson uniform last spring, Jordan was solid, with a 3.28 ERA. For the Firebirds, he was transcendent, posting a 0.21 ERA on his way to Cape League Pitcher of the Year honors. It’ll be interesting to see what Jordan’s big summer means for him this season. The Atlantic Sun named him a preseason all-conference pick.
  • The Volunteer State gets a cool baseball showcase when Tennessee and Memphis square off in Chattanooga this weekend. Tennessee will be led by a pair of 2015 Cape League standouts in infielder Nick Senzel and pitcher Kyle Serrano. Senzel earned league MVP and top prospect honors for Brewster and is projected to be one of the top players in the country this year, as well as a first-round pick. Serrano, another Orleans pitcher, will be an anchor for the Vols’ pitching staff.
  • Oklahoma State is ranked as high seventh in national preseason polls, and a guy who won big on the Cape is a major reason why. Donnie Walton, a key part of Y-D’s championship club, is one of seven starters back for the Cowboys. They face UT Arlington and Stephen F. Austin this weekend.
  • Matt Krook’s comeback started in Wareham, and it will continue Saturday when Oregon faces San Diego State. Krook was a supplemental first-round pick in 2013 who had Tommy John surgery. He missed all of the college season last spring before getting back on the mound for the first time with the Gatemen. And it could prove to be the beginning of a great comeback. Krook is MLB Pipeline’s 23rd-ranked prospect for the 2016 draft, and he was reportedly at the top of his game in Oregon’s final preseason scrimmage.
  • Andrew Calica’s season for UC Santa Barbara begins Friday at 5 p.m. against San Francisco, as the former Gatemen tries to build on hitting .400 on the Cape. As with the aforementioned Jordan, it’ll be very interesting what a terrific Cape League season will mean.
  • The series between Arizona and Rice shapes up as a good one. We’ll see if Bobby Dalbec’s ridiculous Cape League home run rate carries over to the spring.
  • Few players on the Cape last summer helped themselves more than Dakota Hudson in Hyannis. The Mississippi State flame-thrower delivered the production to match his projection and will be a big prospect to watch this spring. He’ll start for the Bulldogs Friday against Florida Atlantic.
  • Some future Orleans Firebirds will be on opposite sides when San Diego and Vanderbilt get together this weekend. San Diego catcher Riley Adams and Vandy’s Chandler Day, Donny Everett and Ethan Paul are all set to play in Orleans. Day was recently named the top freshman prospect in America by D-1Baseball.com. With a crowded staff that includes Cape playoff hero Ben Bowden, Day is likely to pitch out of the bullpen for the Commodores. Vanderbilt’s roster also features some future Cotuit Kettleers, including standout pitcher Kyle Wright and freshman infielder Alonzo Jones.
  • Consensus preseason No. 1 Florida is a little light on Cape League flavor after a ton of their rising juniors played for Team USA last summer. As for popular No. 2 pick Louisville, the Cards have plenty of Cape League roots. Brendan McKay and Nick Solak, who played for Bourne last summer, are poised for big years. Kyle Funkhouser, a Chatham Angler in 2013, is back after he was drafted in the first round by the Dodgers but didn’t sign. Louisville faces Southern Illinois-Edwardsville to open its season.

 

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Going Three

Parker Dunshee tossed six shutout innings as Chatham edged Orleans.
Parker Dunshee tossed six shutout innings as Chatham edged Orleans.

 
Three of the four opening-round playoff series ended in sweeps Tuesday. The one that’s going to three games is not the one you’d expect.

The fourth-seeded Chatham Anglers, who lost seven of their final eight regular-season games and dropped Monday’s opener, knocked off top-seeded Orleans 1-0 Tuesday night to push their East Division semifinal series to a decisive third game.

The Firebirds, with the best record in the league, had been shut out only once all season, in a 5-0 loss to Y-D on July 10. But Chatham’s Parker Dunshee (Wake Forest) and two of his teammates made it two shutouts, right when it counted the most.

Dunshee was as dominant as anybody has been all year against the powerful Firebirds. He allowed two hits, both singles, and struck out eight in six shutout innings. The right-hander was working on an eight-inning scoreless streak heading into the game, but six innings of two-hit baseball against these Firebirds represented a jump to a whole new level. He took a no-hitter into the fifth before Orleans notched a pair of singles, one that didn’t leave the infield.

Brandon Miller (Millersville) and Aaron McGarity (Virginia Tech) picked up where Dunshee left off, combining on three perfect innings to finish off the win.

Orleans starter Eric Lauer (Kent State) was almost as good as Dunshee, striking out nine and giving up four hits in five innings. But Chatham’s fourth-inning tally proved to be enough. Dunshee’s Wake Forest teammate Joey Rodriguez, a mid-season addition who hit just .105 in nine regular-season games, delivered the run-scoring hit. Aaron Barnett (Pepperdine), who had led off the inning with a base hit, scored the run.

The Firebirds never really threatened. The fifth-inning singles were their only hits, and Dunshee had no trouble escaping the mini-jam.

Orleans had won five straight, looking the part of the favorite. Thanks to Chatham and Parker Dunshee, the favorite quickly finds itself in a must-win game.
 

Y-D 7, Brewster 3

Y-D’s come-from-behind win in game one put Brewster in a tough spot, and not just because the Whitecaps faced elimination. They would also be facing Red Sox ace Ricky Thomas (Fresno State), who has quite literally been unbeatable this year. It proved to be just as tough as expected. Thomas was right on script, tossing six shutout innings with seven strikeouts as the Red Sox eliminated Brewster with a 7-3 victory. Thomas is now 8-0 on the summer. Ryan Noda (Cincinnati) homered to lead the Y-D attack, while Donnie Walton (Oklahoma State) and Chris Hudgins (Cal State Fullerton) chipped in two hits each. Y-D and Brewster both had 11 hits, but the Whitecaps were shut-out for seven innings and could muster only three runs in the eighth as they attempted a comeback. Jack Meggs (Washington) went 3-for-4 to lead Brewster. MVP Nick Senzel – Brewster’s leading hitter and run producer – missed the game with a wrist injury. The loss brings to an end a terrific season for Brewster and first-year manager Jamie Shevchik. The defending champion Red Sox move on.
 

Hyannis 9, Cotuit 5

Hyannis is now 8-0 against Cotuit this season, and the Kettleers won’t get another chance to change that, as the Harbor Hawks’ victory Tuesday sent them home. The West’s top seed started fast for a second straight night, scoring seven runs in the first three innings after getting six Monday. Ryne Birk (Texas A&M), who had one home run in the regular season, hit his second of the playoffs to make it a 3-0 game in the second inning. No. 9 hitter Tristan Hildebrandt (Cal State Fullerton) went 4-for-5 and knocked in three runs. Corey Bird (Marshall) went 2-for-5 and scored twice. Armed with the early lead, Vance Tatum (Mississippi State) allowed two runs in five innings for the win. Cotuit made some headway against the bullpen but would get no closer than the final four-run margin. Michael Paez (Coastal Carolina) was a bright spot for Cotuit in the loss, going 4-for-5 with two RBI. The loss sent Cotuit to its first opening-round exit since 2012. The Kettleers were league champs in 2013 and West finalists last year.
 

Bourne 4, Wareham 0

After a 7-1 victory in game one, Bourne pitching was even better in game two, as the Braves shut-out Wareham and punched its ticket to the West finals. Keegan Akin (Western Michigan) went 4.2 innings and struck out four ahead of a dominant relief outing from Kyle Driscoll (Rutgers), who struck out six in 3.1 innings. Austin Conway (Indiana State) pitched a perfect ninth. The co-winner of the league’s top reliever award still hasn’t allowed an earned run this summer. The Bourne offense backed the strong mound work with three runs in the top of the first inning, all on a home run by C.J. Chatham (Florida Atlantic). Wareham starter Brett Hanewich (Stanford) settled in from there, but the damage was done. Chatham added an RBI single in the eighth as the Braves cruised to the victory.
 

What to Watch

With only one first-round series headed to a third game, everybody gets a day off Wednesday except for the Anglers and Firebirds. Game three of their set is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Eldredge Park. Corbin Burnes (St. Mary’s) was listed as the game three probable for Orleans after the series opener. Ty Damron (Texas Tech) was listed as the Chatham starter.
 

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More of the Same

Ryne Birk catches a throw as Cotuit's Jeren Kendall slides underneath him in Monday's playoff game.
Ryne Birk catches a throw as Cotuit’s Jeren Kendall slides underneath him in Monday’s playoff game.

 
Cotuit went 0-for-6 against Hyannis in the regular season. If ever the Kettleers were going to break through, game one of their playoff series Monday looked like a pretty good time. They had ace Jon Woodcock (Virginia Tech) on the hill and the regular-season slate was wiped clean.

But Hyannis simply rolled on.

The top-seeded Harbor Hawks touched up Woodcock for eight runs – five of them earned – and built an 8-0 lead en route to a 10-3 victory at McKeon Park.

Woodcock ranked fourth in the league in ERA, but Hyannis had done a little damage against him in his final regular-season start, scoring three runs in 3.2 innings.

This time, the Harbor Hawks scored three runs in the first, one in the second and two in the third in racing to the early lead. Dakota Hudson (Mississippi State) pitched six strong innings for the win, allowing just two unearned runs. Zach Girrens (St. Louis) picked up a three-inning save.

Jacob Noll (Florida Gulf Coast) and Ryne Birk (Texas A&M) both homered for the Harbor Hawks. Noll added a single and finished with four RBI. Colby Bortles (Ole Miss) and Jake Rogers (Tulane) drove in two runs each, while Bobby Melley (Connecticut) continued his triumphant return with a 3-for-3 night. He was coming off a 4-for-5 performance in the season finale, his first Cape game since June 14.

Cotuit showed some life late with two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh. Spencer Gaa (Bradley) had two hits and an RBI.

It was too little, too late, just as it has been all season for Cotuit against Hyannis. The Kettleers will have one more chance to change that.
 

Orleans 4, Chatham 1

East top seed Orleans also took care of business in its opener, rallying from an early 1-0 deficit to beat Chatham 4-1. The Anglers struck first and pushed a run across against Mitchell Jordan (Stetson), a pretty rare feat. But Jordan would go the next 5.2 innings without allowing another run. He struck out four. Kit Scheetz (Virginia Tech) and Kyle Serrano (Tennessee) – who apparently is sliding to the bullpen – finished the job. The Firebirds took the lead in the second against Chatham starter Zac Gallen (North Carolina) and added two more runs in the fifth. Kyle Lewis (Mercer), Willie Abreu (Miami) and Nick Zammarelli (Elon) knocked in one run each. Abreu, who went 2-for-3, has a five-game hit streak that includes two home runs, giving Orleans one more dangerous hitter.
 

Y-D 3, Brewster 2

The only upset of the day happened at Stony Brook Field, where No. 3 Y-D rallied against the Brewster bullpen for a 3-2 victory over the No. 2 Whitecaps. Pitching figured to be the key for the Whitecaps – who had the league’s best batting average but the second-worst ERA – and Hunter Martin (Tennessee) gave them exactly what they needed. He went 6.2 shutout innings, keeping Brewster in front 1-0. Anthony Arias (Fresno State) relieved him with two outs in the seventh and got a quick third out but Y-D started the eighth with a single and a walk. The Red Sox then greeted new pitcher Thomas Hackimer (St. John’s) with two straight run-scoring singles and a sacrifice fly. Donnie Walton (Oklahoma State) and Dallas Carroll (Utah) had the base hits while Mike Donadio (St. John’s) delivered the sac fly. The Whitecaps got one run back in the bottom of the eighth but nothing else. Chad Hockin (Cal State Fullerton) then struck out two in a scoreless ninth.
 

Bourne 7, Wareham 1

The Braves scoed five runs in the second inning and never looked back in a 7-1 victory over Wareham. Reid Humphreys (Mississippi State) went 2-for-4 with three RBI to lead Bourne’s 10-hit attack. C.J. Chatham (Florida Atlantic) went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Pete Alonso (Florida) had two hits. Cody Sedlock (Illinois), who opened the season in the Bourne bullpen but transitioned to the rotation for three regular-season starts in July, showed why that was a good move. He went seven innings and gave up just one run, striking out five. Bryan Baker (North Florida) pitched the final two innings.
 

Award Winners

A number of Cape League awards were presented Monday, most notably the MVP and Pitcher of the Year honors.

The MVP went to Brewster’s Nick Senzel, and deservedly so. The Tennessee standout was solid early in the season then got hot and never cooled off. He ended up hitting .364 – second only to Andrew Calica – and led the league in RBI with 33. He is Brewster’s first MVP since J.C. Holt in 2003.

Senzel also took home Top Prospect honors.

Mitchell Jordan, another shoo-in, won Pitcher of the Year honors. Jordan tied a CCBL record with a 0.21 ERA, while going 6-0 for Orleans. He is the second straight Firebird hurler to take top honors. Kolton Mahoney won it last year.
 

What to Watch

Brewster at Y-D, 4 p.m.
Hyannis at Cotuit, 4 p.m.
Bourne at Wareham, 7 p.m.
Orleans at Chatham, 7 p.m.

Orleans will have its other ace, Eric Lauer, on the hill as it tries to finish off a sweep of Chatham at Veterans Field. Lauer finished the regular season as the league leader in strikeouts.
 

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Serving Notice

Tyson Miller struck out 11 and allowed just an unearned run as Brewster beat Orleans.
Tyson Miller struck out 11 and allowed just an unearned run as Brewster beat Orleans.

 

The Orleans Firebirds will likely win the East Division title and could still finish with the same 31-12-1 record as the 2007 Y-D Red Sox, the benchmark for great Cape teams in the last 15 years. But the last two nights have hinted that, regardless of where they finish, the Firebirds won’t have an easy time of it in the postseason.

After tying Orleans Tuesday, second-place Brewster beat the Firebirds 4-1 Wednesday behind a fantastic pitching performance by Tyson Miller (California Baptist). The Whitecaps, who clinched a playoff spot with the win, are now eight points back of Orleans with four games left for both teams, meaning there’s a chance they could finish in a tie. Brewster has the second-best record in the league at 23-16-1.

Miller set the course for Wednesday’s win. The 6’4 righty – who struck out 85 for D-II California Baptist this spring – had his best start in what was already a solid summer. In fact, given the opponent, it was perhaps the Cape League’s best start of the summer. Miller allowed just an unearned run on three hits in eight innings and struck out 11. He didn’t walk a single batter. Orleans managed just one extra-base hit for the game.

Thomas Hackimer (St. John’s) pitched the final inning for the save.

If you had predicted a pitcher to dominate Wednesday’s game, Orleans starter Eric Lauer (Kent State) would have been the choice. Lauer came in with a 1.47 ERA and leads the league in strikeouts. Brewster touched him up for three early runs and chased him after three innings.

Nick Senzel (Tennessee) went 2-for-4 with his 15th double of the season, while Robbie Tenerowicz (California) went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Four other Whitecaps drove in runs and Brewster finished with nine hits.

Brewster has now earned a tie and a win while facing Orleans co-aces Mitchell Jordan and Lauer. Granted, the Whitecaps were shut-out by Jordan before coming through against the bullpen. And Lauer wasn’t at his best. But still – those guys don’t typically get beat. The loss was Lauer’s first. Tuesday’s game was the first one Jordan has pitched in that Orleans didn’t win.

Orleans will take another crack at a division crown tonight — and they won’t have to play Brewster again in the regular season. If the last two days are any indication, they may meet again when postseason baseball comes around.
 

Y-D 9, Wareham 1

Y-D broke open a 2-1 game with seven runs in the eighth inning and cruised past Wareham to keep pace in the race for the last two East playoff spots. The Red Sox are now 20-20 and still hold a one-game lead on Harwich for fourth place. Gio Brusa (Pacific) had two doubles and three RBI to lead the way Wednesday. Cole Billingsley (South Alabama), Tommy Edman (Stanford) and Mike Donadio (St. John’s) chipped in two hits each. Ricky Thomas (Fresno State) won his league-best seventh game with 6.2 strong innings. He gave up one run on five hits and struck out eight. The big news for Wareham – and the league – in the loss was that Andrew Calica (UC Santa Barbara) has reached the plate appearance mark necessary to qualify for the batting title. He also went 3-for-4, pushing his league-best average to .439. With just four games remaining, Calica has as good a shot as anybody in recent years to become the Cape League’s first .400 hitter since 1990.
 

Hyannis 5, Cotuit 2

Hyannis improved to 5-0 against rival Cotuit this year thanks to a 5-2 victory at McKeon Park. With everybody else in the West losing Wednesday, the Harbor Hawks also inched closer to a division title. They now have a five-point edge on second-place Bourne. Dakota Hudson (Mississippi State) starred in relief Wednesday, striking out eight of the 16 batters he faced in four shutout innings. Bulldog teammate Vance Tatum started and went 4.1 innings. Austin Hays (Jacksonville) and Blake Tiberi (Louisville) each had three hits to pace the offense. Tristan Hildebrandt (Cal State Fullerton), a late roster reinforcement, went 2-for-3 in his seventh game as a Harbor Hawk. Hyannis scored three of their five runs off Cotuit ace Jon Woodcock (Virginia Tech), who had allowed a total of four earned runs on the year before Wednesday. Cotuit fell to 16-24 but remains in a tie for third place with Wareham, five points ahead of last-place Falmouth.
 

Chatham 3, Falmouth 2

The aforementioned Commodores were on the verge of snapping a six-game losing streak but Chatham erased a 2-0 deficit with three runs in the eighth and won 3-2. Nate Mondou (Wake Forest) and Aaron Knapp (California) singled to start the eighth inning rally. A groundout brought one run home before an error on an overthrow from third base plated two more. Armed with the lead, Andre Scrubb (High Point) and Aaron McGarity (Virginia Tech) tossed a scoreless inning each to finish it off. Knapp had two hits to lead the Chatham offense. Heath Quinn (Samford) homered for Falmouth. Turner Larkins (Texas A&M) went 6.1 scoreless innings but was left with a no-decision after Chatham’s rally. The Anglers improved to 22-18 and have a magic number of two for clinching a playoff spot.
 

Harwich 3, Bourne 1

Harwich remained in the mix for an East playoff berth with a 3-1 victory over Bourne. The Mariners are one game back of Y-D for the fourth and final postseason spot. Hunter Williams (North Carolina) allowed one run in 4.1 innings and struck out six. Relievers Joe Ravert (La Salle) and Zach Schellenger (Seton Hall) followed with 2.1 scoreless innings apiece, with Schellenger earning the win. Adam Pate (North Carolina) went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead an eight-hit attack. Cavan Biggio (Notre Dame) and Johnny Adams (Boston College) knocked in one run each.
 

What to Watch

Flame-throwing reliever Zach Burdi (Louisville) is scheduled to make a start as Chatham hosts Y-D and Brandon Bailey (Gonzaga), with both teams in the thick of the East playoff race. In Hyannis, division leaders will meet when the Harbor Hawks host Orleans.
 

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Chasing a Title

Andrew Calica is hitting .426 and should soon qualify for the batting title.
Andrew Calica is hitting .426 and should soon qualify for the batting title.

 

Yesterday’s games were the start of a mad dash to the finish in the Cape League, where there won’t be a day off until it’s all over. There’s much to be decided in the standings — and one very interesting race to be decided on league leaderboards.

Wareham’s Andrew Calica (UC Santa Barbara) went 2-for-6 in the Gatemen’s 12-inning, 4-4 tie with Harwich last night. The lefty-swinging outfielder is now batting .426. He has 17 hits in his last seven games. Assuming he stays hot, he looks like the favorite to win the batting title . . . as long as he gets enough plate appearances.

Calica arrived in Wareham two weeks into the season, and though he has been red-hot since the day he stepped foot on the Cape, he has yet to make an official appearance in the race for the league’s batting title. Players need a minimum of 2.7 plate appearances per team game, and Calica has yet to reach that threshold.

But it’s a number he’s steadily catching up to, and if he stays hot over the final week of the season, he could win the batting title and become the first Cape Leaguer to hit .400 since Mark Smith did it for Wareham in 1990.

Calculating plate appearances requires a bit of math (ABs + BBs + HBP + Sacrifices), so feel free to check me on this, but I’ve got Calica for 105 plate appearances as of last night (94 ABs + 6 BBs + 3 HBP + 2 Sacrifices). To qualify right now, through 39 team games, he would need 105.3 plate appearances, so he’s almost there.

If he gets three plate appearances tomorrow – a pretty good bet – he’ll be right on the number of 108 through 40 games. The end-of-season number needs to be 118.8. So Calica needs 14 plate appearances over his final five games to get above that mark.

As for the quest for .400, Calica has as good a chance as anybody I can remember. He’s averaging about 3.6 at-bats per game, which would give him 18 more at-bats this season. If he gets five hits in that span, he’ll finish at .402.

Calica’s performance Tuesday helped Wareham grab a point in the standings with the tie against Harwich. Mark Karaviotis (Oregon) and Connor Beck (TCU) also chipped in two hits, while Andrew Knizner (NC State) homered. The Gatemen trailed 4-3 in the top of the ninth but forced extras on Knizner’s home run.

Harwich got two hits and two RBI from Connor Justus (Georgia Tech). Sheldon Neuse (Oklahoma) pitched 2.1 scoreless innings of relief to keep the game tied in extras. The Mariners are 17-20-2 and the point they picked up with the tie moves them just two points out of a playoff spot.

Wareham is now 15-22-2 and is tied with Cotuit for third place in the West.

The Gatemen have yet to clinch a playoff spot, so they’ll be pushing hard over the season’s final week. Calica will be leading the charge.
 

Bourne 5, Y-D 3 (10 innings)

The Harwich-Wareham game was one of three extra-innings affairs on a wild night around the league. With a 10-inning victory over Y-D, Bourne clinched a playoff spot. The Braves are 19-18-2 and have won four in a row. Y-D tied last night’s game with two runs in the seventh inning, but as darkness closed in at Red Wilson Field, Bourne pushed two runs across in the 10th on consecutive bases-loaded walks to Reid Humphreys (Mississippi State) and Corey Julks (Houston). Austin Conway (Indiana State) then worked a perfect bottom of the 10th for his league-leading ninth save. Conway still hasn’t allowed an earned run all summer. Jacob Robson (Mississippi State) chipped in a home run for Bourne.
 

Orleans 6, Brewster 6 (12 innings)

Orleans was on the brink of clinching the outright East Division title, but second-place Brewster touched up the bullpen for four runs in the eighth and one in the ninth to force extras. The teams went on to play three more innings before the game was called in a tie. Mitchell Jordan (Stetson) allowed one unearned run in five innings, putting his season ERA at 0.21. The Firebirds staked themselves to a lead, as well, scoring all six of their runs in the first four innings. Bobby Dalbec (Arizona) hit his 10th home run and drove in three, while Daniel Pinero (Virginia) had two RBI. Brewster came to life in the eighth with a Nick Senzel (Tennessee) RBI single, a two-run triple by J.C. Escarra (Florida International) and an RBI groundout by Cassidy Brown (Loyola Marymount). Trailing by one in the ninth, Escarra plated the tying run with a base hit. Eder Erives (Arizona State) came out of the bullpen after that and slammed the door, pitching the final 3.1 innings, but the damage had been done. Had Orleans beaten Brewster, the teams would have been 12 points apart in the standings with five games left. As it is, they’re 10 points apart, which means there’s still a slim chance they could finish tied if Brewster wins its last five and Orleans loses all five.
 

Cotuit 6, Falmouth 1

The Kettleers won their third straight and gained a little more distance on the fading Commodores in the West Division race. Cotuit broke a 1-1 tie with four runs in the sixth inning. Spencer Gaa (Bradley) and Jeren Kendall (Vanderbilt) knocked in runs ahead of a two-run single by Will Haynie (Alabama), who finished with three RBI on the day. The rally made a winner out of Nick Lewis (Baylor), who tossed four scoreless innings of relief, striking out three and giving up no hits. Matthew Milburn (Wofford) had given Cotuit a solid start, allowing one run in five innings. Gaa, Kendall, Haynie and Branden Berry (Cal State Northridge) each had two hits to power the Cotuit offense. The Kettleers are now 16-23 and tied with Wareham for third place in the West. Falmouth, which has lost six in a row, is five points back Cotuit and Wareham.
 

Hyannis 4, Chatham 3

Even with Bourne surging, Hyannis still has a three-point edge at the top of the West thanks to a narrow victory over Chatham at Veterans Field last night. Jacob Noll (Florida Gulf Coast) went 3-for-3 with an RBI to lead the way, while Austin Hays (Jacksonville) had two hits and two RBI. Corey Bird (Marshall) scored two runs. Blake Quinn (Cal State Fullerton) allowed one earned run in five innings for the win. Aaron Civale (Northeastern) struck out five of the nine batters he faced in the two-inning save.
 

What to Watch

Orleans and Brewster will meet for the second straight night. League strikeout leader Eric Lauer (Kent State) goes for the Firebirds against Tyson Miller (California Baptist), who has a 2.11 ERA for the Whitecaps.
 

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Red Hot Return

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

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The Next Wave

Former Harwich Mariner D.J. Lemahieu is one of eight Cape League alumni set for their first MLB All-Star Game.
Former Harwich Mariner D.J. Lemahieu is one of eight Cape League alumni set for their first MLB All-Star Game.

 
The Cape Cod Baseball League has 15 alumni in the 2015 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, six more than it had last year. As top prospects continue to take the bigs by storm, that all-star number is a sign that there’s a new wave of Cape Cod talent in the majors, too.

Eight of the Cape’s All-Stars are first-time participants, bolstering the league’s ranks in MLB stardom. Chris Sale and Buster Posey had taken the torch in recent years from the Evan Longorias and Chase Utleys of the world. Now, players like Dallas Keuchel, Kris Bryant, D.J. LeMahieu and Brandon Crawford are joining them. It’s also the first All-Star Game for Yasmani Grandal, Brad Boxberger, Joe Panik and former Cape League MVP A.J. Pollock.

Keuchel, who had a 3.20 ERA for Wareham in 2007 and a 2.63 ERA in 2008, will start on the mound for the American League. The Houston Astro is 11-4 with a 2.23 ERA and 114 strikeouts on the year.

Todd Frazier is making his second All-Star appearance, but you could put the former Chatham A in the same up-and-coming category. Frazier won the Home Run Derby in style Monday and will represent the hometown Reds in the starting lineup.

Jason Kipnis and Josh Donaldson are also making their second appearances.
 

  • While the MLB season is at its halfway point, the Cape League season is about two-third of the way over. As has been the case for a while now, the most lasting team impression continues to belong to the Orleans Firebirds. At 20-8, they have the best record in the league by four games and are playing .714 baseball. If they continue at that pace, they’ll go 31-13, which would be the best mark in the league since a dominant Y-D team went 31-12-1 and won its second consecutive Cape League title.

  • While the return of Bobby Dalbec and Bryson Brigman from Team USA makes Orleans even stronger, it’s pitching that may really carry the day for the Firebirds. They lead the league in team ERA at 2.08 and starting pitchers Mitchell Jordan, Eric Lauer, Kyle Serrano and Corbin Burnes sure look like the league’s best starting rotation.

  • Orleans’ Dalbec and Kyle Lewis are tied for the league lead in home runs with five each. Interestingly, that’s not all that rare of a feat at the end of a season. In 2014, Chatham’s Chris Shaw ranked first and teammate A.J. Murray was tied for second. In 2013, Falmouth’s Casey Gillaspie led the way and Rhys Hoskins was tied for second.

  • Cape leaderboards are often populated by guys who get off to quick starts, even when they slow down a little. It’s always easy to miss those who have heated up more recently, like Y-D’s Tommy Edman and Falmouth’s Heath Quinn. Edman, a star in the NECBL last year, was hitting .208 a week into the Cape season but has seen his average rise steadily upward. He’s now batting .325, good for fifth in the league. And the bat is just a bonus – he has made only one error while playing mostly second base for the Red Sox. Quinn, who was at .23 after a week, is now hitting .317 with seven extra-base hits.

  • Wareham’s Andrew Calica is approaching the minimum number of plate appearances per team game to qualify for the league batting average leaderboard. If he stays anywhere near his current pace, he’ll take that list by storm. Since making his debut June 23 — two weeks into the season — Calica is hitting .469 in 15 games and has delivered nine multi-hit games.

  • Stat-line that I haven’t had a chance to focus on anywhere else: Harwich’s Cavan Biggio has reached base in 20 of the 22 games he’s played. He has a .420 on-base percentage.

  • Also very good at getting on base? Chatham’s Will Craig, who has a .390 on-base percentage despite a .208 average. He has drawn a league-best 20 walks.

  • Virginia Tech must have had one heck of a bullpen this spring. Hokies Luke Scherzer and Aaron McGarity rank first and third in the league in saves, while teammate Kit Scheetz leads the league in appearances and has a 2.46 ERA for Orleans.

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    Lucky 13

    Chatham has had a lot to celebrate with three straight wins.
    Chatham has had a lot to celebrate with three straight wins.

     
    The only teams in the Cape League currently sporting a win streak are the teams already stationed atop the East division. With lopsided victories last night, first-place Orleans and second-place Chatham gained a little more cushion.

    Orleans beat Cotuit 13-2 at Eldredge Park for its fourth straight win. The Firebirds are now 18-6 (that’s .750 baseball, if you’re scoring at home).

    In neighboring Chatham, the Anglers won their third straight, beating Wareham 13-6. The Anglers are still eight points behind Orleans but have a three-point cushion on third-place Harwich and are just one win off the pace of Hyannis for the second-best record in the league.

    For Orleans, a win streak is nothing new. At various points, the Firebirds have won six, four and three games in a row this summer, accounting for most of their wins. But the 13-2 win was their highest-scoring game and it came on the heels of an 11-2 win Tuesday. Perhaps the Firebirds are getting even hotter.

    Orleans got 17 hits and blasted three home runs against the Kettleers. Ronnie Dawson (Ohio State) hit one for the second straight game, while going 3-for-5 with four RBI. Willie Abreu (Miami) and Justin Jones (Georgia State) each hit their first home runs. Orleans now has 20 homers on the summer, nine more than any other team.

    Kyle Lewis (Mercer) and Nick Zammarelli (Elon) had three hits apiece, with Zammarelli doing it for the second straight night. Lewis went for a multi-hit game for the fifth time in seven games, raising his average to .360. Vanderbilt’s Bryan Reynolds, making his second appearance since arriving late from Omaha, went 2-for-4.

    Eric Lauer (Kent State) had no trouble making the lead stand up, tossing six innings of no-run, one-hit baseball. He struck out eight and brought his ERA to 1.38.

    Over in Chatham, the Anglers didn’t flash quite as much pop as the Firebirds, getting only one extra-base hit, but they piled up the singles in hitting a season-high in runs. Like Orleans, it wasn’t their first big game of the week. They beat Harwich 12-4 on Sunday.

    Tuesday, they scored five runs against highly-touted lefty Matt Krook (Oregon). Leadoff man Trenton Brooks (Nevada) went 4-for-6 with three RBI and two runs scored. Jake Fraley (LSU) and Todd Czinege (Villanova) each went 3-for-5. Fraley is now hitting .400 and Chatham is 4-2 in the six games he’s played.

    Luke Persico (UCLA) and Nick Sciortino (Boston College) drove in two runs each.

    Ty Damron (Texas Tech) made his first start since June 22 and the big offensive night helped make it a warm welcome. Damron gave up one unearned run in six innings. Wareham scored five runs in the top of the ninth against the Chatham bullpen but the deficit was much too large.

    Two streaking teams scoring 13 runs each are pretty tough to beat.
     

    Falmouth 6, Hyannis 1

    Falmouth’s Michael Tinsley (Kansas) hit the third pitch he saw from Hyannis ace Nick Deeg (Central Michigan) out of the park, and the Commodores were off-and-running. They scored five runs and chased Deeg – he of the 0.32 ERA – before he could even escape the first. J.J. Matijevic (Arizona) had an RBI and Shane Benes (Missouri) had two. Staked to the early lead, Conor Costello (Oklahoma State) turned in his best start of the summer, giving up one run on three hits in seven innings of work.
     

    Harwich 4, Y-D 3

    The bottom three teams in the East are trading places nearly every day and Harwich continued the musical chairs with a seventh-inning rally to beat Y-D. With his team trailing 3-2, Sheldon Neuse (Oklahoma) hit a two-run triple in the seventh and Harwich was in business from there. The bullpen didn’t allow a run in the final four innings and Luke Scherzer (Virginia Tech) nabbed his league-leading seventh save. Harwich also got a home run from Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech) and two hits from Brock Deatherage (NC State).
     

    Bourne 5, Brewster 4

    The Braves and Whitecaps scored all their runs in the final four innings, and Bourne managed one more in a 5-4 victory over Brewster. Corey Julks (Houston) had two hits and two RBI. Nick Solak (Louisville), Pete Alonso (Florida) and Jason Delay (Vanderbilt) had one RBI each. Bourne’s Josh Rogers (Louisville) and Brewster’s Alex Schick (California) both delivered solid starts before the bats arrived. Austin Conway (Indiana State) got the save for the Braves.
     

    What to Watch

    Just a make-up game between Brewster and Orleans on tap tonight. The Firebirds will be going for their fifth win in a row.
     

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    Something Brewing

    Nico Giarratano and Brewster have won four of six to move into third place.
    Nico Giarratano and Brewster have won four of six to move into third place.

     
    The Cape League’s best hitting team was shut-out 1-0 in its final June game. Since the calendar flipped to July, one run has not been enough to beat the Brewster Whitecaps.

    Powered by its fourth double-digit hit game in its last six, Brewster not coincidentally won the fourth time in six games Tuesday, 9-4 over Y-D. In the victories, the Whitecaps have racked up 57 hits, bringing their league-best batting average to .273.

    They’re still only one game over .500 and behind two teams in the East, but it’s pretty clear at this point that the Whitecaps can hit. They are not near the top in extra-base hits, but what they lack in pop, they make up for in sheer volume.

    In Tuesday’s win, the Whitecaps totaled 16 hits. Every player in the lineup had at least one. Five players had multi-hit games. And there was a little pop – two doubles and two home runs.

    Cassidy Brown (Loyola Marymount) – who’s emerging as the top offensive catcher on the Cape – went 3-for-5 with a double, a home run and two RBI. He’s riding a seven-game hitting streak.

    Robbie Tenerowicz (California) went 2-for-4 and hit his fourth home run of the summer. Toby Handley (Stony Brook) added a double and scored three runs. Nick Senzel (Tennessee), who’s been red-hot, had his second straight three-hit night, scored three runs and knocked in two. Senzel is now second in the league in hitting.

    Brewster’s pitching numbers have remained in the middle of the pack for much of the summer, but all the offense certainly helps the cause. Alec Rash (Missouri) gave up two runs in three innings Tuesday before a strong relief performance by Anthony Arias (Fresno State), who struck out 10 and gave up two runs in five innings.
     

    Orleans 11, Falmouth 2

    If Brewster is the league’s best hitting team, Orleans is its most powerful. The Firebirds hit two more runs – bringing their league-best total to 17 – in an 11-2 victory over Falmouth. Sean Murphy (Wright State) hit his third in a 3-for-5 night while Ronnie Dawson (Ohio State) smacked his second. Murphy also tripled. Nick Zammarelli (Elon) added three hits and two RBI for the Firebirds. Five pitchers had no trouble making the lead stand up, with Tanner Tully (Ohio State) picking up the win in relief. Falmouth’s Turner Larkins (Texas A&M) allowed just an unearned run in five innings but Orleans broke through against the Falmouth bullpen. The Firebirds have won three in a row and are now 17-6.
     

    Chatham 4, Bourne 3

    With Orleans and Brewster winning, Chatham also kept pace thanks to a victory over Bourne. The Anglers scored four runs in the first two innings and held onto the lead from there. Brandon Miller (Millersville) got the win in relief while Aaron McGarity (Virginia Tech) pitched two innings for his fourth save. Jake Fraley (LSU) went 2-for-4 and is batting .350 since his late arrival in Chatham. Aaron Knapp (California) also had two hits. Chatham is now 13-11, which is suddenly the third-best record in the league.
     

    Hyannis 4, Harwich 1

    The Harbor Hawks were getting a push from Wareham in the West standings for a while there, but with their second straight win and Wareham’s third straight loss, they now have a seven-point cushion at the top. Vance Tatum (Mississippi State) and Aaron Civale (Northeastern) worked in tandem for the second time in as many Tatum starts. Tatum gave up one run in 5.2 innings and Civale went 3.1 innings without allowing a hit, bringing his ERA to 0.54. The Hyannis offense was led by Jacob Noll (Florida Gulf Coast), who surged back to the top of the batting average leaderboard with a 3-for-4 night. He also hit his first home run. Errol Robinson (Ole Miss) added three hits for the Harbor Hawks.
     

    Cotuit 2, Wareham 1

    Cotuit may not have great starting pitching depth, but the Kettleers have officially found themselves an ace. Jon Woodcock (Virginia Tech) tossed seven shutout innings, striking out five and giving up five hits, as Cotuit edged Wareham. Woodcock now has a 0.99 ERA and has gone at least 5.2 innings with no more than one run allowed in his last three starts. Justin Dunn (Boston College) grabbed the save Tuesday. Jackson Klein (Stanford) had an RBI single and Brody Weiss (UCLA) had a sacrifice fly to bring in two runs in the fifth, which was all the offense Cotuit needed. The Kettleers moved ahead of Falmouth for fourth place in the West.
     

    What to Watch

    Several of the league’s best arms are slated to be on the mound tonight. Nick Deeg (Central Michigan) goes for Hyannis in Falmouth. Matt Krook (Oregon) starts for Wareham in Chatham. Eric Lauer gets the ball for Orleans at home against Cotuit.
     

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    2015 Midseason Awards

    The Orleans Firebirds are the best team in the league and is it any wonder? In the Right Field Fog Midseason Awards, the Firebirds take two.

     

    MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

    Kyle Lewis, Orleans

    kyle lewisLewis was not on the first roster that the Orleans Firebirds posted on their web site earlier this year, but it’s safe to say he was a pretty good addition.

    Lewis is hitting .338 with five home runs and 13 RBI while leading the powerful Firebirds to the best record in the league. Lewis ranks second in the league in hitting, first in home runs and second in RBI. He also leads the league in slugging percentage and is eighth in on-base percentage.

    At 6’4, 205, he’s the kind of athlete that scouts love, and his production is now right in line with his tools. He grew up playing basketball and baseball and has said that, of the two, he took basketball more seriously. But after giving it up, he’s emerging as a bona fide star who may be in line for Cape League Top Prospect honors, as well.

    The big summer represents another major step for a guy who had a breakout sophomore season at Mercer. He hit .367 and smashed 17 home runs on his way to a host of accolades, including Southern Conference Player of the Year honors. He was coming off a decent debut, in which he hit .281 as a freshman. He then had a strong summer in the Great Lakes League before he played briefly for Cotuit at the end of last season, getting two hits in six games.

    His return trip has been a little bit better.


    IN THE RUNNING

    Jacob Noll, Hyannis
    Donnie Walton, Y-D
    Cavan Biggio, Harwich
    Nick Senzel, Brewster
    Errol Robinson, Hyannis

     

    OUTSTANDING PITCHER

    Mitchell Jordan, Orleans

    mithell jordanJordan had a good summer in the New England Collegiate Baseball League last year then was solid for Stetson as a sophomore.

    This has been better than good or solid.

    Jordan started on opening night for Orleans and tossed five shutout innings in a 1-0 win over Bourne. He has started five more games since and has gone at least five innings in each one, without allowing a single earned run. That’s right – the guy who’s second in the league in innings pitched also has a 0.00 ERA. He’s 4-0 and leads the league in strikeouts with 31.

    Jordan, a 6’2 righty, has simply been untouchable. Opponents are hitting .106 against him, which is a pretty amazing number. To make that number even crazier, he has allowed nine hits and none – NONE – have gone for extra bases.

    A lot of pitchers have been very good this summer, but nobody can match up with Jordan.

    Good, solid – and pretty spectacular.

    IN THE RUNNING

    Nick Deeg, Hyannis
    Ricky Thomas, Y-D
    Zac Gallen, Chatham
    Eric Lauer, Orleans
    Devin Smeltzer, Hyannis
    Jon Woodcock, Cotuit

     

    OUTSTANDING RELIEF PITCHER

    Andrew Frankenreider, Falmouth

    andrew frankenreiderSaves typically trump everything else for this award, but for bullpen work of all kinds, Frankenreider takes the cake.

    The Northern Illinois standout has saved three games while sharing Falmouth closer duties with Stephen Villines. Frankenreider has allowed two hits and no runs – earned or unearned – in eight games (11.2) innings. He has also struck out 17, second-best among full-time relievers.

    Northern Illinois is not a school that sends many players to the Cape – he’s just the third in school history – but he’s certainly making a good impression after saving nine games for the Huskies in the spring.

    Harwich’s Luke Scherzer leads the league in saves – and four other guys have four saves – but Frankenreider has been too good to pass over.

    IN THE RUNNING

    Luke Scherzer, Harwich
    Stephen Villines, Falmouth
    Austin Conway, Bourne
    Jason Harper, Orleans
    Andre Scrubb, Chatham
    Thomas Hackimer, Brewster
    Aaron McGarity, Chatham