Andrew Calica’s .425 season was one of the highlights of 2015.
In making some lists on 2015 Cape League alumni to watch this college season, I was struck by some of the standout performances of last summer. The season goes so fast and ends so abruptly that it’s easy to lose track of the season that was. And postseason top prospect lists tend to focus on the talent level, not on what the players, fans and organizations experience on the Cape’s sandy shores.
For a brief trip down memory lane, start with Andrew Calica. The Wareham outfielder didn’t qualify for the batting title until late in the season, but when he did, history was made. Calica hit .425, becoming the first Cape Leaguer to hit the .400 mark since 1990. Several had come close over the years, but no one finished it off until Calica.
Bobby Dalbec hit four home runs in the first week of the season for Orleans, left for Team USA, came back in July and hit eight more home runs, plus two in the playoffs. Dalbec hit a home run every 8.2 at-bats. And in a two-year career with Orleans, the Arizona slugger hit 19 home runs in 62 games. From that perspective, he’s a Cape League all-timer.
On the mound, Mitchell Jordan finished with a 0.21 ERA for Orleans, matching Eric Milton’s 1996 Cape League record. He allowed two earned runs the entire season. And Y-D’s Ben Bowden had a remarkable run for the Red Sox after his July arrival. In 17.1 regular season innings out of the bullpen, he didn’t allow a single run. The first time anyone scored off him was in game three of the Cape League championship series – and it didn’t much matter. The Red Sox won 8-1 and Bowden finished it off.
There were plenty more great moments, of course, but those performances really stick out. It was a fun year.
Notes
Three former Cape Leaguers spent part of their winter in the Australian Baseball League, a relatively new venture that aims to grow the game Down Under and also serve as a winter destination for players in MLB systems. Former Orleans Firebird Maxx Tissenbaum, a Tampa Bay farm-hand, was on the Brisbane team that won the ABL championship. That squad beat Dallas Gallant (Hyannis) and the Adelaide Bite in the title series. Falmouth alum Rhys Hoskins hit eight home runs for the Sydney Blue Sox.
One week before the Division I season opens, the D-II ranks will treat baseball fans to a terrific pitching match-up in California this Friday. Former Wareham Gatemen pitcher Ryan Olson of Cal Poly Pomona will square off with Tyler Wells of Cal State San Bernardino. Both hurlers will get some draft buzz. Baseball America projected as the D-II national pitcher of the year.
The Southern Conference tabbed 2015 Orleans star Kyle Lewis to repeat as the league’s Player of the Year. Lewis’ Mercer team is also atop the preseason poll.
Cape Leaguers Carmen Benedetti, Brett Adcock and Evan Hill lead a Michigan team that’s been picked as the Big Ten favorite.
Wareham announced the addition of new assistant coach Don Sneddon, the longtime coach at Santa Ana College and a former manager in the Rockies’ system. He joins a new-look staff that will be headed by first-year manager Gerry Weinstein, who was hired in September.
And lastly, the 2016 season begins in 119 days. Plan accordingly.
Andrew Calica went 1-for-3 Sunday, finishing with a .425 batting average.
Andrew Calica made his Cape Cod Baseball League debut on June 23 at Spillane Field. He batted ninth for Wareham and went 0-for-3 in a 4-0 loss.
It was not a sign of things to come.
From that beginning, Calica authored one of the best seasons at the plate in Cape League history. With a 1-for-3 night in Sunday’s regular season finale, Calica finished with a .425 batting average. Forty-eight hits in 113 at-bats. And a long list of achievements:
Calica’s average is the highest in the league since Terry Steinbach hit .431 for Cotuit in 1982 — with a metal bat.
Calica’s mark is the highest since the league switched to wood bats in 1985.
His average cracks the top five in Cape League history, ranking fifth.
Calica becomes the first player to finish with an average above .400 in 25 years, since Mark Smith hit .408 for Wareham in 1990.
In this day and age, batting average is not one of the cool stats. There are better ways to measure value. And as was the case when Miguel Cabrera’s Triple Crown took a back-seat to an MVP debate, value-driven stats tend to bury other numbers.
They shouldn’t. Hitting .400 is a big deal.
A Cape League season may be a small sample – and Calica arrived two weeks late – but if hitting .400 was easy, then it wouldn’t have taken 25 years to do it. It was reasonable to wonder if it would ever happen again.
Calica was the guy to break through. The 6’1, 190-pound outfielder hit .329 in his redshirt sophomore season at UC Santa Barbara this spring. He had hit .310 in his first full season with the Gauchos.
Following his 0-for-3 debut for Wareham, he went 3-for-4 the next night. That was a sign of a things to come.
Calica would go on to 16 multi-hit games out of 31 games played. Most of the hits were singles – 45 out of 48, to be exact, with two doubles and a homer mixed in – but Calica just kept knocking base hits.
He kept his average above .400 into mid-July, though he was off the qualifying pace for the batting title.
On July 15, Calica went 0-for-4 against Chatham. He went 0-for-4 again the next night, then 0-for-3. His average was at .371. He was human.
In his next five games, he went 15-for-23. That stretch included a 5-for-5 night against Hyannis on July 23. It was the moment when .400 became a true possibility.
Calica would stay well above the mark the rest of the way. When he finally reached the qualifying number for plate appearances – naturally, with a 3-for-4 night – his average was at .439 with four games to go.
He played in all four of those games and had a hit in all four. Sunday, with .400 all but secure – he would have had to go 0-for-8 to fall under .400 – Calica delivered a third-inning single for hit number 48, the finishing touch on a remarkable season.
The Cape League’s 400 club finally has a new member.
End of the Road
After pushing the teams above them to the limit, Falmouth and Harwich both bowed out of the playoff race with one-run losses Sunday.
The Commodores would have been in with a win, but lost a 10-inning heartbreaker 6-5 to Bourne. Trailing 5-4 in the ninth, Falmouth kept its season alive on a sacrifice fly by Tristan Gray (Rice), but Bourne pushed a run across in the top of the 10th. J.B. Woodman (Ole Miss) doubled with one out in the bottom half but was stranded at second by Braves reliever Nick Jensen-Clagg (Kent State).
Heading into Sunday, Harwich needed a little more help than Falmouth and got it when both Chatham and Y-D lost their finales. But Brewster scored early and often and held off a late charge for an 8-7 win over the Mariners.
Nick Senzel (Tennessee) homered, while J.C. Escarra (Florida International) and Ryan Peurifoy (Georgia Tech) delivered two hits each for the Whitecaps. The Mariners started down the comeback trail with three in the sixth but would get no closer than one run. Thomas Hackimer (St. John’s) struck out the side in the ninth to finish it off.
Thanks to those losses, playoff seedings are as follows:
East
1. Orleans
2. Brewster
3. Y-D
4. Chatham
West
1. Hyannis
2. Bourne
3. Wareham
4. Cotuit
Wareham 7, Cotuit 4
While three teams lost their finales but still clinched playoff spots, Wareham got in with a win. The Gatemen used a five-run sixth inning to break open a close game and held on from there. Kramer Robertson (LSU) and Connor Beck (TCU) had two hits and two RBI each to lead the charge. Ian Hamilton (Washington State) struck out nine in 5.1 innings for the win. Evan Hill (Michigan) went the final 3.2 innings for the save.
Orleans 8, Chatham 4
Orleans won its fourth straight to close the season and matched the 31-12-1 record of the 2007 Y-D Red Sox, the best mark of the last 15 years. Bobby Dalbec (Arizona) finished off his home run crown with his 12th (in 27 games). Tres Barrera (Texas) also homered, Willie Abreu (Miami) had three hits, and Kyle Lewis (Mercer), Alex Call (Ball State) and Bryan Reynolds (Vanderbilt) chipped in two hits each. Parker Bean (Liberty) was credited with the win in relief. Chatham finished the season on a four-game losing streak, including two in a row to Orleans. The two will meet again in the opening round of the playoffs.
Hyannis 5, Y-D 4
Hyannis completed its wire-to-wire run atop the West with a 5-4 win over Y-D. Bobby Melley (Connecticut), who had played only three games this summer and none since June 14, returned with a bang, going 4-for-5 with a double and two RBI. Jacob Noll (Florida Gulf Coast) homered as part of a three-hit night. Blake Quinn (Cal State Fullerton) went six strong innings for the win.
What to Watch
Teams will jump right into the playoffs tonight. The schedule:
Y-D at Brewster, 4 p.m.
Cotuit at Hyannis, 6 p.m.
Wareham at Bourne, 6 p.m.
Chatham at Orleans, 7 p.m.
On a day when Orleans’ Mitchell Jordan was named the All-Star Game starting pitcher for the East squad – a shoo-in of a selection – the one other guy who could have made a serious case was just as good as his fellow ace.
Y-D’s Ricky Thomas (Fresno State) stayed perfect on the summer, making his sixth start and winning his sixth game. He allowed one run on three hits in seven innings and struck out nine as the Red Sox beat Harwich 4-1.
Thomas and Jordan are both 6-0, giving the league two big winners in a category that sometimes tops out at four wins when all is said and done. While Jordan took a no-decision in one of his starts, Thomas has been a winner every time. He owns more than a third of Y-D’s 17 victories.
Wins are not a favored statistic in this day-and-age – a great pitching performance does not guarantee a win – but for a guy who’s winning a lot, it’s still useful as a reflective statistic. And Thomas has been winning a lot, and earning each and every one.
The lefty has gone at least 5.2 innings in each start and has not surrendered more than one run in any start. He has a 0.96 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 37.1 innings pitched.
Saturday, he set a new season-high in strikeouts, fanning nine Mariners in the victory. A solo home run by Connor Justus (Georgia Tech) was the only blemish on his day.
Stephen Wrenn (Georgia) hit his fourth home run to back Thomas, while Tommy Edman (Stanford), Luke Bonfield (Arkansas) and Joshua Vidales (Houston) drove in one run each. The Y-D offense seems to enjoy nights when Thomas is on the mound – the four-run output Saturday was actually the lowest run support total he’s seen this year. The Red Sox are averaging six runs per game in his starts.
While that offense certainly helps, the Red Sox could be scoring two runs per game and still winning with Thomas on the mound. Coming off a solid spring with the Bulldogs in which he posted a 3.92 ERA, he’s been the best rising sophomore pitcher in the league this summer, statistically speaking.
At some point, Thomas and Jordan will probably take a loss. But it didn’t happen Saturday.
Orleans 2, Chatham 1
The aforementioned Jordan went four more innings without allowing an earned run – bringing his streak to 37 innings – before Chatham pushed one across in the fifth inning on a Garrett Hampson (Long Beach State) RBI single. Jordan got out of the inning without further trouble and ended his outing there after five innings. His ERA now stands at 0.24. The Orleans offense gave Jordan a lead in the top of the fifth on a two-run homer by Kyle Lewis (Mercer), and that was all the Firebirds needed. Three relievers combined on four scoreless innings, with Kit Scheetz (Virginia Tech) grabbing the save. Ty Damron (Texas Tech) was the hard-luck loser for Chatham. He allowed two runs in six innings. Flamethrowing reliever Zach Burdi (Louisville) made his second appearance since arriving from Team USA and went three scoreless innings with four strikeouts.
Wareham 2, Hyannis 1
Wareham walked off on a suicide squeeze for a 2-1 victory in 10 innings over Hyannis. John Sternagel (Florida) tripled with one out in the 10th and on the second pitch of the next at-bat, Preston Grand Pre (California) got down the bunt to win it. Wareham had given up a 1-0 lead in the eighth before its extra-inning rally. The squeeze made a winner out of Evan Hill (Michigan), who pitched five innings of relief with just an unearned run. Starter Ian Hamilton (Washington State) also went five and didn’t allow a run. Hyannis got 6.1 strong innings from Dakota Hudson (Mississippi State).
Brewster 7, Bourne 4
The Whitecaps won their fifth straight and jumped into a second-place tie with Chatham in the East. The Nick Senzel MVP campaign rolled right along with the win streak, as Senzel (Tennessee) went 2-for-3 with three RBI. That’s his eighth multi-hit game in 14 July contests. He has driven in 17 runs in those games. And as usual, it wasn’t just a one-man show for the hot-hitting Whitecaps. Jack Meggs (Washington), Tyler Ramirez (North Carolina) and Nico Giarratano (San Francisco) had two hits each, part of an 11-hit attack. Nick Highberger (Creighton) got the win in relief.
Cotuit 8, Falmouth 2
The unpredictable West Division looked the part in Falmouth, as Cotuit beat the Commodores 8-2 a night after losing to them 5-2. Austin Sexton (Mississippi State) allowed one run in 5.1 innings for the win. Branden Berry (Cal State Northridge) went 3-for-4 with four RBI and his fourth home run of the year. Brett Stephens (UCLA) added four hits and two RBI. The Kettleers scored four of their runs off Falmouth starter Austin Tribby (Missouri), who had allowed only one run in each of his last three starts.
What to Watch
Brewster will shoot for its sixth consecutive win as it visits Harwich. J.D. Busfield (Loyola Marymount), who had a strong start last time out, gets the ball.
Mitchell Jordan tossed six shutout innings to improve to 5-0.
News flash: Mitchell Jordan (Stetson) allowed an extra-base hit Saturday night.
But it was a return to originally-scheduled programming soon after.
Jordan continued his absolutely dominant summer with six more shutout innings as Orleans beat Brewster 2-0. Jordan – six starts and 33 innings into his Cape League career – still has a 0.00 ERA.
Brewster’s Ryan Peurifoy (Georgia Tech) doubled in the third inning for the first extra-base hit allowed by Jordan this summer. It put runners on second and third, an earned run just 90 feet away. Jordan responded by striking out Brewster’s best hitter, Nick Senzel (Tennessee) to end the inning. He didn’t allow another hit, finishing with six innings of two-hit baseball, to go with nine strikeouts.
This is the time of year back in 2012 that Sean Manaea – who will be the measuring stick for Cape League aces for a long time – started to fully cement an incredible summer, with dominant start after dominant start. Jordan isn’t quite on the same strikeout pace as the former Hyannis star, but as RFF commenter Orville suggested, his overall performance is looking downright Manaean. This is not simply a great beginning or a hot streak – Jordan is having a tremendous summer.
Jordan leads the league in wins with five, strikeouts with 40 and ERA at 0.00. He has given up 11 hits the entire summer, for an opponents batting average of .104. He has gone at least five innings in every start and hasn’t surrendered more than three hits in any of them. He was won five consecutive starts after a no-decision in his summer debut.
Saturday’s win also came at an important time for the Firebirds, who had lost two in a row. They scratched a run across in the first on an error and added one in the ninth on a Willie Abreu (Miami) sacrifice fly.
Two runs were plenty. Brewster’s J.D. Busfield (Loyola Marymount) had a strong start as well, giving up one run in six innings. But as has been the case all summer, it wasn’t good enough to keep up with Mitchell Jordan.
Y-D 8, Chatham 1
Gio Brusa (Pacific) hit two home runs and drove in five, and Ricky Thomas (Fresno State) picked up his fifth win as Y-D stopped Chatham’s four-game winning streak. Brusa, who got off to a slow start in his second summer on the Cape, now has a hit in nine straight games and is batting .286 with four home runs. He hit a three-run shot in the third inning Saturday and added a solo shot in the fifth. Donnie Walton (Oklahoma State), Stephen Wrenn (Georgia) and Cole Billingsley (South Alabama) each chipped in two hits, and Y-D scored five earned runs off Zac Gallen (North Carolina), who came in with a 0.00 ERA in three starts. Thomas allowed one run in 5.2 innings for his fifth win in as many tries. With the win, Y-D moved one point ahead of Harwich for fourth place in the East.
Bourne 4, Hyannis 1
The Braves have moved into second place in the West, and though they’re still six points back of division leader Hyannis, they’re also 3-0 against the Harbor Hawks after Saturday’s win. Bourne was shut-out for six innings but scored three in the seventh and one in the ninth. Nick Solak (Louisville) and Pete Alonso (Florida) each had two hits and an RBI. Ryan Boldt (Nebraska) also had two hits. Cody Sedlock (Illinois) allowed one run in 5.2 innings of work. Doug Norman (LSU) got the win in relief and Austin Conway (Indiana State) tallied his sixth save. For Hyannis, ace Nick Deeg (Central Michigan) righted the ship after a tough outing in his last start, going 5.2 scoreless innings.
Wareham 2, Cotuit 1
Evan Hill (Michigan) turned in his third great start, going six innings with one unearned run as Wareham edged Cotuit 2-1. Hill, a 6-5 lefty, has now had three starts in which he’s gone at least five innings without giving up an earned run. He also struck out seven on Saturday and gave up only one hit. Ian Hamilton (Washington State) took the baton in the seventh and tossed three scoreless innings to finish off the win. The Wareham offense was sparked by Andrew Calica (UC Santa Barbara), who went 2-for-4 with an RBI, who has delivered two hits in three straight games.
Falmouth 4, Harwich 1
Austin Tribby (Missouri) went six strong innings and the Falmouth offense smacked four doubles in a 4-1 victory over Harwich. Tribby scattered six hits and gave up one run in six innings for the win. Cobi Johnson (Florida State) got the save. Michael Tinsley (Kansas) went 3-for-4 while Heath Quinn (Samford) was 2-for-4 with two RBI.
What to Watch
Division leaders Orleans and Hyannis will meet for the third time, this one at Eldredge Park. They have split their first two meetings.
The University of North Carolina churns out some of the best pitchers in college baseball, year after year. And many of them summer in Chatham, from Andrew Miller to Alex White to Matt Harvey.
It’s been a few years, but the Anglers may have found another one.
Tar Heel righty Zac Gallen made his third start of the summer Friday night and delivered his best performance yet. The rising junior struck out eight and allowed just two hits in six shutout innings. Both hits were in the first inning, and he cruised from there. He did all of this against East Division leader Orleans and its fearsome lineup. The Firebirds are second in the league in runs scored, and they lead in extra-base hits.
Gallen had no trouble. After giving up the two singles in the first, he struck out Tres Barrera (Texas) and got Willie Abreu (Miami) to ground out. Later, he walked two in the fourth inning but then struck out the side, part of a stretch in which he fanned five in a row. Even the third time through the order, the Firebirds went quietly, as Gallen worked a quiet sixth.
The Chatham offense made Gallen’s big performance count by touching up Orleans standout Kyle Serrano (Tennessee) for two runs in the first inning and tacking on two more in the sixth against the Firebirds bullpen. Trenton Brooks (Nevada), Cory Raley (Texas Tech), Aaron Barnett (Pepperdine) and Zack Short (Sacred Heart) each knocked in a run to lead the balanced attack.
Orleans scored two runs in the eighth, but Aaron McGarity (Virginia Tech) cooled off the rally, going the final 1.1 innings for the save.
Chatham moved one game over .500 at 11-10 and is in second place behind Orleans in the East. One of their standout starters, T.J. Zeuch (Pittsburgh) was just released from the roster after reaching his summer innings limit, but the Anglers have quickly found another ace. Gallen hasn’t allowed an earned run in three starts. The Anglers lost the last time he was on the mound, but he went five shutout innings against Hyannis, the other division leader. Gallen is now third in the league in strikeouts, with 23 in just 15 innings.
Gallen is coming off a spring season in which he had a 2.79 ERA with 74 strikeouts in the UNC weekend rotation.
Like the other Tar Heels that came before, he’s giving Chatham some of the best pitching in the league.
Hyannis 6, Y-D 2
In a rare feat this summer, the Harbor Hawks didn’t have a stolen base. They lead the league the league with 40 but found another way in beating Y-D. Blake Tiberi (Louisville) gave Hyannis the 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first with a two-run double. He added a two-run single in the seventh, giving him four RBI on the night. Jacob Noll (Florida Gulf Coast) added a hit and an RBI, as did David Martinelli (Dallas Baptist). Errol Robinson (Ole Miss) scored two runs and is now tied for the league lead in runs scored with 15. Mike King (Boston College), who began the summer on a temp contract but has since been signed, was solid in four innings of work, giving up one run. Kevin Roy (Columbia) was credited with the win in relief. Dakota Hudson (Mississippi State), who had pitched as a starter in his last two outings, came out of the pen and surrendered just one run in 3.1 innings. Hyannis moved to 13-8 and has a two-game lead on Wareham for the top spot in the West. The Harbor hawks have won three straight.
Brewster 8, Harwich 1
The Whitecaps won their second straight and pushed their record over .500 at 10-9. After getting shut-out by Hyannis two games ago, the Whitecaps have delivered 28 hits in their last two games. Colin Lyman (Louisville) led the charge Friday, going 3-for-4 and scoring two runs. Toby Handley (Stony Brook) added two hits and two RBI. Jack Meggs (Washington) went 3-for-4, as did Chandler Avant (Alabama). Brewster now leads the league in team batting average. Four pitchers made the big lead stand up, limiting Harwich to five hits. Nick Highberger (Creighton) was credited with the win.
Wareham 7, Bourne 4
The Gatemen won their third straight and remained two games back of Hyannis for first place in the West. Andrew Calica (UC Santa Barbara), the hero of Wednesday’s one-hit win, had a huge night, going 4-for-5 with four RBI. He’s now hitting .524 in seven games since joining the team. Nick Cieri (Maryland) added three hits and two RBI. Starter Evan Hill (Michigan) gave up one run in 4.2 innings. Ryan Olson (Cal Poly Pomona) grabbed his second save. Max McDowell (UConn) homered for Bourne and Jacob Robson (Mississippi State) stretched his hitting streak to seven games.
Cotuit 8, Falmouth 1
The Kettleers broke a 1-1 tie with five runs in the sixth inning and grabbed a win over Falmouth, pulling even with the Commodores in the West standings, in the process. Jonathan King (Georgia Tech) struck out six and gave up one run in five innings of work before four relievers closed the door. Michael Paez (Coastal Carolina), Matt Albanese (Bryant) and Brody Weiss (UCLA) led the offense with two RBI apiece. Kort Peterson (UCLA) had two hits and scored two runs. Both teams are now 7-13.
What to Watch
The Hyannis-Y-D match-up at Red Wilson Field looks like a good one. Devin Smeltzer (Florida Gulf Coast) makes his second start since his no-hitter against Y-D’s Ricky Thomas (Fresno State), who’s 3-0 with a 1.01 ERA.
A good start is great, but as so many Cape League teams have shown – especially since the playoffs expanded – a great finish is even better. And a bad start can be left completely behind.
The Bourne Braves still have a ways to go before they can think about a big finish, but the bad start has certainly been erased. With a big chunk of players still with their college teams when the Cape season began and some hard-luck losses mixed in, Bourne got off to an 0-6-1 start this summer. Once they got off the skid, they stayed and have won seven of their last nine, emerging as one of the league’s hottest teams.
Saturday, the Braves knocked off West-leading Hyannis 3-0. They were facing Devin Smeltzer (Florida Gulf Coast), who was fresh off a no-hitter, and they touched him up for 10 hits. On the other side, Ryan Smoyer (Notre Dame) tossed six shutout innings to get the Braves on their way.
Reid Humphreys (Mississippi State) led the offense with two hits and two RBI. He’s one of only four players in Saturday’s starting lineup that was also in the opening day starting nine. Those four – Humphreys, Camden Duzenack (Dallas Baptist), Ryan Boldt (Nebraska) and Corey Julks (Houston) – have been solid, and the reinforcements have helped do the rest. Guys like Nick Solak (Louisville) and Pete Alonso (Florida) are major additions that make Bourne’s lineup a whole lot better. Solak is hitting .314. Alonso made his debut Saturday and went 1-for-4 with an RBI, after hitting five homers for the Gators this spring.
Smoyer made his third start Saturday and out-dueled Smeltzer. He didn’t strike out a batter but only allowed four hits in his six scoreless innings. Bryan Baker (North Florida) and Austin Conway (Indiana State) closed out the shutout, with Conway grabbing his third save.
Hyannis remains atop the division at 10-7, but Wareham – and now the red-hot Braves – are right on their tail. The Braves’ bad start seems like a long time ago.
Falmouth 1, Harwich 0
Bourne’s win was one of three Saturday shutouts. Falmouth’s came on the shoulders of four pitchers, with Jack Finnegan (McLennan CC) getting the win in relief and Stephen Villines (Kansas) notching the save when he struck out the side around a single in the ninth. Adam Oller (Northwestern State) started and went five scoreless. The day’s only offense came in the sixth, when Boomer White (Texas A&M) knocked an RBI single. That made Harwich’s Scott Tully (Notre Dame) a very hard-luck loser. He went eight innings, struck out seven and allowed just the one run. Falmouth improved to 7-10 with the win.
Brewster 3, Chatham 0
Brewster had the other shutout, as J.D. Busfield (Loyola Marymount) and three relievers combined to quiet Chatham’s bats. Busfield, who was a terrific closer for Loyola, continued his transition to a Cape rotation with his third start, and his best yet. He went six and allowed only two hits. Anthony Arias (Fresno State), Trent Paddon (Oregon) and Thomas Hackimer (St. John’s) did the rest, with Hackimer recording the save. Chatham starter Daniel Castano (Baylor) gave up only one earned run, but three Chatham errors led to a pair of unearned tallies. Colin Lyman (Louisville) and Nico Giarratano (San Francisco) each had two hits for the Whitecaps.
Cotuit 5, Orleans 4
The Kettleers were on a seven-game skid but stopped despite having to match up with East-leading Orleans. The Firebirds rallied from a 4-3 deficit to tie the game in the top of the ninth – setting up more heartbreak for the Kettleers – but this time, Cotuit rallied and pushed the winning run across in the bottom of the ninth on the old walk-off walk by Kort Peterson (UCLA). Brett Stephens (UCLA) and Branden Berry (Cal State Northridge) went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Cotuit offense. Nick Lewis (Baylor) got the win with five strong innings of relief. He struck out five and allowed only the ninth-inning run. Kyle Lewis (Mercer) had two hits and two RBI for Orleans. He now ranks second in the league in hitting, tied for first in home runs and tied for third in RBI.
Wareham 4, Y-D 2
Wareham won its third in a row, moved one game over .500 and got within two points of first place Hyannis. Evan Hill (Michigan) went five shutout innings for the win and Ryan Olson (Cal Poly Pomona) picked up the save. Nick Cieri (Maryland) went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Andrew Calica (UC Santa Barbara) went 2-for-3 with an RBI. The Gatemen continue to lead the league in runs scored with 78 in 17 games.
What to Watch
It’s a battle of division leaders at Eldredge Park when Orleans hosts Hyannis. Kyle Cedotal (SE Louisiana), who had a great spring and has a 0.90 ERA this summer, will start for the Firebirds. Dakota Hudson (Mississippi State), who has struck out seven in each of his starts, goes for Hyannis.
Parker Dunshee went six strong innings to help Chatham take game one of a doubleheader with Hyannis.
Chatham’s eight wins this season have all come in two-win bursts. They won two in a row to start the summer, lost their next game, won two in a row, lost three straight, then won two in a row and lost their next game.
Their latest burst was their most impressive. The Anglers visited West-leading Hyannis Monday at McKeon Park and swept a doubleheader with the Harbor Hawks, winning 3-2 and 3-1.
The victories give Chatham an 8-5 record, which matches Hyannis and is good for second-best in the league to Orleans’ 10-3 mark.
Chatham started the twin bill with a bang Monday night, scoring all three of its runs in the top of the first inning. Will Craig (Wake Forest), Aaron Barnett (Pepperdine) and Zack Short (Sacred Heart) knocked in the runs in consecutive at-bats.
The early lead proved just enough for a pair of Chatham pitchers. Starter Parker Dunshee (Wake Forest) allowed two runs in six-plus innings and struck out three. In the seventh – the final inning in scheduled doubleheader games – Hyannis scored a run off reliever Andre Scrubb (High Point), which was charged to Dunshee, and had the winning run on base before Scrubb retired the final two batters for his third save.
In the second game, it was Hyannis that jumped in front with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Chatham immediately took the lead with two in the second and tacked on insurance in the seventh. Short homered for the Anglers, while Trenton Brooks (Nevada) and Cory Raley (Texas Tech) knocked in one run each.
Ty Damron (Texas Tech) allowed one run in five innings of work for the win. C.J. Burdick (San Diego) and Aaron McGarity (Virginia Tech) pitched a scoreless inning each to finish it off.
The Anglers had two in a row again. They’ll try to stretch a streak to three for the first time all year when they host Brewster tonight.
Harwich 5, Cotuit 3; Harwich 6, Cotuit 1
Harwich also swept its doubleheader, making things interesting at the top of the East standings, where there hasn’t been much of a race to this point. The Mariners are now 7-5-1, just a point back of Chatham for second place. Starting pitching set the course for the Mariners Monday, with each of their starters going five innings and giving up no earned runs. Joe O’Donnell (NC State) did it in the first game before Cotuit took a late lead against the bullpen. Harwich rallied for three runs in the seventh to win it. Saige Jenco (Virginia Tech) had an RBI single to power the rally. Luke Scherzer (Virginia Tech) grabbed his league-best fourth save. Hunter Williams (North Carolina) allowed one unearned run in five innings for the win in game two. Michael Hernandez (Nova Southeastern) powered a 10-hit attack with a three-run homer. Adam Pate (North Carolina) had three hits, while Cavan Biggio (Notre Dame) had two hits and two RBI, bumping his average to .371. Cotuit’s Michael Paez (Coastal Carolina) in the sweep, going 2-for-3 to take over the league batting lead at .400. He’s also second in stolen bases with six.
Y-D 7, Falmouth 6; Y-D 5, Falmouth 1
The defending champs have struggled this season, but they know how to win a doubleheader. The Red Sox topped Falmouth for their second twin bill sweep of the summer, which accounts for four of their five wins on the season. Y-D scored four runs in the top of the seventh to take the opener, with Mike Donadio (St. John’s), Gio Brusa (Washington), Stephen Wrenn (Georgia) and Connor Wong (Houston) driving in the runs. Wrenn finished 2-for-4 with three RBI. Brusa, a standout with Brewster last year, went 1-for-4 in his 2015 debut. Christopher Viall (Stanford) pitched a scoreless bottom of the seventh to finish off the game-one win. The Red Sox stayed hot in game two, smacking nine hits on their way to the sweep. Tommy Edman (Stanford) drove in two runs. Ricky Thomas (Fresno State) turned in his second strong start of the summer, giving up one run in 5.2 innings with seven strikeouts.
Bourne 6, Orleans 3; Orleans 3, Bourne 0
The Braves snapped Orleans’ six-game winning streak in the opener but Orleans got right back on track with a shutout in the second game. Jacob Robson (Mississippi State) had two hits and two RBI to pace a 10-hit Bourne attack in the first game. Mike Garzillo (Lehigh), Corey Julks (Houston) and Ryan Boldt (Nebraska) also had two hits. Bryan Baker (North Florida) turned in his third straight scoreless relief outing, going 3.1 innings and striking out five for the win. Austin Conway (Indiana State) picked up the save. In the second game, Bourne was no match for Mitchell Jordan (Stetson), who dominated again. He went five scoreless innings, just as he did in his first two starts of the summer. He also struck out seven to take over the league lead in that category with 17. Joe Ryan (Cal State Northridge) pitched the final two innings for the save. An error and a two-run single by Austin Miller (Loyola Marymount) in the sixth gave Orleans all the offense it would need. Nick Jensen-Clagg (Kent State) was a bright spot for Bourne in the loss, striking out eight in four scoreless innings. He has 16 strikeouts in 8.1 innings this summer.
Brewster 5, Wareham 4; Wareham 5, Brewster 0
Brewster used a four-run fourth inning to pull away in game one, while two Gatemen pitchers combined on a shutout in game two. The Whitecaps took a 1-0 lead in the first game on a third-inning home run by Toby Handley (Stony Brook). They added four hits in the fourth innings, and three runs came home on passed balls or wild pitches, ahead of an RBI double by Eli White (Clemson). Wareham chipped away but was held scoreless over the final two innings. Thomas Hackimer (St. John’s) went the final 1.1 for the save. Highly-touted lefty Matt Krook (Oregon) started for Wareham, making his first appearance since the 2014 college season, and struck out two in two scoreless innings. In game two, Wareham righted the ship thanks to Evan Hill (Michigan) who allowed three hits in six shutout innings. He had plenty of support, with Logan Sowers (Indiana) and Andrew Knizner (NC State) driving in two runs each.
What to Watch
Orleans has had just one game against its closest competition in the East, but that changes this week. Harwich visits Eldredge Field tonight and Chatham comes to town Thursday.
Nick Halamandaris makes a play at first earlier this season.
Pitchers have certainly held their own in the Cape League this season, but there haven’t been a ton of dominant performances. Before Saturday’s games, the league’s strikeout leader was a relief pitcher.
But on opposite ends of the Cape Saturday, two pitchers added a little dominance to the equation.
In Falmouth, Wareham’s Kyle Cody (Kentucky) struck out six in seven shutout innings as the Gatemen beat Falmouth 4-0. In Orleans, Kolton Mahoney (BYU) struck out 11 in six innings as the Firebirds beat Y-D 6-3.
Scouts and people who have seen Cody in the past have been waiting for a performance like this. Despite the fact that he pitched only nine innings for Wareham last summer, Perfect Game still picked him as the Cape League’s 30th-best prospect.
The 6-foot-7 righty had pitched 4.1 innings this summer, but broke out with the big performance on Saturday. He allowed three singles, walked one and threw 67 of 91 pitches for strikes.
Scott Effross (Indiana) followed him to the hill and followed suit, striking out four in two scoreless innings to finish off the shutout. The Wareham offense got RBI from Jake Little (Memphis) and Nick Halamandaris (California).
In Orleans, Mahoney has been strong all summer, having gone six scoreless innings in his last start. The 23rd-round pick this year also tossed a no-hitter for BYU this spring.
Last night, he allowed one hit through five scoreless innings before Jordan Tarsovich (VMI) smacked a game-tying, three-run home run in the sixth. But after the home run, Mahoney struck out the final two batters he faced and his offense rallied immediately with a run in the bottom of the sixth to put him in line for the win. The 11 strikeouts put Mahoney in the league lead with 24 on the year.
Kyle Twomey (USC) and Jacob Cronenworth (Michigan) relieved Mahoney and finished off the victory. Edwin Rios (Florida International) and Bobby Dalbec (Arizona) both homered to lead the Firebirds offense.
Cotuit 3, Harwich 1
Cotuit also got a pretty good pitching performance as Logan James (Stanford) allowed one run in five innings with six strikeouts. Adam Whitt (Nevada), who’s been one of the best relievers in the league, struck out seven batters in just 2.2 innings. Jeff Kinley (Michigan State) picked up a save with 1.1 scoreless innings. The Kettleers got an RBI each from Jake Fincher (NC State) and Jeremy Taylor (East Tennessee State). The Kettleers have won two in a row and are now at .500 with an 8-8 mark.
Hyannis 6, Bourne 2
The Harbor Hawks got solid pitching, steady offense and five stolen bases in a victory over West-leading Bourne. The Harbor Hawks are now 10-6, just one game back of the Braves. Blake Hickman (Iowa) allowed two runs and struck out four in five innings. He left with the lead, and reliever Marcus Brakeman (Stanford) kept it thanks to four scoreless frames. David Houser (Tennessee) led the offense with two hits and three RBI. Austin Slater (Stanford) also had two hits. For Bourne, Harrison Bader (Florida) homered.
Brewster 5, Chatham 4
Wade Wass (Alabama) hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning to give Brewster its first lead of the game, and the Whitecaps held on from there to win 5-4. The homer was part of a three-hit, four RBI night for Wass, who was batting just .179 coming into the game. Braden Bishop (Washington) and Kevin Martir (Maryland) added two hits each for the Whitecaps. Andrew Naderer (Grand Canyon) struck out five in in three innings of relief and Evan Hill (Michigan) pitched a scoreless ninth.
What to Watch
Orleans, winners of three straight, is now in second place in the East and will visit first-place Harwich tonight at 5:30 p.m. Bobby Poyner (Florida) starts for Orleans, with Jared Poche’ (LSU) going for Harwich.
A.J. Murray and Chatham pounded 20 hits in a win over Bourne.
Chatham left Red Wilson Field on Tuesday having combined with Y-D on the highest-scoring Cape League game since 2010.
Wednesday, it seemed like the Anglers never left. On the heels of their 16-14 victory over Y-D, Chatham traveled to Bourne and blew past the West-leading Braves 13-3.
If you’re scoring at home, that’s 29 runs in their last two games. They now have 77 runs on the year, 13 more than any other team.
Ty Moore (UCLA) and Garrett Hampson (Long Beach State) – neither of whom really got in on the action Tuesday – led Wednesday’s surge. Moore, the only player in the starting lineup without a hit on Tuesday, went 4-for-6 with a double, a run scored and two RBI against the Braves. Hampson, who had one hit on Tuesday, also knocked four on Wednesday, to go with three runs scored and an RBI. Kal Simmons (Kennesaw State), A.J. Murray (Georgia Tech) and Nick Collins (Georgetown) had two hits each, and Chris Shaw (Boston College) had three RBI.
Unlike their slugfest win over Y-D, the Anglers pitchers made sure Bourne didn’t join in the fun on this night. Jordan Hillyer (Kennesaw State) allowed one run in five innings for his second win of the year, and three relievers pitched well to finish it off.
Mark Laird (LSU) was a bright spot for Bourne with four hits, but this one belonged to the Chatham offense. It was the first home loss of the season for Bourne, who fell to 10-4. Chatham improved to 7-6-1.
Brewster 8, Cotuit 0
The Whitecaps (6-8) rode six innings of two-hit ball form Cody Ponce to a shutout of the Kettleers (6-8). Ponce, who starred for D-II Cal Poly Pomona this spring, had been tagged for five unearned runs in 2.2 innings in his previous start. This time, he allowed just a second-inning single and a third-inning double before retiring the final 10 batters he faced in order. Ponce struck out three and didn’t walk a batter. Garrett Mundell (Fresno State), Andrew Naderer (Grand Canyon) and Evan Hill (Michigan) each pitched a hitless inning to secure the shutout. On the other side, Brewster touched up Cotuit starter Sam Tewes (Wichita State) for six runs in an inning and a third. Gio Brusa (Pacific), Travis Maezes (Michigan), Georgie Salem (Alabama) and Josh Vidales (Houston) all had two hits. The Whitecaps sent 10 men to the plate and scored six runs in the second inning.
Orleans 7, Harwich 5
Like West-leading Bourne, East-leading Harwich (10-4) was also knocked down a peg in a loss to Orleans (6-8). David Thompson (Miami) hit two home runs to lead the offense. They were the first of the year for Miami slugger and they added to Orleans’ league-leading total, which now stands at 12. Bobby Dalbec (Arizona) added a two-run single as Orleans broke a 4-4 tie in the seventh inning. On the mound, Brett Lilek (Arizona State) allowed a run in four innings. Sam Moore (UC Irvine) got the win in relief and Jacob Cronenworth (Michigan) picked up the save. Harwich got a home run from Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech).
Falmouth 9, Hyannis 1
The Commodores nearly matched their season home run total of four in one night, as they smacked three long balls in a blowout of Hyannis. Shaun Chase (Oregon) got the fireworks started with a solo shot in the third, touching off a seven-run inning. The burst included a two-run single by Sam Gillikin (Auburn), an RBI single by Conner Hale (LSU), and RBI single by Cameron O’Brien (West Virginia), a bases-loaded walk to Jake Madsen (Ohio) and a sacrifice fly by Trever Morrison (Oregon State). In the sixth, Matt Eureste (San Jacinto North), one of the league’s batting leaders, hit his first home run. In the seventh, Hale added a solo shot, his second of the year. All the offense wasn’t even necessary behind starter Kevin McCanna (Rice), who turned in his third quality start of the summer. He allowed one run in seven innings, striking out two.
Y-D 9, Wareham 8 (10 innings)
The Red Sox followed up Tuesday’s slugfest against Chatham with another one Wednesday in Wareham, but came away with the victory this time. Y-D scored two in the top of the 10th to break a 7-7 tie. Andrew Stevenson (LSU) drew a bases-loaded walk for the go-ahead run Donnie Walton (Oklahoma State) delivered an important insurance run with a sac fly. Wareham scored one in the bottom of the 10th, but Y-D reliever Josh Pierce (Kent State) got out of a two-on, two-out jam with a strikeout of Wareham standout Willie Calhoun (Arizona). Both teams finished with 15 hits. Y-D was led by Hunter Cole (Georgia), who hit his league-best third home run in just his seventh game. Jordan Tarsovich (VMI) went 4-for-6 with a homer and now leads the league in hitting. Kyri Washington (Longwood) homered for Wareham, and Daniel Rosenbaum (Louisville) went 3-for-5 in his second game of the summer.
What to Watch
Another league-wide day off today. When the teams get back to action Friday, keep an eye on the match-up in Chatham, where the second-place Anglers host East-leading Harwich.
Sam Haggerty and Hyannis were the last unbeaten team in the league – for a few hours.
Five days into the Cape Cod Baseball League season, nobody’s undefeated and nobody’s winless.
Yesterday’s slate of doubleheaders assured that. Previously unbeaten Harwich and Hyannis squared off and split their doubleheader, Brewster handed Bourne its first loss, and Yarmouth-Dennis broke into the win column twice with a sweep of Wareham.
I think the Red Sox were the happiest if the bunch.
Coming into the year, they looked like one of the most talented teams in the league but didn’t get much going in the first three games of the season, losing 7-2, 3-0 and 2-1. The third of those was the most frustrating as potential ace Michael Murray (Florida Gulf Coast) was charged with two unearned runs in a 2-1 loss.
Sunday, the Red Sox were finally on track.
In game one, they had their best offensive day of the season and beat the Gatemen 7-1. Rob Fonseca (Northeastern), who missed the spring season due to injury, smacked a home run for his first Cape League hit. Jason Goldstein (Illinois) and Donnie Walton (Oklahoma State) added two hits apiece, and Michael Foster (Northeastern) drove in two runs.
On the mound, former first-round pick Phil Bickford (Cal State Fullerton) made his Cape League debut and struck out three in three scoreless innings. Dimitri Kourtis (Mercer), who played for Harwich in 2012, followed with three strong innings for the win.
In game two, Josh Staumont (Azusa Pacific) and Tyler Jay (Illinois) combined to allow just an unearned run in seven innings as Y-D won 3-1. A.J. Simcox (Tennessee) knocked in two runs while Fonseca and Brennon Lund (BYU) had two hits each.
Kyle Cody (Kentucky), potentially one of the top pitching prospects in the league, struck out six in three innings for Wareham.
Hyannis 2, Harwich 0; Harwich 5, Hyannis 2
Hyannis staked claim to the title of lone unbeaten – but it didn’t last long. After knocking off unbeaten Harwich to go to 3-0, the Harbor Hawks fell in game two to the Mariners. In the opener, Jordan Minch (Purdue) and Matthew Margaritonda (Marshall) combined on the shutout, scattering seven hits while striking out three. Hyannis was out-hit 7-3, but scratched across runs in the first and third innings. Joe Purritano (Dartmouth) had an RBI, while Bobby Melley (Connecticut) and Matthew Britton (Mississippi State) had one hit each. In game two, Harwich starter Jon Harris (Missouri State) struck out eight in four innings and his offense rallied from a 2-0 first-inning deficit. Ian Happ (Cincinnati), who went 5-for-6 in the doubleheader, had three hits in game two and scored a run. Tyler Servais (Princeton) added two hits and Danny Zardon (LSU) had an RBI.
Brewster 5, Bourne 2; Bourne 4, Brewster 3
The Whitecaps handed Bourne its first loss in game one. Andrew Lee (Tennessee) struck out six and allowed one earned run in two innings for the win, and Evan Hill (Michigan) picked up the save. Gio Brusa (Pacific) hit his first home run of the year and drove in two, while Luke Lowery (East Carolina) also knocked in two. In the second game, Bourne held off a Brewster rally to win by a run. Jake Long (Clemson) got the win in relief with 2.1 scoreless innings and John Gorman (Boston College) notched a save. Richard Martin Jr. (Florida) had two hits, an RBI and two runs scored to lead the Braves offense.
Cotuit 4, Chatham 1; Cotuit 3, Chatham 0
Cotuit moved to 3-2 on the year with a sweep of Chatham, who fell to 1-4. Four pitchers combined on a steady performance in game one, with Adam Whitt (Nevada) picking up the win. Casey Schroeder (Polk State College), Brendan Hendriks (San Francisco) and D.C. Arendas (South Carolina) drove in a run each. In game two, four more pitchers teamed up for a one-hit shutout. Dalton Potts (Tennessee Martin) and Bailey Clark (Duke) carried a no-hitter into the fourth. Chatham broke through with its lone hit in the fifth, but that was all Vincent Fiori (South Carolina) gave up. A.J. Minter (Texas A&M) closed things out with 2.2 scoreless frames. Logan Taylor (Texas A&M) had two hits to power the offense.
Falmouth 6, Orleans 5; Falmouth 9, Orleans 3
Orleans was coming off a 9-0 victory over Chatham but was swept at home by Falmouth. The Commodores scored two in the fifth inning of a back-and-forth game one on a two-run homer by Conner Hale (LSU). Hale was a late addition to this year’s roster who played a key role for the Commodores last year. Kevin Newman (Arizona), another returning player, also homered. Kyle Zimmerman (Wayne State) picked up the win in relief and Kevin Mooney (Maryland) grabbed a save. For Orleans, Christin Stewart (Tennessee) hit his second home run of the summer, making him the the only player in the league with two. In the second game, the Commodores rolled 9-3 behind a nine-hit attack. Leon Byrd Jr. (Rice) went 2-for-3 and drove in three runs, while Matthew Eureste (San Jacinto) went 3-for-4 and is now hitting .556 on a temp contract. Hale went 2-for-4 to add to his big day. On the mound, Matt Eckelman (St. Louis) picked up the win.
What to Watch
Just one game on the docket tonight, a makeup between Brewster and Hyannis. It’s set for 6 p.m. at McKeon Park. Starting pitchers still TBD.
