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Still Battling

Eddie Muhl pitched 2.2 scoreless innings of relief in Monday's win.
Eddie Muhl pitched 2.2 scoreless innings of relief in Monday’s win.

 
Brewster and Hyannis are on the verge of the playoffs, but they’ve been there for a while now and haven’t been able to take the leap. That’s due to their own struggles and late pushes by the teams behind them.

With a win and a Brewster loss, Chatham moved within one point of the Whitecaps for the final playoff spots in the East. Meanwhile, Cotuit topped Hyannis – the sixth straight loss for the Harbor Hawks – to get within three points of the last spot in the West. With two games remaining for everybody, any of those four teams could still make the postseason.

Chatham knocked off West-leading Falmouth for its key win Monday. Caleb Gilbert (LSU), who hadn’t gone more than four innings in any outing, went seven strong, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out seven. Falmouth used four pitchers as it preps for the playoffs and Chatham did damage against all of them, even ace Brady Puckett (Lipscomb). Jeremy Vasquez (Florida) went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI. D.J. Artis (Liberty) continued his late-season surge with three hits, two runs and an RBI. Kyle Adams (Richmond) and Gunnar Troutwine (Wichita State) drove in one run each.

Chatham improved to 16-25-1. Both of its remaining games are against Orleans. Brewster takes on first-place Harwich in its last two.

In Hyannis, Cotuiti made up ground in the fastest way possible for the second time in the last four games, topping the Harbor Hawks. Hyannis hasn’t won since the day after the All-Star Game.

Jason Bilous (Coastal Carolina), who struggled in his first start July 18, delivered a second consecutive strong performance, going five innings and allowing one run. Eddie Muhl (George Washington) followed with 2.2 scoreless frames and Alec Byrd (Florida State) finished the job for the save.

A two-run single by A.J. Balta (Oregon) powered a three-run third inning that put the Kettleers in control. Balta finished 2-for-5 with three RBI. Ryan Hagan (Mercer) added two hits and two RBI. Greyson Jenista (Wichita State) also had two hits and Jordan Pearce (Nevada) scored two runs.

Despite the six straight losses, Hyannis still has a leg up on the Kettleers and can clinch a playoff spot with a victory. Cotuit needs to win out and have Hyannis lose both of its last two. Hyannis has Falmouth and Y-D to finish up and Cotuit gets Y-D and Wareham.

 

Bourne 3, Harwich 2

Bourne walked off on Harwich, with David MacKinnon (Hartford) coming around on a wild pitch and a throwing error in the bottom of the ninth. The big finish capped a rally from a 2-0 hole by the Braves, who tied the game in the seventh on a two-run single by Jeremy Eierman (Missouri State). Zach Spangler (Kent State) got the win with two scoreless innings of relief. Zach Schellenger (Seton Hall) struck out four of the seven batters he faced but was tagged with the loss on the unearned run in the ninth. MacKinnon scored two runs for the Braves. Johnny Adams (Boston College) had an RBI for Harwich. The Mariners remain three points in front of Y-D in the East and can clinch the division title and the top seed with one victory.

Wareham 5, Orleans 4

The Gatemen scored two in the eighth and held off a Firebird rally in the ninth for a 5-4 win. A two-run double by Adrian Tovalin (Azusa Pacific) broke a 3-3 tie in the eighth. Orleans got an RBI fielder’s choice from Brian Miller (North Carolina) in the ninth, but Christian Taugner (Brown) came on and stranded Miller at first to end the game. Dalton Horton (TCU) got the win in relief for the Gatemen. Joey Bart (Georgia Tech) went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. Cole Freeman (LSU) had two hits and scored two runs, pushing his average to .378 as he remains in position for the batting title.

Y-D, Brewster 4

A run in the eighth and two in the ninth pushed Y-D past Brewster. Will Toffey (Vanderbilt) scored in the eighth on a dribbler by Brendan Skidmore (Binghamton). In the ninth, Dillon Persinger (Cal State Fullerton) plated the tying run with an RBI double and Toffey gave the Red Sox the lead with a run-scoring base hit. Calvin Faucher (UC Irvine) then worked around a walk and an error in the bottom of the ninth to seal the win for Y-D. J.J. Muno (UC Santa Barbara) had two hits and scored two runs for the Red Sox. Persinger added two hits. For Brewster, Kekai Rios (Hawaii) had two hits and two runs scored.

 

What to Watch

The playoff chase continues for Cotuit and Chatham. The Kettleers visit Y-D at 4:30 p.m. Chatham hosts Orleans at 7.
 

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Showdown

Kevin Cron knocked in two runs as Falmouth topped Hyannis.

 
Hyannis has owned the West for much of this season in part because it has owned Falmouth. Though the Commodores had the flashier numbers, the Harbor Hawks won each of the first four meetings, making it tough for Falmouth to make up ground.

Hyannis still takes the seasons series thanks to those four wins, but Falmouth has won the last two.

And the division is now co-owned.

With an 8-4 victory over Hyannis last night, Falmouth moved into a 48-point tie with the Harbor Hawks atop the Western Division. Cotuit, which lost to Bourne last night, is a point back.

For Falmouth, last night’s win continued a surge that always seemed close. The Commodores have won four in a row, their first such streak of the season, and they now lead the West in wins with 24. Hyannis is 23-16-2.

Falmouth was shut out for the first three innings last night by late addition Logan Carman (Southern Maine), a D-III All-American. Hyannis needs some help with departures of starters Jeff Hoffman, Patrick Andrews and Austin Pettibone.

It looked like Carman could provide the boost, but ultimately, Falmouth’s big bats represented a tough introduction. The Commodores scored five runs in the fourth and never looked back.

Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) led the parade for Falmouth with four hits, including a home run and a double. Kevin Cron (TCU) went 1-for-3 with three RBI, while Kevin Newman (Arizona) and Conner Hale (State College of Florida) had two hits and an RBI apiece.

On the mound, Trey Teakell (TCU) gave up three runs, two earned, in four innings. Kevin Mooney (Maryland) got the win with two innings of relief. Donny Murray (Holy Cross), Brent Stong (Bradley) and Hunter Brothers (Lipscomb) pitched a hitless inning each and combined for five strikeouts.

While Falmouth’s win tightens things up, the division title is still going to come down to the final three games. Falmouth plays Cotuit twice in its final three, which could make things very interesting. In the meantime, Hyannis has Wareham before two straight games against East foe Y-D.

A number of scenarios could play out. For now, Falmouth has made things a little bit tighter.

 

Harwich 5, Chatham 3; Harwich 3, Chatham 1

Harwich has been treading water for about two weeks but took a big step up yesterday with a doubleheader sweep of first-place Chatham. Harwich is now back in second place in the East, a point ahead of Orleans. In game one, Aaron Bummer (Nebraska) went six strong innings, allowing just one earned run. Mason McCullough (North Carolina) worked a perfect seventh for the save. A balanced attack led the offense, with Ben Moore (Alabama), A.J. Reed (Kentucky), Ryan Lindemuth (William & Mary) and Blair DeBord (Kansas State) driving in one run each. In game two, Harwich got a home run from Gunnar Heidt (College of Charleston) to take a lead it never lost. Brett Austin (NC State) added two hits and an RBI, while Reed knocked in one. Dillon Peters (Texas) pitched three scoreless frames and Ian Tompkins (Western Kentucky) went four strong innings for the win, allowing just one run and striking out six.

 

Y-D 5, Orleans 3

The Red Sox stopped Orleans’ eight-game winning streak with a 5-3 victory and clinched the final playoff spot in the East in the process. Facing Jared Miller (Vanderbilt), who had turned in two consecutive dominant starts, Y-D scored five runs in the first four innings and made the lead stand up. Alex Blandino (Stanford) and Jose Trevino (Oral Roberts) knocked in two runs each while Taylor White (UNLV) drove in the other. Auston Bousfield (Ole Miss) had two hits and scored two runs. On the mound, Clay Smith (St. Louis) gave up three runs in six innings for the win. Alexander Katz (St. John’s) pitched 1.1 scoreless innings in his Cape debut before Kody Kerski (Sacred Heart) finished it off.

 

Bourne 2, Cotuit 0

With Jaron Long and Austin Gomber departing, the Braves are going to need some help in the starting rotation come playoff time. After last night, Jacob Lindgren (Mississippi State) may be up to the task. A starter in the spring but a reliever all summer, Lindgren made his first Cape start and dominated, tossing six shutout innings and striking out seven as the Braves shut out Cotuit. Jack English (Florida Gulf Coast) struck out four in two innings before Lindgren’s Mississippi State teammate Will Cox struck out the side in the ninth for the save. For Cotuit, newcomer Dalton Potts (Tennessee-Martin) went five strong innings but Bourne got to him for two runs that proved to be enough. Mark Laird (LSU) and Jeff Gardner (Louisville) drove in a run each.

 

Wareham 8, Brewster 1

The Gatemen pounded out 19 hits and got a strong pitching performance from Andro Cutura (Southeastern Louisana) en route to a lopsided victory. Cutura, a hard-luck loser several times, went seven innings and struck out six while allowing just a run. He also finally received some run support. Daniel Rosenbaum (Louisville) had three hits and a home run, while Trevor Podratz (Hawaii), Cole Stancil (St. Leo) and Ethan Gross (Memphis) also had three hits. Chris Chinea (LSU) had two hits and drove in two runs. With the loss and a win by Y-D, Brewster officially was eliminated from the playoff race.

 

What to Watch

Second place in the East may well be decided today as Harwich hosts a double-header with Orleans beginning at 4:30 p.m. The Mariners have a one-point edge on Orleans for second place.
 

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Playoffs?

Jay Baum and Hyannis have already secured a playoff spot.

 
It’s a little early to talk playoffs, but in the top-heavy Western Division, it’s already a conversation.

Because Wareham has struggled – and because the rest of the division features three of the league’s best teams – Hyannis and Cotuit clinched two of the four playoff spots last night. With 12 games left, the best Wareham could do is 36 points. Hyannis now has 39 and Cotuit has 37. Falmouth is one win from clinching with 36 points.

Hyannis, who has won two straight after a lopsided loss to Falmouth, got it done last night with an 8-3 victory over Wareham. Jeff Schalk (UAB) went 3-for-5 with three RBI and his fourth home run to lead the Harbor Hawks charge. Skyler Ewing (Rice) delivered his third multi-hit game in the last seven, going 3-for-4 with three RBI.

Rocky McCord (Auburn) started and gave up three runs in 4.2 innings. Three relievers pitched shutout baseball the rest of the way, with Jay Shaw (Alabama) getting credited with the victory.

Meanwhile, Cotuit clinched without picking up a win. The Kettleers and Harwich played to a 3-3 tie in 10 innings before darkness called the game. Cotuit trailed 3-1 into the ninth before tying the game on a Hunter Cole (Georgia) home run.

Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt) also homered for the Kettleers. Patrick Corbett (Coastal Carolina) pitched four strong innings.

For Harwich, Gunnar Heidt (College of Charleston) had three hits and two RBI. Brendon Hayden (Virginia Tech) drove in the other run. On the mound, A.J. Reed (Kentucky) went five scoreless innings.

Hyannis now has a two-point lead on Cotuit for first place in the West.

 

Chatham 10, Falmouth 4

The Anglers won their third straight game, clinching a winning record with an easy victory over the powerful Commodores. Falmouth scored eight runs in the first two innings and never looked back. J.D. Davis (Cal State Fullerton) followed up teammate Connor Joe’s big night with one of his own, going 5-for-5 with two RBI. Brandon Sedell (Nova Southeastern) had three hits and three RBI, while Dante Flores (USC) added three hits and two RBI. Lukas Schiraldi (Navarro) won for the third straight time with his best start of the summer, going six shutout innings with four strikeouts. He gave up just four hits. For Falmouth, Cameron O’Brien (Northeast Texas CC) hit a home run.

 

Orleans 6, Brewster 1

The Whitecaps have been charging hard at Orleans and the fourth spot in the East standings, but the Firebirds scored a crucial win in that race last night. Jordan Luplow (Fresno State) stretched his hitting streak to eight with a 2-for-4, four RBI night. He also homered, his third of the season. Will Fulmer (Vanderbilt) also homered for the Firebirds, while Ross Kivett (Kansas State) had two hits. Shawn O’Neill (La Salle) allowed a run in 6.1 innings before Trevor Kelley (North Carolina) slammed the door with a dominant relief performance. Kelley struck out six of the 10 batters he faced in 2.2 innings.

 

Bourne 8, Y-D 1

The Braves got five strong innings from Ryan Kellogg (Arizona State) and a 15-hit night en route to an easy win over the Red Sox. Kellogg struck out three and allowed one run in five innings. Jack English (Florida Gulf Coast) went three scoreless innings and Justin McCalvin (Kennesaw State) finished it off. Clint Freeman (East Tennessee State) had three hits and two RBI and Eric Fisher (Arkansas) also drove in two. The Braves are now 15-15-1.

 

What to Watch

East Divisoin all-star starter Aaron Bummer (Nebraska) will be looking for his fifth win when Harwich hosts Bourne. Austin Gomber (Florida Atlantic), who’s been up and down this summer after a great spring, starts for Bourne.
 

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No Average Joe

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I’d say he made up for it.

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

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

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

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

 

Hyannis 6, Cotuit 3

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

 

Falmouth 5, Orleans 0

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

 

Brewster 8, Y-D 4

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

 

Harwich 9, Wareham 1

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

 

What to Watch

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

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Right Where They Belong

Fred Shepard, pictured in last year's league championship series, dominated for Wareham last night.

 
Monday featured a host of good pitching performances in the Cape League. They were authored by the usual suspects from UCLA and Texas, but also by guys from Maine and Amherst.

Tommy Lawrence (Maine) tossed six shutout innings for Chatham in a 4-2 victory over Brewster, while Fred Shepard (Amherst) went seven scoreless for Wareham in a 5-0 win over Falmouth.

For both, it wasn’t the first time they’ve proven themselves on the Cape League’s stage.

Lawrence, who’s part of a long line of Maine Black Bears to don a Chatham uniform, had a 3.55 ERA last summer in a swing role for the Anglers. He struck out 35 in 38 innings.

This spring, Lawrence built on the solid summer by going 11-3 with a 2.32 ERA for Maine. He was unanimously selected as the America East Conference Pitcher of the Year.

Lawrence was welcomed back to Chatham this year and is having an even better time on his second go-round. Lawrence gave up two runs in his first appearance but hasn’t given up another since. He now owns a 1.03 ERA.

On Monday, he made his second start and was dominant. He struck out five and gave up just four hits. Brewster tried a rally after Lawrence had departed but could get no closer than two runs. Josh Eldridge (Old Dominion) and Connor Joe (San Diego) led the offense with one RBI each. It was Chatham’s fourth straight win.

In Falmouth, Shepard had a similar night. He struck out five and scattered six hits in seven innings against Falmouth’s powerful lineup. The win was his first of the year. Matt Walsh (Franklin Pierce) drove in two runs to lead the Wareham offense.

Shepard has had even more to prove than a guy like Lawrence. Amherst is a Division III program, and Shepard was coming off a tough sophomore year when he hooked on with the Gatemen on a temporary contract last summer. He ended up providing some valuable innings and started the decisive game of the league championship series, which Wareham went on to win.

Not surprisingly, with that playoff performance on their minds, the Gatemen brought Shepard back this summer when they had some holes to fill on their roster. He’s responded with a solid campaign and he now ranks third in the league in strikeouts.

It’s a success story for sure, and the same could be said for Lawrence. You’ll see a lot of hot radar guns on the Cape, and arms that get first-round love. But sometimes it’s just as fun to see a couple of small-school pitchers proving that they belong too.

 

Harwich 5, Cotuit 0

Harwich got a terrific performance from Dillon Peters (Texas) and shut out Cotuit 6-0. Peters, who had a great spring in Austin, gave up three runs in his first Cape start last week. This time, Peters gave up just two hits in seven scoreless innings and struck out five. Ian Tompkins (Western Kentucky) and Jake Drossner (Maryland) finished off the shutout. The Harwich offense was led by Gunnar Heidt (College of Charleston), who went 3-for-4. Mitch Morales (Florida Atlantic) drove in two runs.

 

Hyannis 3, Bourne 3

Hyannis and Bourne played 12 innings before the league curfew kicked in and they settled for a 3-3 tie. Skyler Ewing (Rice) went 3-for-6 with a home run and two RBI to lead the Harbor Hawks while Ryan Padilla (New Mexico) had two hits and an RBI. Mason Robbins (Southern Miss) knocked in two runs and Tim Caputo (Rhode Island) drove in one for Bourne. A host of pitchers turned in solid relief performances, none more impressive than Jordan Foley (Central Michigan). He recorded nine outs – eight by strikeout.

 

Y-D 4, Orleans 3

On a day when the Red Sox lost ace Erick Fedde to Team USA (he could return after Team USA is done) and outfielder Eric Filia to an injury, they picked up a win to ease some of the sting, holding off an Orleans charge for a 4-3 victory. James Kaprielian (UCLA) didn’t factor in the decision but was dominant on the mound, striking out 10 in six innings. He allowed one run on four hits. Kody Kerski (Sacred Heart) got the win with two scoreless innings of relief. Jose Trevino (Oral Roberts) led the offense with a home run and two RBI. Kyle Wood (Purdue) also drove in a run. For Orleans, Ross Kivett (Kansas State), a 10th round pick this year who opted not to sign, went 4-for-5 with an RBI. He owns a 10-game hitting streak.

 

What to Watch

The top two teams get together at Whitehouse Field when Harwich hosts Chatham at 7 p.m. Chandler Shepherd (Kentucky), who’s been terrific this summer, goes for Harwich. Andrew Chin (Boston College), coming off his first tough outing of the year, starts for Chatham.
 

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Closing Time

Eric Eck picked up his league-leading fifth save on Sunday.

 
When a team wins a lot of close games, there’s an element of good fortune at play.

But it also helps to have a great closer – and the Hyannis Harbor Hawks have that taken care of.

Eric Eck (Wofford) picked up his league-leading fifth save last night as the Harbor Hawks knocked off Cotuit 5-2. With the win, Hyannis moved into sole possession of first place in the West, with a 13-6 record. Cotuit, which had won the first two games of the Barnstable Patriot Cup series, dropped to 12-9.

Patrick Andrews (Clemson) got the win with seven strong innings. Jordan Foley (Central Michigan) pitched a scoreless inning before Eck closed it out. Jay Baum (Clemson) and Austin Slater (Stanford) each drove in two runs.

The three-run win was another in a long-line of close wins for the Harbor Hawks. In their 13 wins, the largest margin was four runs, and that happened once. They’ve won three three-run games, three two-run games and an amazing six one-run games.

Eck has handled the back end of a lot of those games. And he’s done it very well.

Eck has pitched in eight games this summer, and Hyannis has won each of those. He owns two victories to go with the five saves and he has a 1.68 ERA. He’s given up four hits in 10.2 innings.

The 6’4 righty is no stranger to summer success. He starred in the New York Collegiate Baseball League last year, earning top prospect honors from Baseball America. When his season ended, he made a brief stop in Hyannis, pitching in three games late in the season.

Eck struck out seven in seven innings during his stay in Hyannis last summer, and that set the tone for this year. He had 10 saves for Wofford this spring and is well on his way to a similar number this summer.

With their propensity for narrow margins, the Harbor Hawks are happy to have him.

 

Chatham 4, Brewster 3

Chatham (14-6-1) stayed hot, winning its fourth straight in dramatic fashion. With the score knotted at 3-3 in the bottom of the 10th, Landon Lassiter (North Carolina) hit a walk-off single to score Blake Butera (Boston College), who had opened the inning with a base hit. It was Chatham’s third walk-off win of the season. Butera led the offense, going 4-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI. Lassiter also had two RBI. On the mound, Andrew Chin (Boston College) allowed just two unearned runs in five innings. Chad Sobotka (SC Upstate) gave up a run in three innings and Mitch Merten (UC Irvine) struck out two in two scoreless frames for the win. Brewster, who had won three in a row, dropped to 6-14.

 

Harwich 10, Orleans 0

The Mariners (12-9) scored six runs in the first inning and never looked back en route to an easy victory over Orleans (9-11). Gunnar Heidt (College of Charleston) led the big offensive night, going 2-for-3 with four RBI. Heidt has an average under .200, but now owns a four-RBI and a five-RBI day on the season. Aaron Barbosa (Northeastern) also had two hits while A.J. Reed (Kentucky) had two RBI. The offense was more than enough for Harwich starter Aaron Bummer (Nebraska). He had given up his first runs of the season in his last start, but got back to his scoreless ways on Sunday, working six shutout innings with a season-high six strikeouts. Tyler Burgess (Missouri State) and Jake Drossner (Maryland) finished off the shutout.

 

Y-D 4, Wareham 3

The Gatemen (4-17) led 2-0 into the seventh, but Y-D (10-10-1) scored one in the seventh and three in the eighth for the comeback win. Andrew Daniel (San Diego) had an RBI single in the seventh before Jose Trevino (Oral Roberts) smacked a two-run double to power the eighth inning rally. Kevin McAvoy (Bryant) picked up the win in relief and Darrell Hunter (Oregon) got the save. Brandon Downes (Virginia) and Cole Peragine (Stony Brook) each had two hits to lead the Red Sox. Trey Killian (Arkansas) gave Wareham six shutout innings. Power arm Sean Newcomb (Hartford) made his first appearance since the season opener and took the loss.

 

What to Watch

Ben Smith (Coastal Carolina), who ranks fourth in the league in strikeouts, gets the start for Cotuit as the Kettleers host Harwich in a battle of second-place teams. Dillon Peters (Texas), who had a tremendous spring in Austin, will make his first start for the Mariners after two scoreless innings of relief in his debut.

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Shut Down

Greg Allen and Orleans notched a big win over Chatham.

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

Orleans wasn’t having it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Falmouth 5, Cotuit 3

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

 

Harwich 10, Brewster 3

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

 

Y-D 6, Hyannis 5

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

 

Bourne 4, Wareham 2

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

 

What to Watch

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

 

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The Stars are Out

Cotuit's Mike Ford is the Cape League's leading hitter through 10 games.

 
Ten games is not a lot in a baseball season, but in one as short as the Cape League’s, it’s not an insignificant amount. We’re almost a quarter of the way through the season.

Ten games in, hot starts can begin turning into trends. Stars can begin to cement their spots.

Two stars were on full display last night.

Cotuit’s Mike Ford (Princeton) hit a home run and went 2-for-4 to maintain his place as the league’s leading hitter with a .429 average. Falmouth’s Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) also homered and now leads the league in home runs with three and RBI with 11.

For both, it’s a welcomed start.

Ford hit .252 for Cotuit last year. He pitches too and had an ERA over six. This spring, though, he made history at Princeton, where he was named Ivy League Player and Pitcher of the Year, the first person ever to hit that double. He came back to Cotuit on a temporary contract, but I’m guessing he’ll stick around. He owns a 1.92 ERA in 4.2 innings on the mound to go with his work at the plate.

Hoskins was the WAC Freshman of the Year in 2012 when he hit .353 with 10 home runs, but he didn’t have a great summer in the West Coast League. He hit just .237. This spring, his numbers dipped to .283 and three home runs.

But this summer, Hoskins has been fantastic. He has played in every one of Falmouth’s games and has gotten at least one hit in all but one of them. In his last three games – which came after his one hitless performance – he’s gone 6-for-12 with two home runs and seven RBI.

Ford and Hoskins are also helping their teams pile up the victories. Cotuit beat Hyannis 7-2 last night to take over first-place in the West. Steven Duggar (Clemson) and Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt) had three hits each in addition to Ford’s good night. Joel Seddon (South Carolina) got the win with 3.2 scoreless innings of relief.

Falmouth hit the road to take on a red-hot Bourne team and shut the Braves down completely, winning 8-0 for their third straight victory. Joseph Maggi (Arizona), Kevin Cron (TCU), Conner Hale (State College of Florida) and Troy Stein (Texas A&M) joined Hoskins with two hits apiece. John Means (West Virginia) went 5.2 innings for his first win.

 

Harwich 8, Y-D 0

Harwich (6-3) won its fourth straight game as Y-D found itself on the wrong end of a rough night again. The Red Sox (3-7) have given up 40 runs in their last three games. Harwich, meanwhile, has allowed a total of four runs in its winning streak. Chandler Shepherd (Kentucky) continued the string of quality starts with six shutout innings. He struck out one and allowed three hits. Jake Drossner (Maryland) and Michael Costello (Radford) finished it off. The offense was led by Gunnar Heidt (College of Charleson), who hit a third-inning grand slam on his way to a five-RBI night. Tanner English (South Carolina) and Derek Fisher (Virginia) also drove in runs.

 

Orleans 6, Chatham 5

After blowing a 5-0 lead in the seventh inning, the Firebirds (5-4) scored a run in the ninth to beat Chatham (6-4) by a run. Chris Marconcini (Duke) was the hero as his solo home run in the ninth got the Firebirds back in front. It was his second home run in three games and was part of a 3-for-5 night. Matt Troupe (Arizona), who had come on in the eighth, sealed the win with a scoreless ninth. Zach Fish (Oklahoma State) also went 3-for-5 for the Firebirds. On the mound, Bobby Poyner (Florida) delivered a strong start with five scoreless innings. Mitchell Gonsolus (Gonzaga) had three hits and two RBI to lead Chatham.

 

Wareham 3, Brewster 1

The Gatemen (2-8) snapped a six-game losing streak by shutting down the Whitecaps, who were coming off a 14-run explosion the night before. Andro Cutura (Southeastern Louisiana) turned in his second strong start for Wareham, striking out six in five shutout innings. Dillon Ortman (Auburn) and Dalton Brown (Texas Tech) finished the job. The Wareham offense still didn’t smash the ball but did rack up nine hits. Cole Stancil (St. Leo) went 2-for-3 while Will Schwanke (Arkansas) and Brock Stewart (Illinois State) drove in runs.

 

What to Watch

Chatham and Cotuit – who were the league’s hottest teams in week one – get together for their second meeting at 5 p.m. in Cotuit. The last time they met, Chatham won in a walk-off. This time, the Anglers send ace Andrew McGee (Monmouth) to the hill. He ranks third in the league in strikeouts and hasn’t allowed a run in his two starts. Cotuit counters with Jared Walsh (Georgia), who’s given up just one run in his two starts.