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Staying for the Summer

Connor Simmons picked up the win in Saturday's game.
Connor Simmons picked up the win in Saturday’s game.

 
Humming since opening day, the Cape League’s busy transactions page will slow down now. Sunday was the deadline for signing players on temporary contracts to full contracts, the biggest step in solidifying rosters for the rest of the summer. Some changes will still pop up, but the merry-go-round of the early part of the season is over.

Cotuit was among the busiest teams yesterday, signing 10 temps to full contracts. Then the Kettleers went out and celebrated.

Four players hit home runs and six pitchers held on to the lead as the Kettleers beat Falmouth 9-4 at Lowell Park.

Clay Fisher (UC Santa Barbara), a late arrival after the Gauchos’ trip to Omaha, had about as good a Cape League debut as you could draw up, going 3-for-4 with a grand slam. The slam came in the fourth inning and made it an 8-0 lead.

Greyson Jenista (Wichita State) and A.J. Balta (Oregon) added their first home runs of the summer and Cory Voss (New Mexico) hit his second. Jackson Klein (Stanford), Cal Stevenson (Arizona) and Alonzo Jones (Vanderbilt) added hits to the big offensive day.

On the mound, one of those freshly signed temps, Ross Achter (Toledo) started and allowed one run in three innings. Another one, Connor Simmons (Georgia Southern) went 3.2 scoreless innings and was credited with the win.

The victory was the third in four games for the Kettleers, who are 5-15 and making up a bit of ground in the West. They’re three games back of fourth-place Hyannis.

 

Wareham 5, Bourne 2

The Gatemen topped Bourne and moved into a first-place tie with the Braves in the West. Adrian Tovalin (Azusa Pacific) homered, while Alex Destino (South Carolina), Colton Shaver (BYU) and Luke Bonfield (Arkansas) drove in one run each. Brett Conine (Cal State Fullerton) allowed two runs in four innings ahead of a dominant effort by the Gatemen bullpen. Robert Garcia (UC Davis) and and Jake Matthys (Angelo State) combined for five scoreless innings of relief. Wareham has now won two straight.

Orleans 5, Chatham 0

The Firebirds pushed their win streak to five with a shutout of Chatham and now own the second-best record in the league. Making his fourth start, Jason Morgan (North Carolina) delivered his best start with five two-hit innings and six strikeouts. Kevin Smith (Georgia), Chandler Day (Vanderbilt) and Kit Scheetz (Virginia Tech) finished off the shutout. At the plate, the top of the Orleans order led the charge. Leadoff man Brian Miller (North Carolina) went 2-for-5 with two RBI. No. 2 hitter Zach Kirtley (St. Mary’s) homered and also drove in two runs. Justin Jones (Georgia State) went 2-for-4 and scored a pair of runs.

Harwich 2, Brewster 1

With Orleans winning, Harwich could have lost its grip on first place in the East but remained a game ahead of the Firebirds thanks to a typical pitching performance. Shane McCarthy (Seton Hall) came up with his fourth quality start in as many tries, allowing one run on six hits in six innings. He struck out five and didn’t walk a batter. Reliever Austin Bain (LSU) struck out five of the eight batters he faced in two scoreless frames and Zach Schellenger (Seton Hall) tossed a scoreless ninth for his fifth save as the Mariners hung on to the one-run edge. Brewster starter Kade McClure (Louisville) was strong in his own right, striking out nine in seven innings, but after carrying a shutout into the seventh, he gave up a two-run homer to Johnny Adams (Boston College) that proved to be the difference.

Y-D 8, Hyannis 7

One team had a player with two home runs and six RBI – and lost. Hyannis’ Jordan Rodgers (Tennessee) hit a grand slam in the third inning and a two-run homer in the fifth, but Y-D won a slugfest 8-7 on a ninth-inning walk-off squeeze bunt by Nolan Brown (TCU) to score J.J. Muno (UC Santa Barbara). Y-D had also rallied from a 7-5 hole with two runs in the sixth inning on an RBI single by Brendan Skidmore (Binghamton) and a balk that allowed a run to score. Will Toffey (Vanderbilt) homered and drove in two runs for the Red Sox and Tyler Houston (Butler) also had two RBI. Dillon Persinger (Cal State Fullerton) went 4-for-5 in the leadoff spot. For Hyannis, Ford Proctor (Rice) chipped in two hits and Brett Netzer (Charlotte) homered.

What to Watch

Fourth of July Baseball from Wareham to Chatham tonight. At Spillane Field, it’ll be a battle for first place between the Gatemen and the Braves.
 

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Y-D Charge

Tyler Houston and Y-D vaulted into a third-place tie in the East with Friday's win.
Tyler Houston and Y-D vaulted into a third-place tie in the East with Friday’s win.

 
J.J. Schwarz (Florida) singled in his long-awaited Cape League debut and that was just the start of a good night for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in Harwich. Three pitchers combined on a one-hit shutout as the Red Sox topped first-place Harwich 3-0 and vaulted into a tie for third place in the East.

Schwarz has been a big name in college baseball and prospecting circles since he burst onto the scene as a freshman at Florida last year by hitting .332 with 18 home runs. He didn’t have quite as much success this year but remains near the top of every early 2017 draft preview you’ll see.

Last summer Schwarz was on Y-D’s roster but ended up with Team USA. This year, after Florida’s loss in Omaha, he’s in town and immediately becomes a must-see attraction for scouts. Friday, he singled to lead off the second inning in his first Cape League at-bat and finished 1-for-3.

The bigger story for the Red Sox in terms of impact on Friday’s game was the pitching. Erich Uelmen (Cal Poly) allowed one hit in six shutout innings and struck out four. Coming off a spring in which he had a 3.68 ERA, Uelmen has delivered two scoreless outings in his two Cape starts, having gone five shutout innings his last time out.

Nathan Kuchta (San Diego) followed Uelmen to the hill and pitched a quick seventh inning. Calvin Faucher (UC Irvine) then notched his first save in emphatic fashion, striking out five of the six batters he faced in two perfect innings.

Harwich, as usual, had good pitching of its own, but a Y-D run in the fifth and two in the sixth provided the difference against starter Hunter Williams (North Carolina). Deon Stafford (St. Joseph’s) reached on an error and came around on a passed ball in the fifth. Dillon Persinger (Cal State Fullerton) doubled and Kevin Smith (Maryland) had an RBI to key the sixth inning rally.

Y-D has won two in a row and is 9-9 on the year, hitting the .500 mark for the first time. The Red Sox started the season with five straight losses.

 

Falmouth 5, Bourne 1

Falmouth topped Bourne for its second straight win and moved within one point of the Braves for first place in the West. Willie Burger (Penn State) homered and had two RBI to lead the Commodore offense. Trevor Larnach (Oregon State) and Bryce Johnson (Sam Houston State) added two hits each. Brady Puckett (Lipscomb) surrendered one run in five innings for his third win of the season and his third consecutive start allowing one run or less. Three relievers combined for four scoreless frames. Bourne got two hits from Mississippi State teammates Jake Mangum and Elih Marrero. Falmouth was without leadoff man and top hitter Kevin Merrell (South Florida), who is apparently injured and has been released, according to the league’s transactions page.

Hyannis 10, Chatham 0

The Harbor Hawks jumped to a 5-0 lead in the first inning and cruised past Chatham at Veterans Field. Zach Rutherford (Old Dominion), Carl Stajduhar (New Mexico) and Brett Netzer (Charlotte) led the early burst. Rutherford would finish 2-for-3 with a home run, three runs scored and two RBI, while Netzer drove in three. Chris Hudgins (Cal State Fullerton) and Kameron Esthay (Baylor) also homered. Eight different Harbor Hawks had hits and six of those hits went for extra bases. Much of the offense came against Chatham’s Jacob Stevens (Boston College), who had tossed five shutout innings in his previous start. Alex Eubanks (Clemson) was the beneficiary of the offense and tossed six shutout innings for a second consecutive start. Tyler Stevens (New Mexico) and Garrett Cave (Florida International) finished off the win.

Orleans 7, Brewster 2

The Firebirds broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the sixth and tacked on two more in each of the seventh and eighth innings to pull away. The win allowed Orleans to take over second place in the East at 10-8, as Brewster fell to 9-9. Ethan Paul (Vanderbilt) and Drew Lugbauer (Michigan) had two hits and two RBI apiece. Riley Mahan (Kentucky) added two hits and Justin Jones (Georgia State) scored three runs. John O’Reilly (Rutgers) picked up the win in relief and three of his bullpen mates combined for three scoreless innings to finish it off. For Brewster, Matt Davis (VCU), Brent Rooker (Mississippi State) and Ryan Gridley (Mississippi State) all had two hits. Davis hit his league-best sixth home run. Rooker is now hitting .400.

Cotuit 7, Wareham 6

Cotuit got on its first win streak of the season, beating Wareham for a second consecutive victory. Jackson Klein (Stanford) went 4-for-5 with three RBI and homered for the second straight game. Recent arrival Jason Delay (Vanderbilt) – a former Orleans Firebird who was picked in the 11th round of last month’s draft by the Giants – went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Cal Stevenson (Arizona) and Patrick Dorrian (Herkimer) added two hits each, with Dorrian hitting his first home run of the summer. Taylor Lehman (Penn State) was credited the win in relief after surrendering one run in 3.1 innings. Wareham rallied within a run in the ninth on a three-run homer by Colton Shaver (BYU) – his fifth of the year – but Alec Byrd (Florida State) struck out Gavin Sheets (Wake Forest) to end the game.

What to Watch

Falmouth and Y-D will both try to make it three wins in a row when they square off in Falmouth at 6 p.m. Oliver Jaskie (Michigan) makes his first start for Y-D. For Falmouth, Florida’s Brady Singer – the highest unsigned high school pick in the 2015 draft (second round by the Blue Jays) – will make his Cape League debut.
 

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High Score

Nick Dunn of Maryland is hitting .381 for the Whitecaps.
Nick Dunn of Maryland is hitting .381 for the Whitecaps.

 
For a while there, the Brewster Whitecaps’ league lead in runs scored could be explained by the 11 and 14 runs they tallied in their second and third games. That’s a nice head start.

Now, with the season about to hit the three-week mark, the Whitecaps still lead the league in scoring – and you can’t just point to the head start anymore.

Their lead has grown.

After a 13-10 slugfest win over Hyannis Wednesday, the Whitecaps have scored 111 runs, 38 more than the next closest team. They’re averaging 6.5 runs per game and are on pace to score 287 runs this season. That’s more than a powerful Orleans team scored last year (219), more than slugging Harwich racked up in 2014 (234), more than a power-hitting Falmouth team tallied in 2013 (254), and more even than Y-D scored in the juiced-ball 2012 season (278).

It will be a tough pace to maintain, but the Whitecaps are showing no signs of slowing down.

In Wednesday’s game, every starter had at least one hit and one run, and the lead was 10-2 before the game was three innings old.

Ryan Noda (Cincinnati) homered for the second straight game and has matched teammate Matt Davis (VCU) for the league lead with five. Noda is also tied for the league lead in RBI with 15.

Logan Warmoth (North Carolina) homered, as well, giving the Whitecaps 17 long balls in their 17 games. That leads the league, too.

Warmoth finished 2-for-4 with three RBI. His running mate at the top of the order, Nick Dunn (Maryland), also went 2-for-4 with three RBI, as did No. 9 hitter Beau Jordan (LSU). Brent Rooker (Mississippi State) had a hit and two RBI, while running his hit streak to 10 games. Last year’s NECBL MVP, Rooker is batting .391.

All the offense ended up being enough to get past Hyannis, which had its own big day with the bats. Brewster’s Zac Lowther (Xavier) had the best showing on the mound and earned the win in relief. The Whitecaps moved to 9-8 on the year.

 

Falmouth 4, Wareham 0

Jake Bird (UCLA) and three relievers combined on a shutout as Falmouth topped Wareham. It was the second six-inning, no-run outing of the summer for Bird, who was coming off an up-and-down spring with the Bruins. Bird struck out four and allowed four hits this time. Tyler Jones (Wichita State), Brett Gilchrist (Dallas Baptist) and Stephen Villines (Kansas) pitched one inning each in finishing off the shutout. Trevor Larnach (Oregon State), Tristan Gray (Rice) and Tyler Lawrence (Murray State) drove in one run each to lead the Commodores at the plate, while Michael Gigliotti (Lipscomb) had two hits to run his average up to .318. Coming off two strong springs at Lipscomb, Gigliotti has started every game for the Commodores and has gotten a hit in all but two of them.

Orleans 4, Harwich 1

Orleans rallied from an early 1-0 deficit for a victory over first-place Harwich. Now at 9-8, the Firebirds are tied for second place in the East with Brewster. Riley Adams (San Diego) went 3-for-4 with an RBI and Zach Kirtley (St. Mary’s) drove in two for the Firebirds, who managed three runs off Harwich starter Tyler Wilson (Rhode Island). Armed with the lead, Orleans used six pitchers to finish the job, and the five who came out of the bullpen didn’t allow a run. Chandler Day (Vanderbilt), a highly touted freshman, struck out the side in his one frame. Kit Scheetz (Virginia Tech) a recent arrival who’s back from last year, struck out two in the ninth for a save. For Harwich, Ernie Clement (Virginia) went 2-for-4 and is hitting .424, tied for the league lead.

Cotuit 8, Chatham 2

Cotuit picked up its third win of the year thanks to a big inning and solid outings by five pitchers. Alonzo Jones (Vanderbilt) tripled with the bases loaded to key a five-run fifth inning and Patrick Dorrian (Herkimer) had an RBI single. Greyson Jenista (Wichita State) finished with two hits and three runs scored, while Jackson Klein (Stanford) homered and drove in two runs. On the mound, the Kettleers didn’t have a pitcher go more than three innings, but cobbled it together and shut down Chatham for the final five innings. J. Connor Simmons (Georgia Southern) was credited with the win. Alec Byrd (Florida State) led the way with three scoreless innings of relief. For Chatham, Jake Palomaki (Boston College) had two hits and an RBI.

Y-D 4, Bourne 1

One of the first three pitchers to make four Cape starts, Will Gaddis (Furman) continues to make them count. Gaddis, who struck out 92 this spring in his sophomore season, tossed eight shutout innings as Y-D beat West-leading Bourne. Gaddis struck out six, walked one and allowed only three hits. He has a 1.37 ERA and leads the league with 24 strikeouts. Wednesday, he was staked to a lead as Y-D scored a run in the second and two in the third. Tyler Houston (Butler) led the charge with three hits and an RBI. Deon Stafford (St. Joseph’s) went 2-for-3 with two RBI and late arrival J.J. Muno (UC Santa Barbara) had two hits in his Cape debut. For Bourne, Justin Yurchak (Binghamton) pushed his hitting streak to seven and is tied with Clement for the league lead in hitting.

What to Watch

Off-day around the league Thursday. When the holiday weekend begins Friday, Brewster will visit Orleans in a battle for second place in the East.
 

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What a Relief

Taylor Lehman dominated in relief as Cotuit snapped an eight-game losing streak.
Taylor Lehman dominated in relief as Cotuit snapped an eight-game losing streak.

 
The Cotuit Kettleers could breathe a sigh of relief Saturday – thanks to some relief.

Taylor Lehman (Penn State) pitched five no-hit innings out of the bullpen to maintain an early lead and the Kettleers snapped an eight-game slide with a 6-3 victory over Yarmouth-Dennis at Lowell Park.

The Kettleers had issues in just about every facet of the game in their 1-12 start, and pitching was near the top of the list, with the team ERA hovering over five. Friday, they got a strong showing from a pair of pitchers in a hard-luck 2-1 loss to Hyannis. Saturday, there was more success, with the finish proving even better than the start.

Ross Achter (Toledo) held his own for four innings, allowing three runs. Then came Lehman, the 6-foot-8 left-hander. Both of his prior appearances had been starts. He allowed three earned runs in his first outing then was touched up for five in 3.2 innings the next time out.

Saturday, he relieved Achter to start the fifth and worked around a walk for a scoreless frame. And then he was rolling. Lehman retired the final 13 batters he faced after the fifth-inning walk. Since the walk was erased by a caught stealing, Lehman ended up facing the minimum in his five innings. He finished the game with a strikeout, his third.

The breakout performance helped the Kettleers stay in front after they had taken a 4-2 lead in the first inning. Ryan Hagan (Mercer) had a sacrifice fly and Cory Voss (New Mexico) delivered a two-run double to key the rally. Cotuit added single runs in the fifth and seventh innings, with Patrick Dorrian (Herkimer CC) and Jackson Klein (Stanford) knocking them in.

The Kettleers improved to 2-12 while Y-D went to 6-8.

 

Bourne 4, Falmouth 2

With first place in the West on the line, the Braves topped Falmouth to stay in the top spot. Patrick Raby (Vanderbilt) went six strong innings in his second start of the summer, allowing two runs and striking out four. Doug Norman (LSU) and Andrew Wantz (UNC Greensboro) finished the job by combining for three hitless innings. The offense was led by Justin Yurchak (Binghamton), who took over the league lead in hitting with his fourth consecutive multi-hit game. A transfer from Wake Forest who sat out this spring, Yurchak is now batting .438. Evan Mendoza (NC State) added two RBI and Connor Wong (Houston) knocked in one. For Falmouth, Michael Gigliotti (Lipscomb) went 1-for-4 to stretch his hitting streak to nine games.

Chatham 2, Brewster 0

The league’s top scoring offense was shut-out for the first time all season as a pair of Chatham pitchers led the Anglers to a key 2-0 win. Both teams are now 8-6, tied for second in the East. Tanner Chock (Presbyterian) and Simon Mathews (Georgetown) did the honors on the shutout, scattering a combined five hits. Chock surrendered only two in five innings but left with the game in a scoreless tie. Mathews followed with four scoreless frames and earned the win when Chatham scored single runs in the seventh and eighth innings. Brewster starter Kade McClure (Louisville) struck out eight in six shutout innings before the Anglers break through against the bullpen. Hunter Lee (High Point) broke the 0-0 tie with an RBI single and Jake Palomaki (Boston College) homered the next inning.

Harwich 2, Orleans 1

The Mariners broke a 1-1 tie in the eighth and topped Orleans to improve to 11-3. They still haven’t lost consecutive games this season. Nick Feight (UNC Wilmington) delivered the key hit with an RBI double in the eighth and he finished 2-for-4 while pushing his hit streak to four. A walk to Austin Filiere (MIT) put a runner on and pinch-runner Steven Foster (Hofstra) moved to second on a wild pitch before Feight’s clutch hit. The rally made a winner out of Austin Bain (LSU), who went two scoreless inning in relief. Peter Solomon (Notre Dame) notched the save. Starter Packy Naughton (Virginia Tech) had gone six strong innings, allowing one run and striking out nine to take over the league lead in Ks. Joseph Dunand (NC State) added an RBI for the Mariners. Will Golsan (Ole Miss) knocked in the lone run for Orleans.

Wareham 5, Hyannis 4

Wareham lost a one-run lead in the top of the eighth but got it back in the bottom half and went on to a 5-4 win over Hyannis. Harrison Wenson (Michigan) plated what proved to be the winning run in the eighth with an RBI single after Colton Shaver (BYU) had started the rally with a single. Ryan Wilson (Pepperdine), who had given up the lead a half-inning before, returned to the mound for the ninth and pitched around a walk to seal the win. Shaver went 2-for-3 with two RBI to lead the Wareham offense. Joey Bartosic (George Washington) and recent arrival Cole Freeman (LSU) added two hits apiece. Hyannis got three hits from Dylan Busby (Florida State). With the win and Falmouth’s loss to Bourne, the Gatemen leapfrogged into second place.

What to Watch

The league’s Pitcher of the Week in the first two installments of the season will try to go for a third as Shane McCarthy (Seton Hall) makes the start for Harwich at Y-D. McCarthy has yet to allow a run this season. He’s up against Mitch Hart (USC), who struggled in his first start but tossed five shutout innings his last time out.
 

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Breakthrough

COT16_team
 
Tim Susnara hit .176 last summer and was hitless in two games this year. David Gerics and Ross Achter are on temporary contracts.

Wednesday, they provided the heroics as Cotuit grabbed its first win of the season.

Susnara’s pinch-hit, two-run single broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth while Gerics and Achter combined for a solid pitching performance in a 5-3 win over Brewster at Lowell Park.

Not much has gone right in the early going for the Kettleers, who rank last in the league in team batting average and eighth in ERA. But with the victory Wednesday, they’re at 1-4 and they avoided the 0-5 starts that have caught Y-D and Hyannis.

Susnara (Oregon) stepped to the plate for Dayton Dugas (Wichita State) with the bases loaded and two out in the sixth. Facing Hansen Butler (North Carolina), a returning Whitecap, Susnara worked the count full and smacked a base hit to plate two runs.

In the seventh, Cal Stevenson (Arizona) scored on a wild pitch for an insurance run, but Achter (Toledo) didn’t need it. After Gerics (Pomona-Pitzer) allowed two runs in 4.2 innings, Achter – a solid starter for Toledo this spring – put four zeroes on the board before the Whitecaps grabbed a run in the ninth. The Whitecaps threatened for more when they loaded the bases, but Achter struck out Logan Warmoth (North Carolina) to end the game.

Achter earned the win and struck out four. Jackson Klein (Stanford) and Jordan Pearce (Nevada) knocked in one run each for the Kettleers and Albee Weiss (Cal State Northridge) homered.

 

Falmouth 3, Y-D 0

The Commodores notched their second straight shutout and their third consecutive victory with a 3-0 triumph over Y-D. Jake Bird, who had a good freshman season at UCLA before struggling a bit this year, was terrific in his Cape debut, pitching six no-hit innings with five strikeouts. Y-D touched up Keegan Baar (Michigan State) for its first two hits but no runs. Justin Hoyt (Jacksonville State) and Stephen Villines (Kansas) finished out the shutout, with Villines grabbing his second save, which is tied for the league lead. Matt Duce (Dallas Baptist) and Tyler Lawrence (Murray State) hit solo home runs to lead the Falmouth offense, with Bryce Johnson (Sam Houston State) adding an RBI groundout. Y-D remained winless as it managed only the two hits.

Chatham 8, Bourne 3

The Anglers smacked 13 hits and got solid pitching to hand Bourne its first loss of the season. Gunnar Troutwine (Wichita State) led the Chatham offense with three hits and an RBI. D.J. Artis (Liberty) continued his hot start with two hits and two RBI, and Sean Bouchard (UCLA) delivered the same line in his Cape debut. Patrick Mathis (Texas) also chipped in two RBI, his sixth and seventh of the year, and stretched his season-long hit streak to five. Tony Dibrell (Kennesaw State) allowed two earned runs in five innings for the win. Three relievers had scoreless outings, including Seattle U standout Nick Meservey, who was making his first appearance in Chatham. For Bourne, Justin Yurchak (Binghamton) had two RBI.

Orleans 11, Wareham 7

Trailing 7-4, Orleans scored seven runs in the eighth inning to stun Wareham. Twelve men came to the plate in the big rally, with singles by Chris Triano (Keystone College) and Riley Adams (San Diego) getting things started. Amazingly, Wareham recorded two outs with those two still on base, but the rally went on a long time after that. Payton Squier (UNLV) had a pinch-hit two-run single and Drew Lugbauer (Michigan) knocked in the tying run with a base hit. With the bases loaded, Riley Mahan (Kentucky) hit a triple to give Orleans the lead. Adam Haseley’s (Virginia) RBI single capped the rally. Wareham put a runner on in the ninth as it looked for a rally of its own, but Brandon Bielak (Notre Dame) worked around it for a scoreless final frame. Hasely and Mahan had three hits each to lead the Firebird attack. Gavin Sheets (Wake Forest) hit a grand slam for Wareham.

What to Watch

Falmouth is riding a streak of two consecutive shutouts and will look for another with Lipscomb star Brady Puckett on the hill for a home game against Hyannis. Puckett, the Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Year, allowed three runs in his first Cape start on opening night.

 

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Unofficial Derby

Bobby Dalbec has eight home runs in just 17 games this summer.
Bobby Dalbec has eight home runs in just 17 games this summer.

 
Bobby Dalbec (Arizona) will not participate in the Cape League All-Star Game’s Home Run Derby.

So the Orleans slugger simply had his own personal derby Sunday night. Dalbec blasted two, giving him a league-best eight on the summer, as the Firebirds beat Y-D 5-4.

While Ronnie Dawson (Ohio State) was the hero with a walk-off single in the ninth, Dalbec continued to carry the torch for the Firebirds’ powerful offense.

Dalbec’s eight home runs match of the end-of-season totals for the league leaders in each of the last two seasons. And of course, the amazing thing is that he has hit eight home runs in just 17 games. Dalbec started the season in Orleans and played in only nine games before departing for Team USA. He has played eight games since returning.

Because it’s fun to play the pace game, if Dalbec had not played with Team USA and continued on his current home run track, he would have somewhere around 13 right now.

Even when you don’t consider what could have been, Dalbec is having a remarkably powerful summer. He hit a two-run shot in the first inning last night then hit a solo shot in his next at-bat.

Dalbec’s bombs upped the Firebirds’ team total to 28. They have nearly doubled up their next closest competitor in that category (Y-D’s 15).

For all of Dalbec’s pop Sunday, the Firebirds found themselves in a tied game with Y-D in the ninth. Dawson came up with runners on first and third and plated the winning run with a base hit. Kit Scheetz (Virginia Tech) got the win in relief. Bryan Reynolds (Vanderbilt) went 3-for-4 and his hit in the ninth set up Dawson’s game-winner.

Orleans is now 24-9 and has a whopping 12-point lead on second-place Brewster and Chatham. Y-D fell to 17-16 with Sunday’s loss.

 

Falmouth 6, Hyannis 6

Hyannis trailed 6-1 in the bottom of the ninth and scored five runs to tie it before the teams played three scoreless extra innings. Austin Hays (Jacksonville) had a two-run double in the big ninth and came home with the tying run on a triple by Colby Bortles (Ole Miss). Hyannis went on to load the bases in the 11th but couldn’t push a run across. Wyatt Short (Ole Miss) and Andrew Frankenreider (Northern Illinois) handled the extra-inning pitching duties for Falmouth, while Will Stillman (Wofford) and Collin Kober (McNeese State) did the job for Hyannis. For Falmouth, J.J. Matijevic (Arizona) hit his fourth home run.
 

Bourne 4, Chatham 2

Bourne broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth on RBI singles by Mike Garzillo (Lehigh) and Nick Solak (Louisville) and went on to a 4-2 win over the Anglers. The key hits were part of 2-for-4 days for both Garzillo and Solak. Austin Conway (Indiana State) went 1.2 innings of relief for the win. Keegan Akin (Western Michigan) had gone five shutout innings before Chatham rallied. Luke Persico (UCLA) and Garrett Hampson (Long Beach State) both had two hits for the Anglers.
 

Harwich 8, Brewster 5

The Mariners stopped Brewster’s five-game winning streak with an 8-5 win at Whitehouse Field. Joe O’Donnell (NC State) tossed five shutout innings before the Whitecaps made a late surge against the Mariner bullpen that fell short. Sheldon Neuse (Oklahoma), Adam Pate (North Carolina) and Preston Palmeiro (NC State) all had three hits for the Mariners. Brock Deatherage (NC State) and Cavan Biggio (Notre Dame) each drove in two runs. Spencer Trayner (North Carolina) got the save for the Mariners, escaping a jam in the ninth.
 

Cotuit 5, Wareham 3

The Kettleers won for the second straight night and have now matched Wareham and Falmouth with 13 wins in the West. Cotuit trailed 3-0 into the fourth but scored all its runs from there. Jeren Kendall (Vanderbilt) went 2-for-3 with two RBI as he continues to be a major spark for the Kettleers. He’s hitting .297 since arriving from Omaha. Brett Stephens (UCLA), Tim Susnara (Oregon) and Jackson Klein (Stanford) each knocked in a run. Duncan Robinson (Dartmouth) got the win in relief and Justin Dunn (Boston College) had the save.
 

What to Watch

Off day around the league today. Tuesday night, second-place Bourne will try to continue its success against West-leading Hyannis at McKeon Park.
 

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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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Big Bats

Will Haynie hit his third and fourth home runs of the year to lead Cotuit past Y-D 11-1.
Will Haynie hit his third and fourth home runs of the year to lead Cotuit past Y-D 11-1.

 
In 84 Cape League games prior to Tuesday night’s slate, teams had hit double digits in runs only five times. Tuesday, it happened twice.

Perhaps the bats – always behind at the start of a Cape summer – are catching up.

Bourne beat Falmouth 12-3 with a 15-hit, six extra-base-hit attack, while Cotuit broke out for its best offensive day of the season in an 11-1 victory over Y-D.

(Chatham and Orleans also had big nights, scoring nine and eight runs, respectively, while Hyannis went and ruined the league-wide storyline with a 1-0 victory over Brewster.)

For Bourne, the offense was steady in the early going, with single runs in the first, second and third innings, and four in the fourth. For good measure, the Braves scored five in the top of the ninth to hammer it home.

Camden Duzenack (Dallas Baptist) went 3-for-5 with a home run, three runs scored and two RBI. Six other players drove in runs, with Ryan Boldt (Nebraska) and Jacob Robson (Mississippi State) bringing home two each. Florida standout Pete Alonso, playing his second game in a Braves uniform, went 3-for-5 with a double and scored a run. C.J. Chatham (Florida Atlantic) had a triple. Every player in the starting lineup had at least one hit.

The 12 runs were a season-high for the Braves, who raised their team batting average by a whopping .10 points, from .229 up to .239.

The outburst was plenty for Keegan Akin (Western Michigan), who tossed five shutout innings. Doug Norman, who had a strong spring in LSU’s bullpen, made his first Braves appearance and picked up the save. Bourne improved to 8-8-1.

Over at Lowell Park, Cotuit was up to similar tricks, although they were a bit more condensed. After getting shut-out for five innings, the Kettleers scored five runs in the sixth inning and six runs in the eighth to blow past Y-D.

Will Haynie (Alabama) was the star of the show with two home runs, a three-run shot in the sixth and a two-run homer in the eighth. Haynie, though he’s only batting .179, is now tied for the league lead in homers with four.

Gene Cone (South Carolina) also homered and drove in two, while Jackson Klein (Stanford) had two hits and two RBI.

Daniel Brown (Mississippi State) gave up one run in five innings on the hill, and Matthew Milburn (Wofford) went the last four innings for the win. He struck out six.

The win was the second straight for Cotuit, who is now 6-12.
 

Chatham 9, Wareham 2

The Gatemen had won three in a row, but Chatham broke open a close game with five runs in the sixth inning on its way to the 9-2 win. Aaron Knapp (California) and Will Craig (Wake Forest) each had two RBI for the Anglers. Trenton Brooks (Nevada), Cory Raley (Texas Tech) and Kyle Adams (Richmond) added two hits each. Jesse Adams (Boston College) allowed one run in five innings of work for the win. Wareham got a home run from Jarett Rindfleisch (Ball State). Chatham improved to 10-8, which is the third-best record in the league. Wareham is 9-9.
 

Orleans 8, Harwich 5

Orleans also had a big inning – a five-run fourth – to pull away from Harwich in an 8-5 victory. The Firebirds racked up 16 hits, led by three each from Austin Miller (Loyola Marymount) and T.J. Nichting (Charlotte). Kyle Lewis (Mercer) had two hits and two RBI for his third consecutive two-hit game. The emerging star is second in the league in hitting with a .368 mark and is tied for the league lead in home runs and RBI. In addition to the big night at the plate, Orleans got another strong outing from Mitchell Jordan (Stetson), who struck out eight in six innings of two-hit ball. The only run he allowed was unearned, keeping his season ERA at 0.00. Jordan is 3-0 and leads the league in strikeouts with 25.
 

Hyannis 1, Brewster 0

The lone exception on the offensive night was in Hyannis, where the Harbor Hawks and Whitecaps were scoreless for eight innings before a walk-off in the ninth. Nicholas Pappas (College of Charleston) plated the winning run with a two-out single in the ninth, scoring Austin Hays (Jacksonville). Before those heroics, two Hyannis pitchers and four Whitecaps were engaged in quite the duel. Vance Tatum (Mississippi State) scattered five hits in five scoreless innings for Hyannis, before Andrew Civale (Northeastern) struck out five in four scoreless frames. Alex Schick (California) gave up just two hits in six innings for Brewster.
 

What to Watch

No games today. When things pick back up Wednesday, Wareham might be a good place to be. Matt Krook (Oregon), the former first-round pick who’s working his way back from Tommy John Surgery, is slated to start for the Gatemen against Cotuit’s Jon Woodcock (Virginia Tech), who is 2-0 with a 1.25 ERA.
 

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Still Hot

orleans
 
It could have been a rough day for the Orleans Firebirds. Friday’s game was their first without a trio of early standouts who departed for Team USA. The club also released three pitchers with ace potential who are currently in Omaha and who have also earned Team USA invites.

But on the field, the Firebirds just kept rolling. Kyle Serrano (Tennessee) struck out eight in five innings and six different players had hits as Orleans beat Harwich 5-1 at Whitehouse Field. It was the fifth straight victory for the Firebirds, who moved to 8-2 and overtook Hyannis for the best record in the league.

It was an impressive first act as a new-look squad, considering what Orleans lost. Bobby Dalbec (Arizona) was hitting .310 and leading the league with four home runs and nine RBI. Bryson Brigman (San Diego) was leading the league in hitting at .385, and Colby Woodmansee (Arizona State) was batting .348 while manning shortstop. In Wednesday’s game, their last in Orleans, that trio combined for four hits, three RBI and two runs scored. They may return to Orleans, since Team USA has a short tour this summer, but their departures are still a big blow for now. And that’s not even counting the trio of pitchers who showed up on the transactions list yesterday. Logan Shore and A.J. Puk of Florida and Connor Jones of Virginia all had the potential of being the best arms on the Cape.

Clearly, though, Orleans – like any CCBL team this time of year – will focus on what it still has. And it was pretty good Friday night.

Serrano turned in his second solid start of the summer, allowing one run on three hits in five innings and striking out eight. Chandler Blanchard (Pepperdine) followed with two scoreless frames and Kit Scheetz (Virginia Tech) and Jason Harper (Southern Connecticut) chipped in one inning each.

At the plate, the Firebirds had only one more hit than the Mariners but took advantage of them with a four-run fourth inning and another run in the sixth. Nick Zammarelli (Elon) went 1-for-3 with two RBI and Adam Pate (North Carolina) had an RBI. Kyle Lewis (Mercer) went 1-for-4 with a double.

It was enough for the Firebirds to stay hot, even on a rough day.
 

Brewster 4, Y-D 3

The Whitecaps snapped a six-game losing streak in dramatic fashion, tying the game in the ninth and walking off with a 4-3 win over the Red Sox in the 10th. Tyler Ramirez (North Carolina) drew a bases-loaded walk to plate the winning run, after the Whitecaps had loaded the bases with two walks and a single. Brewster also trailed 3-2 in the ninth when a sacrifice fly by Eli White (Clemson) from the No. 9 spot in the order tied the game at 3-3. Colin Lyman (Louisville) and Brandon Gold (Georgia Tech) also knocked in runs for the Whitecaps. Thomas Hackimer (St. John’s) kept the Whitecaps in reach as they rallied, tossing two scoreless innings of relief for the win. The win bumped Brewster ahead of Y-D in the standings at 4-6. The Red Sox fell to 3-7 with their third straight loss. Donovan Walton (Oklahoma State) was again a bright spot for Y-D, going 3-for-5 for the third consecutive game.
 

Chatham 4, Cotuit 1

Every run was scored in the seventh inning, and Chatham tallied a few more on its way to a second straight victory and a spot in second place in the East. With the Anglers trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the seventh, Zack Short (Sacred Heart) and Aaron Knapp (California) had RBI singles, and Will Craig (Wake Forest) came off the bench for a pinch-hit, two-run single. The rally made a winner out of reliever C.J. Burdick (San Diego) who allowed one run in 1.2 innings. Aaron McGarity (Virginia Tech) picked up the save. Though he did not factor in the decision, starter Jesse Adams (Boston College) pitched six scoreless innings for the Anglers. Cotuit’s Austin Sexton (Mississippi State) allowed two runs in 6.1 innings, both of which scored after he departed in the seventh. Jackson Klein (Stanford) homered for the Kettleers, who fell to 4-6.
 

Bourne 4, Hyannis 2

The Braves only picked up their first win Tuesday – seven games into the season – but haven’t lost since. Friday, they knocked off first-place Hyannis, handing the Harbor Hawks their second straight defeat. Bourne starter Alex Robles (Austin Peay) gave up two runs on three hits in the top of the first inning but settled in and allowed just three more hits and no runs over the final five innings. Nick Solak (Louisville) – who arrived for the first win and now hasn’t lost in a Braves uniform – broke a 2-2 tie with a two-run triple in the seventh. Corey Julks (Houston) also knocked in a run. Cody Sedlock (Illinois) got the win in relief and Austin Conway (Indiana State) picked up his first save.
 

Falmouth 6, Wareham 4

Falmouth smacked 13 hits and broke a 4-4 tie in the eighth on its way to a victory over Wareham. Caleb Hamilton (Oregon State) and Tristan Gray (Rice) knocked in the runs in the eighth. Mitch Longo (Ohio) paced the offense with three hits and an RBI. Bryce Montes de Oca (Missouri) made his first start after two dominant relief stints and gave up one run on one hit in five innings of work. He struck out one. Morgan Earman (Arizona) earned the win out of the pen and Stephen Villines (Kansas) got the save.
 

What to Watch

Hyannis will try to get back on track as it visits Harwich. Devin Smeltzer (Florida Gulf Coast), who struck out nine in his first start, gets the ball for the Harbor Hawks. Cory Wilder, who had a 3.50 ERA in NC State’s weekend rotation this spring, will start for the Mariners.
 

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Joining the Club

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bourne 4, Falmouth 3

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

Harwich 4, Chatham 0

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

Orleans 6, Y-D 5

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

Cotuit 4, Brewster 3

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

What to Watch

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