Big Finish

Falmouth is just two points out of first place.

Kevin McCanna (Rice) made some good starts for Falmouth last year but allowed at least three runs in each of his last four starts, including seven runs in his season finale. He left the Cape with an ERA north of six.

Fresh off a good year in Houston, McCanna returned to Falmouth this year and got off to a strong start, but on July 8, he hit that unlucky seven again. McCanna surrendered seven runs in an 11-8 loss to Hyannis.

Last year, he never got a chance to rebound from his seven-run showing. This time, he did.

And he has.

Since that loss to Hyannis, McCanna has gone three consecutive starts without allowing a single run, a string that continued last night as Falmouth knocked off first-place Bourne 5-3.

He’s gone from poor finish last year to as good a finish as you could ask for in 2014. McCanna now has a 2.47 ERA and, with victories in each of his three scoreless outings, he now leads the league in wins with six.

Last night, McCanna’s performance helped Falmouth get within one game of Bourne for the top spot in the West. McCanna struck out four, walked three and scattered six hits in five scoreless innings. He found himself in trouble on a number of occasions, but wiggled out, stranding the bases loaded in the first and third innings.

His offense backed him with a 13-hit attack. Shaun Chase (Oregon) hit his fifth homer, Steven Duggar (Clemson) had three hits and Kevin Newman (Arizona) went 2-for-5 with two RBI. Four relievers followed McCanna to the mound, with Matt Eckelman (St. Louis) getting a save to finish off the victory.

Falmouth has won four of five and has now won the season series with Bourne, taking four of six. With four games left, it’ll be a sprint to the finish line as they chase the top seed.

Harwich 6, Orleans 3

The Mariners regained sole possession of first place in the East with a 6-3 victory over Orleans and a Y-D loss to Chatham. Jon Harris (Missouri State) was solid on the mound for the Mariners, allowing three runs in 5.1 innings, and Johnathan Frebis (Middle Tennessee State) pitched 3.2 scoreless innings to finish it off. It was the third save for Frebis, who has turned in seven scoreless outings in 10 total appearances. Harwich did their damage against Orleans ace Kolton Mahoney (BYU). Mahoney only allowed two earned runs but three errors behind him led to six runs total. Mahoney had not allowed more than four runs in any start this year. Joe McCarthy (Virginia) led the Harwich offense with two hits and three RBI. Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech) added two RBI.

Chatham 6, Y-D 5

Chatham cannot rise any higher than the fourth seed in the East, but the Anglers must take care of business to be assured of that spot and they took a step in the right direction by holding off Y-D. Jordan Hillyer (Kennesaw State) got the win with 5.2 solid innings, and Kyle Davis (USC) kept a Y-D rally from getting off the ground for his fifth save. Nicholas Sciortino (Boston College), a reinforcement making his first appearance of the summer, went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Chris Shaw (Boston College) and Bryant Burleson (Texas Tech) added two hits and an RBI apiece. Chatham touched up Y-D starter Kevin Duchene (Illinois) for five runs in five innings. He had allowed two runs or fewer in four straight starts.

Cotuit 12, Hyannis 10

In the first of two meetings on consecutive days, Cotuit out-slugged Hyannis and moved within a point of the Harbor Hawks for third place in the West. The game was tied 10-10 heading into the top of the ninth, where Cotuit’s Jackson Glines (Michigan) knocked a two-run single to give his team the lead. That was all standout reliever Adam Whitt (Nevada) needed. The league’s ERA leader struck out two in a perfect ninth to seal the victory for Cotuit. Logan Taylor (Texas A&M) had four hits and scored three runs from the leadoff spot for the Kettleers. Drew Jackson (Stanford) added three hits, while Glines and Kyle Holder (San Diego) had two each. For Hyannis, Carl Wise (College of Charleston) had five RBI in the losing effort.

Wareham 6, Brewster 6

The two teams trying to sneak into their respective last playoff spots both helped themselves a bit as Wareham and Brewster played to a 6-6 tie after darkness ended the game in the 10th. Blake Lacey (USC) had three hits and Nick Halamandaris (California) had two RBI for the Gatemen, who scored two in the top of the ninth to force the tie. John Sansone (Florida State) drove in two runs for Brewster. Jason Richman (Georgia Southern) kept Brewster off the board with 3.1 scoreless innings of relief for Wareham. The Gatemen are seven points out of a playoff spot with four games to play. Brewster is five games out in the East.

What to Watch

Playoff implications in a lot of games. Keep an eye on two match-ups in the West. Bourne will play Orleans as it tries to hold onto first place, while Falmouth hosts Wareham as it tries to catch the Braves. The Falmouth-Wareham match-up features a good pitching match-up, with Kyle Cody (Kentucky) starting for the Gatemen against Alex Young (TCU).

July 30, 2014July 30, 2014

Still Alive

Gio Brusa and Brewster are four points out of a playoff spot.

With the All-Star Game in the books, the Cape League now very quickly hits its stretch run, with just six days of games before the playoffs begin next Tuesday. While much of the playoff picture is already secure, at least on who will be in it, the first day of the stretch run offered a sign that there may still be some drama for the final spots.

Brewster beat Chatham 12-8 last night to get within four points of the Anglers for the fourth and final playoff spot in the East. And in the West, Wareham inched closer to fourth-place Cotuit with a 3-2 victory over Harwich. The Gatemen are now six points back.

Brewster has now won two straight going back to before the All-Star Game. It beat red-hot Y-D 13-3 and made it 25 runs in two games with the win over Chatham.

Luke Lowery (East Carolina) hit his fifth home run of the summer and knocked in two runs, while John Sansone (Florida State) homered for the second time in the last 10 days. Andrew Lee (Tennessee) added three RBI while Braden Bishop (Washington) went 3-for-3 with two RBI. Scott Kingery (Arizona), one of the hottest hitters in the league, had his ninth multi-hit game in his last 14 games. On the mound, Cody Ponce (Cal Poly Pomona) followed up his eye-catching All-Star Game performance with five solid innings. He struck out six and allowed four runs.

A.J. Murray (Georgia Tech) hit his sixth home run for Chatham, but Brewster had too much with 10 runs in the first five innings.

Wareham hosted East-leading Harwich and got one of its best pitching performances of the summer in a 3-2 victory. Liam O’Sullivan (St. Leo), who was making just his second start after opening the season in the bullpen, went eight innings and allowed just the two runs. He struck out three and scattered five hits. Sean Adler (USC) pitched a scoreless ninth for the save.

O’Sullivan was almost the hard-luck loser, as Harwich took a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth inning on an Ian Happ (Cincinnati) two-run triple. But Wareham answered right back with two runs in the bottom half. Facing Harwich starter Zack Erwin (Clemson), who struck out eight in 5.2 innings, Nick Halamandaris (California), Kyri Washington (Longwood) and Danny Rosenbaum (Louisville) all singled. John Bormann (Texas-San Antonio) followed with a two-run single to give Wareham all the runs it would need.

Hyannis 7, Falmouth 4

Hyannis moved to the verge of clinching a playoff spot with a victory over Falmouth, and they can thank their new ace for setting them on the right path. Marc Brakeman (Stanford), who opened the season in the bullpen, has won two straight starts in dominant fashion. After striking out 11 in six scoreless in his last start, Brakeman struck out nine and went six shutout innings again. He scattered six hits and is now tied for the league lead in strikeouts with 47. He has also walked just seven batters all summer. After Falmouth made a late charge against the Hyannis bullpen, Ian Gibaut (Tulane) closed the door for his second save. Donnie Dewees (North Florida) had three hits to lead the Hyannis offense, while Sam Haggerty (New Mexico) drove in two runs. For Falmouth, Conner Hale (LSU) had three RBI and is tied for the league lead.

Y-D 5, Orleans 3

We’re back to a three-way tie atop the East standings after Harwich’s loss and another Y-D victory over Orleans. The Red Sox also beat Orleans last Friday. This time, Cody Poteet (UCLA) – making his final start of the summer – turned in one last gem with eight strong innings. He struck out eight, scattered seven hits and surrendered three runs. Phil Bickford (Cal State Fullerton) pitched a perfect ninth for his eighth save and his fifth consecutive scoreless outing. The Y-D offense backed the strong pitching with two hits and two RBI each for Nico Giarratano (San Francisco) and Josh Lester (Missouri). A.J. Simcox (Tennessee) added three hits.

Bourne 7, Cotuit 1

Bourne snapped a three-game skid and increased its lead in the West to four points with a win over Cotuit. The game was scoreless until the fifth, when Bourne pushed a run across and never looked back. It scored two in the seventh and four in the eighth to pull away. Mark Laird (LSU) went 3-for-5 with an inside-the-park home run and four RBI. Richard Martin Jr. (Florida) added three hits, while Brett Sullivan (Pacific), Blake Davey (Connecticut) and Blake Allemand (Texas A&M) had two hits each. Andrew Sopko (Gonzaga) went five scoreless innings for the win. Lucas Laster (Mississippi State) and John Kuzia (St. John’s) closed it out. For Cotuit, Vincent Fiori (South Carolina) gave up three runs in six innings.

What to Watch

It seems like the third or fourth one in the last week, but we have yet another first-place showdown in the East as Harwich visits Orleans. It should be a good pitching match-up, too, with Jon Harris (Missouri State) going for Harwich against Orleans ace Kolton Mahoney (BYU).

June 23, 2014June 23, 2014

Let’s Play Two

Brendan Hendriks had four hits and drove in five runs in Cotuit's doubleheader sweep. — Brendan Hendriks had four hits and drove in five runs in Cotuit’s doubleheader sweep.

Mike Roberts seems like the kind of guy who would have been right with Ernie Banks when the Cub legend famously said, “Let’s play two.” Roberts and his Cotuit Kettleers are making Ernie proud so far this summer.

The Kettleers have swept each of their Sunday doubleheaders this season. They beat Chatham on the first go-round then held off Brewster 7-4 and 4-3 yesterday. They’re only team that has swept both of its twin bills, and the doubleheader victories account for four of their six wins of the season.

They had lost four in a row heading into yesterday’s set, including a 9-1 thrashing at the hands of Y-D on Saturday. But against the Whitecaps, they got solid performances from their usual parade of pitchers and made the most of their offensive chances. They scored seven runs on only seven hits in the first game. In the second, they trailed 3-2 entering the seventh – the final inning because of the doubleheader – but scored two runs to win it.

Brendan Hendriks (San Francisco) was the offensive hero, going 4-for-8 with five RBI in the two games. He delivered a walk-off RBI double to win game two.

Hendriks, a college teammate of former Kettleer star and first-round pick Bradley Zimmer, has been doing his best impression of late. He ranks second in the league in hitting with a .394 batting average and is six for his last 12.

Jake Fincher (NC State) had two hits in the second game, including a single that started the seventh-inning rally. Ashton Perritt (Liberty) had a pinch-hit RBI single to tie the game.

The comeback made a winner out of Trey Wingenter (Auburn), who went two scoreless innings as the fifth Cotuit pitcher of the game.

In the first game, Hendriks knocked in three runs and Austin Byler (Nevada) homered to lead the offense. Adam Whitt (Nevada) picked up his league-best third win of the year with 3.1 scoreless innings of relief.

Harwich 3, Falmouth 1; Harwich 6, Falmouth 0

Like Cotuit, Harwich was sliding but snapped a two-game skid with a sweep of Falmouth. The Mariners 9-3, tied with Bourne for the best record in the league. In game one, Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech) and Cavan Biggio (Notre Dame) knocked in all the runs Jared Poche (LSU) would need. He struck out six and gave up one run in five innings. Ronnie Glenn (Penn) pitched two innings for the save. In game two, the Mariners got even better pitching. Jon Harris (Missouri State) went six shutout innings, striking out six and scattering five hits. Robby Kalaf (Florida International) pitched the last inning to finish off the shutout. Sal Annunziata (Seton Hall) homered to lead the offense.

Bourne 3, Y-D 1; Bourne 3, Y-D 1

The Braves posted a pair of 3-1 victories over the Red Sox and have now won four straight overall. In the first game, Andrew Sopko (Gonzaga) struck out seven in four innings of one-run ball before three relievers tossed a scoreless inning each. Joey Strain (Winthrop) pitched the final inning for a save. Harrison Bader (Florida) led the offense with two hits and two RBI. Jordan Tarsovich (VMI) had three hits for Y-D. In game two, the Red Sox led 1-0 into the fifth but the Braves scored three there and never looked back. Richard Martin Jr. (Florida) went 2-for-3 and Blake Davey (Connecticut) knocked in two runs. Dylan Nelson (Radford) allowed one run in five innings for the win and John Gorman (Boston College) notched his league-best fourth save.

Hyannis 5, Orleans 4; Hyannis 1, Orleans 0

The Harbor Hawks scored a late run in each game to grab a sweep of Orleans. The first game went to extra innings after Orleans had scored three runs in its final at-bat on back-to-back homers by Timmy Robinson (USC) and Mitchell Tolman (Oregon) to tie the game. But in the eighth, Hyannis pushed the winning run across on an Austin Slater (Stanford) RBI. In game two, the teams were scoreless until the sixth, when Slater struck again on an RBI single. His Stanford teammate Marcus Brakeman, who was dominant, finished it off from there. Brakeman struck out seven of the 10 batters he faced in three scoreless innings. Sarkis Ohanian (Duke) started the game and went four scoreless for the Harbor Hawks.

Chatham 4, Wareham 2; Wareham 7, Chatham 3

The only doubleheader split happened at Spillane Field, where Chatham took the first game before Wareham responded for a win in game two. The Anglers fell behind 2-0 in the first inning of game one but scored one in the third and three in the fifth. Jake Fraley (LSU), Landon Lassiter (North Carolina) and Patrick Mazeika (Stetson) knocked in a run each, while Kal Simmons (Kennesaw State) and Ty Moore (UCLA) had two hits each. Charlie Dant (Dayton) allowed just two unearned runs in four innings and Lou Distasio (Rhode Island) went one scoreless frame before giving way to standout reliever Kyle Davis (USC). Davis, who leads the league in appearances and strikeouts, went two scoreless for his second save. In the nightcap, Wareham got five good innings from recent Omaha arrival Drew Harrington (Louisville). Chatham managed three in the seventh but nothing more. The Gatemen offense got three hits from Willie Calhoun (Arizona) plus a home run from Blair Beck (Kansas).

What to Watch

With the doubleheaders in the books, it’s a league-wide day off on Monday.

June 16, 2014June 16, 2014

Daily Fog: Evened Out

Sam Haggerty and Hyannis were the last unbeaten team in the league - for a few hours. — 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.

June 9, 2014June 9, 2014

Talent Coming to Harwich Again

In recent years, the Harwich Mariners have won the preseason roster battle almost every year. Of course, that means little in any season, especially in a Cape Cod Baseball League season, and the results bear that out. The Mariners won the league championship in 2008 and finished in last place the next year. They won again in 2011, but have been up and down since.

But the fact remains. The Mariners are very good at bringing in talent. And when it comes together well, look out.

This year should be no different. Harwich brings back the league’s top returning prospect in Ian Happ, and has other sophomore stars joining him. The pitching staff features some young guys with upside and quite a few veterans who have had big college success.

It adds up to a club that’s in preseason contention again. We’ll see how it pans out.

THE SKINNY

Manager: Steve Englert
Last Year: 23-19-2; Lost in East Semis
Returning Players: 3
Juniors: 10
Sophomores: 20
Freshmen: 4

NOTABLE

Michael Boyle comes to Harwich from Radford, the same path taken by Colorado Rockies prospect Eddie Butler, who vaulted from the Cape to the Majors in just three years. Boyle had a strong sophomore season.

Jake Drossner returns to Harwich after emerging as a solid weekend starter for Maryland this spring. He had a better ERA than teammate Jake Stinnett, a second-round pick of the Cubs.

Oklahoma pitcher Jacob Evans had a high ERA this spring but had a terrific strikeout-to-walk ratio of 54 to 7.

Harwich has quite a few guys who have been very consistent starters for mid-major programs, like Boyle, Jon Harris at Missouri State and Jason Inghram at William & Mary.

Jason Vosler was just drafted by the Cubs in the 16th round, so we’ll see if he makes it to Harwich.

The Citadel’s Skyler Hunter has 28 career saves, so I’d bet on him taking the closer’s job.

LSU freshman Jared Poche’ jumped right into the weekend rotation in Baton Rouge, which you don’t see all that often. That alone makes him a pitcher to watch.

Skye Bolt looked destined for stardom last spring and spent the summer with Team USA. Bolt had kind of a down year by comparison in 2014, but the bright side for Harwich is that Team USA probably won’t come calling again.

No returning hitter has a better Cape League track record than Ian Happ, who was one of the top prospects in the league last year.

Harwich has two sons of former Major Leaguers, and their dads were teammates. Tyler Servais is the son of Scott Servais and Cavan Biggio’s dad is Craig Biggio. Both played with the Astros.

Joe McCarthy has put up terrific all-around numbers for Virginia this spring. You could make the case that he’s been one of the two or three best players for the Omaha-bound Cavaliers.

FIVE TO WATCH

1. Ian Happ
2. Skye Bolt
3. C.J. Hinojosa
4. Jake Drossner
5. Jared Poche’

PITCHERS

Michael Boyle – LHP – 6’2 185 – Radford – Sophomore
Ray Castillo – RHP – 6’0 180 – Alabama – Sophomore
*Jake Drossner – LHP – 6’3 195 – Maryland – Sophomore
Zack Erwin – LHP – 6’4 180 – Clemson – Freshman
Jacob Evans – LHP – 6’2 205 – Oklahoma – Sophomore
Ronnie Glenn – LHP – 6’3 220 – Pennsylvania – Junior
Jon Harris – RHP – 6’4 160 – Missouri State – Sophomore
Skylar Hunter – RHP – 6’1 185 – The Citadel – Sophomore
Jason Inghram – LHP – 6’3 195 – William & Mary – Junior
Robby Kalaf – RHP – 6’0 210 – Florida International – Junior
Seth McGarry – RHP – 6’0 180 – Florida Atlantic – Sophomore
James Mulry – LHP – 6’3 215 – Northeastern – Sophomore
Gavin Pittore – RHP – 6’3 230 – Wesleyan – Sophomore
Jared Poche’ – LHP – 6’1 195 – LSU – Freshman
Robert Youngdahl – LHP – 6’2 190 – Notre Dame – Sophomore
* – returning player

Michael Boyle – LHP – 6’2 185
Radford
Sophomore

Boyle had a solid freshman season in Radford’s weekend rotation last year and flashed ace potential in a return engagement this season. Boyle finished with a 4.09 ERA but led the team in strikeouts with 69 in 81.1 innings. He twirled a two-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts against Winthrop in his career-best outing. Boyle dominated the Cal Ripken League last year with a 0.77 ERA and he was named the circuit’s top prospect by Perfect Game.

Ray Castillo – RHP – 6’0 180
Alabama
Sophomore

Castillo set an Alabama freshman record with 12 saves on his way to Freshman All-American honors last year. The Crimson Tide went with a different closer this year, as Castillo finished with a 5.09 ERA and no saves.

Jake Drossner – LHP – 6’3 195
Maryland
Sophomore

Drossner had an ERA over six in his freshman campaign but had a good showing in Harwich, where he posted an ERA under one in 10 appearances. That was a sign of things to come, as Drossner emerged as a solid weekend starter this year. Drossner sported a team-best 2.45 ERA to go with 59 strikeouts in 62.1 innings.

Zack Erwin – LHP – 6’4 180
Clemson
Freshman

Erwin has shuffled in and out of the starting rotation for the Tigers the last two years, but has delivered decent results in both roles. He had a 3.45 ERA as a freshman. This year it was at 4.21. He picked up two saves this year while ranking third on the team in strikeouts with 62.

Jacob Evans – LHP – 6’2 205
Oklahoma
Sophomore

Evans saved nine games as a freshman in Norman but met some struggles in a swing role this year. He finished with an ERA over five, while starting nine games and making 12 relief appearances. On the bright side, he struck out 54 in 58.2 innings and walked just seven all season.

Ronnie Glenn – LHP – 6’3 220
Pennsylvania
Junior

Glenn tied a school record with eight saves last year but left the late-inning duty behind as he converted to starting full-time this season. It was a smooth transition as Glenn put up a 3.46 ERA and earned an Honorable Mention All-Ivy nod.

Jon Harris – RHP – 6’4 160
Missouri State
Sophomore

Injuries thrust Harris into the weekend rotation as a freshman last year and he responded by becoming the first pitcher in school history to win his first eight starts. The streak eventually ended, but Harris continues to pitch well. He had a 3.16 ERA this year with 66 strikeouts in 79.2 innings.

Skylar Hunter – RHP – 6’1 185
The Citadel
Sophomore

Hunter burst onto the scene last year, saving 13 games with an 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings mark. He reprised his closer’s role again this year and was even more dominant, saving 15 games while posting a 1.67 ERA. He struck out 44 in 43 innings and allowed opponents to hit just .143 against him.

Jason Inghram – LHP – 6’3 195
William & Mary
Junior

After two good seasons for the Tribe, Inghram blossomed into a bona fide ace this season. He went 10-2 with a 2.71 ERA and struck out 91 in 109.2 innings. He earned second-team All-CAA honors. He led the conference in innings pitched.

Robby Kalaf – RHP – 6’0 210
Florida International
Junior

Kalaf dominated in the JUCO ranks for the State College of Florida and made a pretty good transition to D-I baseball this season. Kalaf had an ERA of 3.74 while making 10 starts and four relief appearances.

Seth McGarry – RHP – 6’0 180
Florida Atlantic
Sophomore

McGarry has made only 13 appearances in two seasons but has done well in the limited action. He had a 1.52 ERA in 11.2 innings this year.

James Mulry – LHP – 6’3 215
Northeastern
Sophomore

Mulry earned Colonial Athletic Association All-Rookie honors last year and followed it up with a pretty good sophomore season. He lowered his ERA to 4.06 and struck out 30 in 37.2 innings.

Gavin Pittore – RHP – 6’3 230
Wesleyan
Sophomore

A late addition to the roster, Pittore is coming off a big season for Wesleyan. He went 7-1 with a 2.88 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 59.1 innings.

Jared Poche’ – LHP – 6’1 195
LSU
Freshman

Poche’ took a rare leap when he joined the Tigers weekend rotation in his first season in Baton Rouge, but it was a smooth ride. Poche went 9-3 with a 2.45 ERA, striking out 52 in 91.2 innings. He took home several Freshman All-America honors.

Robert Youngdahl – LHP – 6’2 190
Notre Dame
Sophomore

A 37th-round pick in 2011, Youngdahl bounced from Kansas State to Iowa Western Junior College to Notre Dame and seems to have found a home in South Bend. He delivered a 1.93 ERA out of the bullpen this spring despite walking more batters than he struck out. He also was a regular in the Irish lineup, hitting .225 and leading the team in extra-base hits with 15.

POSITION PLAYERS

Craig Aikin – OF – 5’10 170 – Oklahoma – Sophomore
Angelo Amendolare – INF – 5’10 170 – Jacksonville – Junior
Kyle Barrett – OF – 5’11 – 180 – Kentucky – Sophomore
Cavan Biggio – INF – 6’2 180 – Notre Dame – Freshman
Skye Bolt – OF – 6’3 185 – North Carolina – Sophomore
Guy Davidson – INF – 6’1 185 – Wesleyan – Sophomore
Matt Gonzalez – INF – 6’0 192 – Georgia Tech – Sophomore
*Ian Happ – INF – 5’11 192 – Cincinnati – Sophomore
Anthony Hermelyn – C – 6’1 200 – Oklahoma – Sophomore
*C.J. Hinojosa – INF – 5’10 180 – Texas – Sophomore
Joe McCarthy – OF – 6’3 215 – Virginia – Sophomore
Alex Perez – INF – 5’10 165 – Virginia Tech – Junior
Brendon Sanger – OF – 6’0 155 – Florida Atlantic – Sophomore
Tyler Servais – C – 6’2 215 – Princeton – Junior
Jordan Tarsovich – OF – 5’10 175 – VMI – Junior
Kenny Towns – INF – 6’0 185 – Virginia – Junior
Jason Vosler – INF – 6’1 190 – Northeastern – Junior
Matt Winn – C – 6’0 210 – VMI – Junior
Danny Zardon – INF – 6’1 185 – LSU – Freshman
* – returning player

Craig Aikin – OF – 5’10 170
Oklahoma
Sophomore

Aikin has started all but one game in his two seasons at Oklahoma and has been a steady contributor. After hitting .286 as a freshman, he bumped to .326 this year, good for second on the team. He led the team in OBP at .411 and stole five bases.

Angelo Amendolare – INF – 5’10 170
Jacksonville
Junior

A junior-college transfer, Amendolare hit .278 and stole 16 bases in his first season with the Dolphins.

Kyle Barrett – OF – 5’11 – 180
Kentucky
Sophomore

After leading the Wildcats in hitting as a freshman, Barrett was named the third-best prospect in the Perfect Game Collegiate League last summer. His averaged dipped to .253 this spring.

Cavan Biggio – INF – 6’2 180
Notre Dame
Freshman

The son of former Big Leaguer Craig Biggio, Cavan came to Notre Dame with high expectations after getting selected in the 29th round out of high school by the Phillies. Joining big brother Conor on campus, Cavan hit .246 in his debut season but showed some pop with 14 extra-base hits.

Skye Bolt – OF – 6’3 185
North Carolina
Sophomore

Bolt was one of the top freshmen in the country last year and spent the summer with Team USA. He didn’t have quite as much success this spring, hitting .257 with four home runs.

Guy Davidson – INF – 6’1 185
Wesleyan
Sophomore

A Harwich native, Davidson was a late addition to the roster and will get a shot to make an impression with his hometown club. This spring, he hit .273 with 21 extra-base hits for Wesleyan.

Matt Gonzalez – INF – 6’0 192
Georgia Tech
Sophomore

An 11th-round pick out of high school, Gonzalez had a good freshman season in Atlanta then played 26 games for Bourne in the Cape League last summer. Now ticketed for Harwich, Gonzalez is coming off a sophomore season in which he hit .314 with 23 extra-base hits.

Ian Happ – INF – 5’11 192
Cincinnati
Sophomore

Happ delivered one of the most eye-opening performances of the 2013 Cape Cod Baseball League season and was named the league’s ninth-best prospect by Perfect Game and its top freshman. For an encore, Happ was a model of consistency, finishing the spring with the same .322 average he finished with in 2013. He had five homers, a .443 OBP and 19 stolen bases.

Anthony Hermelyn – C – 6’1 200
Oklahoma
Sophomore

Like his teammate Aikin, Hermelyn has been an everyday player from the word go and has been solid throughout his career. He hit .289 this season with two homers.

C.J. Hinojosa – INF – 5’10 180
Texas
Sophomore

A 26th-round pick out of high school, Hinojosa was off to a strong start with Harwich last summer when he got the call to Team USA. This spring, he has helped lead the Longhorns to the College World Series this year, hitting .300 with a homer and 33 RBI.

Joe McCarthy – OF – 6’3 215
Virginia
Sophomore

McCarthy had a Freshman All-American season for the Cavs in 2013 and has been one of the best hitters for an Omaha-bound squad this season. He’s hitting .303 with six homers, a team-high 22 extra-base hits and 46 RBI. He was named the 37th-best prospect in the Northwoods League by Perfect Game last summer.

Alex Perez – INF – 5’10 165
Virginia Tech
Junior

Perez has started 170 consecutive games since arriving in Blacksburg three years ago. He hit .249 this year and made only four errors in the field.

Brendon Sanger – OF – 6’0 155
Florida Atlantic
Sophomore

Sanger led the Owls in hitting as a freshman and did the same this year, finishing at .332 to go with a .451 OBP and 15 extra-base hits.

Tyler Servais – C – 6’2 215
Princeton
Junior

The son of former Major League catcher Scott Servais, Tyler was a 36th-round pick out of high school. He hasn’t broken out with the bat in his time at Princeton, hitting .216 this year. Knowing his father, I’d venture a guess that he’s a strong defensive catcher.

Kenny Towns – INF – 6’0 185
Virginia
Junior

Towns has been a consistent contributor for Virginia in each of his three seasons in Charlottesville. He’s hitting .261 this year with two home runs.

Jason Vosler – INF – 6’1 190
Northeastern
Junior

Vosler has been a mainstay for the Huskies for three years and is coming off a junior season in which he hit .322 with a .419 OBP. As a junior, he was eligible for the draft this year and went in the 16th round to the Cubs, so he’ll have a decision to make.

Matt Winn – C – 6’0 210
VMI
Junior

Winn hit .333 as a sophomore and was on the Johnny Bench Award watch list. He struggled this year to a .204 average.

Danny Zardon – INF – 6’1 185
LSU
Freshman

Like his teammate Poche’, Zardon was a highly-touted recruit for LSU. He didn’t get as much of a chance to prove himself this year but did hit .268 in 28 games.