Covering the Cape Cod Baseball League
Tuesday’s rain gave Cotuit and Orleans an extra day of rest before they square off in the Cape Cod Baseball League championship – and it gives us an extra day to talk about it.
It’ll be a fun series. Cotuit and Orleans are two of the most well-supported franchises in the league, with great fan-bases, great fields and great tradition. It’s the first title round meeting between the two since 1986, when Jeff Conine was in an Orleans Cardinal uniform and Scott Servais was suiting up for Cotuit.
Chatham is into the next round with a sweep of Y-D, the franchise’s first playoff series win since 2001.
The other three games were decided by one run for a second straight night – and they all went in the other direction. Cotuit, Bourne and Orleans avoided sweeps and kept their seasons alive.
In perhaps the best Cape League game of the summer, the Kettleers came from behind twice after the fifth inning and won the game on a walk-off in the 10th.
It was a fitting finish, too. The Kettleers could probably field two teams with all the players that have come through there this summer, and somehow the team still finished one point out of first place. No matter who was in the lineup, they were getting it done. Yesterday, they got a game-tying two-run homer from Austin Byler (Nevada), a late pick-up. And in the 10th, they won the game on a walk-off RBI single by Garrett Stubbs (USC), who began his Cape League career on August 3.
The Commodores looked poised for a sweep when they went up 3-0 in the fourth on a three-run homer by Kevin Cron (TCU). Meanwhile, ace John Means (West Virginia) cruised through five innings.
But Cotuit wasn’t going down easy. A three-run rally in the sixth capped by Byler’s home run tied the game. After Falmouth went up by one in the seventh, Cotuit tied it again in the eighth, setting the stage for the 10th-inning heroics.
Wesley Cox (Texas-San Antonio), another recent arrival, got the win in relief for the Kettleers.
Game two is slated for today at 5:30 p.m in Falmouth. Probably pitchers are TBA.
Two largely unheralded pitchers staged a duel to match what stars Ryan Kellogg and Kyle Freeland did the night before, and Bourne pushed a run across in the eighth for the win.
Kyle Kubat (Nebraska) delivered his best start of the summer for the Braves, striking out six and scattering six hits in 6.2 innings. His counterpart, Cy Sneed (Dallas Baptist), was just as good for Hyannis, striking out seven and allowing only three hits while also going 6.2 innings.
In the eighth, Bourne broke through against Hyannis reliever Jordan DeLorenzo (West Florida), a late arrival who had yet to allow a run. Trent Gilbert (Arizona) singled to start the rally, and Tim Caputo (Rhode Island) followed with a bunt single that rolled fair. DeLorenzo retired Mark Laird (LSU) and newly-crowned Cape League MVP Max Pentecost, but Clint Freeman (East Tennessee State) knocked an RBI single into right field to score the go-ahead run.
Michael Costello (Radford), who had come on in the seventh and stranded a pair of runners, gave up two singles in the ninth but wiggled out of trouble to finish off a victory for the Braves.
Game two will go off at 6 p.m. today at McKeon Park in Hyannis. Jacob Lindgren (Mississippi State), who had pitched out of the bullpen to start the summer before going six shutout innings in his only start, will go for the Braves. Rocky McCord (Auburn), who has allowed one run in his last two starts, gets the ball for Hyannis.
Orleans took a lead in the third and held onto it through a few Harwich rallies, winning by a run and forcing a game three.
Ross Kivett (Kansas State), Jordan Luplow (Fresno State) and Chris Marconcini (Duke) knocked in the runs in the third, and the three were enough for Bobby Poyner (Florida). He took a shutout into the seventh before giving up one run. He went seven full innings, striking out three and allowing just four hits.
Closer Matt Troupe (Arizona) came on for the eighth and got into trouble, giving up a walk and two straight singles. A fielder’s choice off the bat of Ian Happ (Cincinnati) scored two and made it a one-run game.
But Troupe buckled down. He stranded Happ on second with a strikeout of A.J. Reed (Kentucky), who had homered an inning before. In the ninth, Troupe struck out two to finish off the victory.
For Harwich, Nick Howard (Virginia) turned in an impressive start, striking out nine in nine in seven innings, but he was the hard-luck loser.
Game three is set for Eldredge Park tonight at 7 p.m., and it might be the best pitching match-up of all the game threes. All-Star Game starter Aaron Bummer (Nebraska) will go for Harwich against Jared Miller (Vanderbilt), who struggled in his last start but struck out 10 in six scoreless innings the start before that.
Chatham led 2-0 for much of the game but found itself tied 3-3 in the eighth. That’s when the Anglers exploded, getting a grand slam from J.D. Davis (Cal State Fullerton) and scoring six runs to send them on their way to the next round.
Tommy Lawrence (Maine), who lost to Y-D in a playoff start last year, turned it around this time, giving up just one earned run in 5.1 innings. Jacob Dorris (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) got the win in relief when the Anglers broke through.
After tying the game in the seventh, they took the lead in the eighth on RBI singles by Blake Butera (Boston College) and Landon Lassiter (North Carolina). Then came the big blow. With the bases loaded, Davis smacked a home run out of the same field where he won All-Star Game MVP honors.
Dorris gave up one run in the bottom of the eighth but Dominic Moreno (Texas Tech) closed the door in the ninth, sealing the sweep for Chatham and ending Y-D’s season.
James Kaprielian (UCLA) was a bright spot for the Red Sox, striking out nine in five innings. D.J. Stewart (Florida State) homered and Alex Blandino (Stanford) finished a terrific Cape League career with two hits.
Chatham won a playoff series for the first time since 2001, when it won the East and lost to Wareham in the league championship.
The Anglers get a day off while the rest of the teams hit the field for game threes.
The marathon Western Division race that’s been close almost the entire summer ended on a stormy Sunday night with a walk, rather than a sprint, to the finish line.
When Cotuit shocked Falmouth with a 9-3 victory in the earliest start of the day, it meant there would be, at worst, a tie for first place. Hyannis then lost to Y-D 2-0 after a rain delay, creating just such a tie. Hyannis and Falmouth will share the division title, the first time two teams have shared a crown in the Cape League since 2003, when Brewster and Orleans finished tied atop the East standings. Hyannis will be the top seed by virtue of a 4-2 head-to-head record against Falmouth.
The one-point margin separating Hyannis, Falmouth and Cotuit makes it the tightest three-team race since at least 2000.
The funny thing about the way it all ended is that Cotuit, the team that was eliminated from first-place contention on Saturday, still had its say. The Kettleers were going to finish in third no matter what they did Sunday, and Falmouth came to Lowell Park riding a six-game winning streak.
But Cotuit cruised, scoring four runs in the first inning and opening up a 9-0 cushion before Falmouth tacked on some runs in the late innings. Caleb Bryson (Samford), a late pick-up by the Kettleers, hit two home runs and has now hit four in three games. Danny Diekroeger (Stanford) and Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt) drove in two runs each and Jake Fincher (NC State) had three hits.
Vaughn Hayward (Bryant), whose brother Garrett played for Falmouth as a temp earlier in the summer, got a spot start for Cotuit and shined, going 4.2 innings without allowing a run. Josh Hochstatter (Stanford) finished the job.
The only bright spot for Falmouth was that Kevin Newman (Arizona) went 2-for-2 and coasted to the Cape League batting title. He went 10-for-12 in his last three games, shooting his average from .338 to a season-ending mark of .375.
Sunday’s results mean Cotuit and Falmouth will meet again in the playoffs, fresh off their two straight games to end the regular season.
Three Y-D pitchers combined on a shutout to keep Hyannis from claiming an outright division title. Sam Lindquist (Stanford) allowed three hits in four innings, Graham Tebbit (Hofstra) struck out four in three innings in his Cape debut and Dan Altavilla (Mercyhurst) worked two hitless innings for the save. Brandon Downes (Virginia) went 3-for-4 with his fourth home run of the season and Matt Honchel (Miami) drove in the other run. The Red Sox finished fourth in the East.
The Firebirds held onto second place in the East with a 12-3 victory over Chatham that included a team effort to get the field in shape after a storm. Orleans scored eight runs in the first two innings and never looked back, winning for the 11th time in its last 12 games. Chris Marconcini (Duke) went 2-for-4 with four RBI, while Will Fulmer (Montevallo) had three hits and three runs scored. Jordan Luplow (Fresno State) had two hits and drove in two runs. Four pitchers combined on a solid performance, with Kyle Twomey (USC) getting the win. For Chatham, Jimmy Pickens (Michigan State) hit his seventh home run to finish second in the league, but the loss was the fifth in a row. Chatham clinched the division title last Wednesday and then didn’t win again.
Scott Heineman (Oregon) finished his terrific summer by playing every position on the field for the Whitecaps. In the meantime, Harwich finished strong with a 5-1 victory. Heineman went 0-for-4 while he was busy moving around the diamond, starting at catcher then jumping around the infield and the outfield until taking the mound and recording a strikeout for the last out of the eighth. For Harwich, Tyler Burgess (Missouri State) went five scoreless innings for the win. A couple of position players took their turns on the mound too, with Ian Happ (Cincinnati) giving up two runs and Tanner English (South Carolina) striking out two in a scoreless ninth. Happ had a double, a triple and two RBI to lead the offense.
The Braves and Gatemen played three innings before rain drenched Doran Park. With the game having no impact on the standings, it was canceled.
Teams have a day off today before the playoffs begin Tuesday. Check back here for some playoff preview thoughts.
The Western Division race finally gained some clarity on Saturday night.
But the race for the championship will still come down to the season’s final day.
With Falmouth’s 9-5 victory over Cotuit last night, the Kettleers have been eliminated from title contention. They’re three points out, and with only one game left, they can’t make up that ground. But Hyannis also won last night, 6-1 over Y-D, to remain tied with Falmouth for first place.
It’ll come down to today, the third third time in the past four years that a division champion will be decided on the final day. It was the East race in both 2010 and 2011.
Falmouth won its sixth straight to stay in the first-place tie. Trailing 5-1 in the seventh, the Commodores scored five runs to take the lead and added three in the ninth to pull away.
Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) had two hits and added two RBI to his league-leading total. Troy Stein (Texas A&M) also had two RBI, while Kevin Cron (TCU) had three hits. Kevin Newman (Arizona), who may well be on his way to the batting title, had two more hits after his 6-for-6 night. Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) had two hits and an RBI.
Once the Commodores got the lead, the bullpen closed the door on Cotuit. Jared Price (Maryland) and Hunter Brothers (Lipscomb) struck out two in a scoreless inning each to preserve the lead.
For all the success Falmouth has had in the last week, Hyannis just will not go away. The Harbor Hawks have won three of their last four.
On Saturday, they got a terrific pithing performance from Rocky McCord (Auburn). He went five scoreless innings in his last start and followed it up with 5.2 strong frames. He allowed one run and struck out three. Kyle Freeland (Evansville) struck out two in 1.1 innings before Jordan DeLorenzo (West Florida), who was making just his second appearance, picked up a save with two scoreless innings.
Jose Lopez (Seton Hall) struck out eight in 6.2 innings, but Hyannis scored two unearned runs off of him and added more against the Y-D bullpen. Ryan Padilla (New Mexico) had two hits and an RBI. Austin Slater (Stanford) added two hits, and Landon Curry (Indiana State) went 1-for-2 with an RBI.
All the same teams will meet again today. As far as Hyannis and Falmouth are concerned, we’ll see if either blinks. If they remain tied, the first tiebreaker is head-to-head competition, and Hyannis would own the edge.
Chatham lost its fourth in a row, while Orleans won its 10th in the last 12 with a 1-0 shutout. Corey Miller (Pepperdine) went five scoreless for the win. Jeremy Rhoades (Illinois State), Brian Clark (Kent State) and Matt Troupe (Arizona) finished it off, with Troupe taking over the league lead in saves at 11. Jordan Luplow (Fresno State) delivered the only offense with a solo home run.
The Mariners remained within striking distance of Orleans for second place with a victory over the Whitecaps. Harwich scored runs in the eighth and ninth to break a 4-4 tie. Nick Howard (Virginia) went 3-for-4 with two RBI and A.J. Reed (Kentucky) hit a home run to lead the Harwich offense. Derek Fisher (Virginia) added two his and Blair DeBord (Kansas State) knocked in two. On the mound, Logan Jernigan (NC State) gave up just two earned runs in 6.2 innings. Sam Howard (Georgia Southern) went 2.1 scoreless innings for the win.
Three pitchers combined on a shutout as the Braves beat Wareham. Making his first start of the summer, Christian Colletti (Connecticut) struck out three in five scoreless innings. Cody Livingston (Southern Miss) went three innings and Will Cox (Mississippi State) finished it off. Mason Robbins (Southern Miss) and Mark Laird (LSU) had three hits each to lead the offense. Vinny Siena (Connecticut) backed his college teammate Colletti with two RBI.
Falmouth visits Cotuit at 4:30 and Hyannis hosts Y-D at 6 in the West race.
Bourne came into Friday’s game against Falmouth with the best ERA in the league.
The Braves didn’t leave it that way.
A 3-2 Bourne lead turned into a 4-3 deficit in the fifth. And then it turned into a video game.
The Commodores’ explosive offense delivered its most explosive performance yet, scoring 16 runs in four innings as Falmouth rolled to an 18-3 victory. It’s the fifth straight win for the Commodores, who remain tied with Hyannis for first place in the West.
Some of the stat lines that the late-innings burst created are downright ridiculous. Dylan Davis (Oregon State) went 3-for-4 with a home run and eight RBI. Most of the time, he was driving in Kevin Newman (Arizona), who went 6-for-6 with five runs scored.
Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) had three hits, including a home run and a double. He’s seven for his last 10 with two homers. Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) had four hits and an RBI. Cameron O’Brien (Northeast Texas CC) homered.
Falmouth has now scored 48 runs in its five-game winning streak, and Cape League offensive leaderboards are being taken over by Commodores. Newman leads the league in batting average, Gillaspie leads in home runs and Hoskins leads in RBI. Falmouth has three of the top six in hitting, three of the top four in home runs and the top three, plus four of the top five, in RBI. They also have the top four in hits.
It all adds up to the league’s best offensive team. Of course, there have been plenty of bad nights, too, and Falmouth may not even win the division. After all their fireworks last night, Cotuit and Hyannis won, too, keeping the division race as tight as could be.
But as long as this lineup stays together, there’s going to be the potential for something like this.
The Harbor Hawks remained in a first-place tie thanks to a solid all-around performance against wareham. Peter Fairbanks (Missouri), another pitching reinforcement, gave up three runs in 6.2 solid innings. Bryant Holtmann (Florida State) went .2 innings before giving way to Eric Eck (Wofford), who went the final 1.2 for his 10th save. The offense pounded out 13 hits, with Brian Anderson (Arkansas) getting three, including a home run. Steve Wilkerson (Clemson) also had three hits, while Tyler Spoon (Arkansas) and Chase Griffin (Georgia Southern) had two each. For Wareham, Fred Shepard (Amherst) struck out four while giving up four runs in 6.1 innings.
The Kettleers remained a point back of Falmouth and Hyannis with a win over East champ Chatham. Newcomer Tommy Kister (The Masters College) delivered a terrific performance, striking out eight and allowing just a run on three hits in his debut. The bullpen pitched a shutout the rest of the way. At the plate, Jake Fincher (NC State) drove in two runs, while Hunter Cole (Georgia) and Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt) knocked in one each. Another newcomer, Caleb Bryson (Samford), homered in his first Cape League at-bat. Chatham has lost three in a row since clinching the division title.
Orleans picked up three points in a doubleheader with Harwich to take over second place in the East by a point. In the first game, they rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2. Jordan Luplow (Fresno State) went 2-for-3 with two RBI and Ross Kivett (Kansas State) had two hits. The bullpen set the stage for the comeback and then finished off the win, with Luis Paula (North Carolina) going three scoreless innings and Matt Troupe (Arizona) striking out one in a perfect frame for the save. In game two, the scheduled seven-inning tilt went the maximum nine before ending in a tie. Again, Harwich led 2-0, but Orleans tied it in the sixth and it stayed that way until the end. Geoff DeGroot (UMass-Lowell) had a pinch-hit two-run double to tie it. In the ninth, Orleans reliever Trevor Kelley (North Carolina) worked into and then out of a bases-loaded jam to salvage the tie.
The Red Sox won their second straight, cruising past Brewster. Kevin McAvoy (Bryant) struck out seven and didn’t allow an earned run in seven innings of work. Two usual position players, Jose Trevino (Oral Roberts) and Taylor White (UNLV), followed him to the mound and pitched a scoreless inning each. Trevino led the offense with a homer and Wayne Taylor (Stanford) also homered. Alex Blandino (Stanford) added two hits and two RBI.
Falmouth and Cotuit will play each other in the season’s final two games, starting with a 6:30 p.m. tilt in Falmouth tonight.
Chatham has run away with the Cape Cod Baseball League’s Eastern Division, but outside of the Anglers, it’s been a wide open race.
There’s a new leader.
Orleans beat Wareham 5-2 last night for its sixth consecutive win. Coupled with a Harwich loss, the Firebirds – the same Firebirds who almost fell into the basement a few weeks ago – are now in second place behind Chatham with 38 points. It’s still a tight race, with Harwich a point out of second and Y-D two points back, but for the moment, the Firebirds are at the top of the non-Chatham heap.
The Orleans streak began with a much-needed victory over Brewster on July 20. At the time, it looked like a key win in the battle for fourth place. Since then, though, the Firebirds have left the Whitecaps – and everybody else – behind.
Last night, the streak continued with a comeback victory over a Wareham team that has been playing better of late. The Firebirds trailed 2-0 but tied the game in the sixth and scored three runs in the eighth to take the lead. Jeremy Rhoades (Illinois State) got the win and Trevor Kelley (North Carolina) picked up the save with two strikeouts in the ninth once his team got the lead.
Two of the biggest reasons for Orleans’ success were on full display in the victory – bullpen work and the ability of the top of the order to set the table.
The bullpen has pitched 21.2 innings in the six-game winning streak and has allowed just four earned runs. That means leads have been consistently maintained and deficits have been held in check, setting the stage for comebacks like the one Orleans delivered last night.
Offensively, the top third of the Orleans order is really getting it done, led by Ross Kivett (Kansas State). A 10th-round pick this June who opted not to sign, Kivett took over the leadoff spot after Greg Allen left the team due to an injury and has been terrific. After starting the year 0-for-15, he has reached base in 25 straight games, with hits in 22 of those games. He’s the league leader in hitting among active players with a .358 average, and he’s batting .444 in the six-game winning streak.
Will Fulmer, who hails from Division II Montevallo, has been a consistent performer for the Firebirds all summer and he too has heated up during the recent surge. Fulmer is batting .400 with six runs scored in the winning streak. The typical third batter, Jordan Luplow (Fresno State) had his best hot streak just before the Firebirds took off, but he’s been steady during the streak too, batting .318 with six runs scored.
Together, the top three have scored 21 of Orleans’ 39 runs in the win streak.
That’s an impressive number – and it has helped fuel an impressive run.
Lukas Schiraldi (Navarro) dominated Falmouth again as the Anglers cruised to their 25th win of the season. Schiraldi had pitched six shutout innings against Falmouth in his last start. Matched up with the Commodores again, he did the exact same thing, striking out three and allowing just three hits in six scoreless innings. Schiraldi has allowed one earned run in his last four starts – all wins – and has lowered his ERA to 1.19. Beyond Schiraldi, the bullpen also shined, with three relievers combining for six strikeouts in three hitless innings. The offense gave the pitchers all the support they needed in the early going, scoring six runs in the first inning. Jimmy Pickens (Michigan State) led the Anglers with a home run, a double and four RBI in the game.
In the final regular season match-up of the longtime rivals, Cotuit put together a four-run sixth inning and held on to clinch the Barnstable Patriot Cup. Cotuit finished with a 4-2 record against the Harbor Hawks. Hyannis starter Kyle Freeland (Evansville), the Cape League’s strikeout leader, was dominant for the first five innings but Cotuit got to him in the sixth. A Logan Ratledge (NC State) two-run double gave Cotuit the lead. After Freeland departed, Hunter Cole (Georgia) hit an RBI single and Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt) smacked an RBI triple. That was enough for the one-man relief effort of Eric Karch (Pepperdine). After starter Jared Walsh (Georgia) went four innings, Karch went the final five and dominated. He allowed just one hit and struck out five. The win moved Cotuit to within one point of Hyannis for first place in the West.
Y-D further tightened the East race with a victory over Harwich. The teams are now just one point apart in the standings. The Red Sox took a 7-1 thanks to home runs by Jose Trevino (Oral Roberts) and Brandon Downes (Virginia), plus an RBI from D.J. Stewart (Florida State). Harwich scored three runs in the ninth but couldn’t get closer as Y-D closer Darrell Hunter (Oregon) came on to slam the door. Sam Lindquist (Stanford) got the win with five solid innings.
The Braves held off a late charge in dramatic fashion to top Brewster. With the Whitecaps trailing by two in the ninth and two men in scoring position, Cole Lankford (Texas A&M) lined a base hit into left. One run scored but left-fielder Jeff Gardner (Louisville) threw out Nick Lynch (UC Davis) at the plate to end the game. The defensive heroics made a winner out of reliever Jack English (Florida Gulf Coast). Ryan Kellogg (Arizona State) turned in a solid start for the Braves, allowing two runs in five innings. Trent Gilbert (Arizona) and Tim Caputo (Rhode Island) led the offense with four hits apiece. Gilbert had two RBI, as did Mason Robbins (Southern Miss) and Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech). Lynch had four RBI for Brewster.
Orleans will try to stay hot against a Cotuit team that has won four of five. Cotuit’s only loss in that stretch came to Orleans. Evan Beal (South Carolina), who went seven scoreless in his last start, gets the ball for the Kettleers. Orleans sends Trent Szkutnik (Michigan) and his 1.98 ERA to the hill.
Kyle Schwarber’s return to the Cape Cod Baseball League happened on the same field where he left it.
Little else in the setting was the same.
On August 17, 2012, Schwarber led the Wareham Gatemen to the league championship on a sunny afternoon at Red Wilson Field in Yarmouth, with fans tucked into every nook and cranny. On July 25, 2013, Schwarber helped a struggling Wareham team salvage a tie with Y-D on a cool, dreary evening.
The fact that he was here for both is one of the coolest stories of the 2013 Cape Cod Baseball League season.
Schwarber earned Playoff MVP honors last summer when he hit two home runs in Wareham’s championship-clinching victory. His emergence as a star continued on the same trajectory in the spring, when he hit .366 with 18 home runs and led Indiana to the College World Series. He was ticketed for a return to Wareham, but Team USA came calling and Schwarber ran with the opportunity.
But along the way, he told Wareham officials he wanted to come back when Team USA’s season ended. It was easy to envision him returning and pushing the Gatemen over the top, leading them to more playoff glory.
That probably isn’t going to happen. Wareham has had a tough season and needs a miracle just to grab the fourth spot in the playoffs.
And still, Schwarber came.
This is a guy who has been playing baseball non-stop since Indiana’s season began on February 15. The grind took him across the country, then to Omaha then to Japan with Team USA.
Coming back to Cape Cod for a few meaningless games, when scouts already have a good feel for who he is? Nobody would have blamed him if he headed home instead.
But still, Schwarber came.
Last night, karma smiled on that move. Schwarber went 4-for-4 in his 2013 debut and his two-run homer in the ninth inning tied the game at 2-2. Wareham and Y-D went on to finish in a tie. Andro Cutura (Southeastern Louisiana) delivered a strong performance on the mound for the Gatemen.
Schwarber’s move is reminiscent of something another Wareham great once did. Matt Murton, who went on to a Major League career, broke his finger at Team USA tryouts in 2002. The temptation would have been to take the rest of the summer off. Instead, Murton returned to Wareham – where he’d played the summer before – let the finger heal and was in the lineup as the Gatemen won their second consecutive league championship.
Schwarber likely won’t cap his return with the same kind of hardware, but the sentiment is the same. Both had great experiences in Wareham and both felt a measure of loyalty that isn’t always a priority in summer baseball.
Schwarber is now 6-for-9 with three home runs in his last two Cape League games. The gap between those games – when they happened and what they meant – is huge, but Schwarber was doing his thing all the same.
The Whitecaps have hit another rough patch but last night was a pretty serious bright spot. Jake Stinnett (Maryland) struck out eight in seven shutout innings as Brewster topped Falmouth 2-0. Stinnett took a no-hitter into the sixth before a base hit by Cameron O’Brien (Northeast Texas CC). It was the only hit he allowed. Justin Kamplain (Alabama) and Brad Schreiber (Purdue) finished the shutout with an inning each. Nick Lynch (UC Davis) delivered all the offense Brewster needed with two RBI, while Boo Vazquez (Pittsburgh) had two hits and scored both runs. Vazquez has a six-game hitting streak. The win was made all the more impressive by the fact that Brewster’s bus broke down before the game and the team arrived just 30 minutes before game time.
The Firebirds won their fifth straight, riding a dominant performance by Jared Miller (Vanderbilt) to a victory over the Kettleers. Miller started the summer in the bullpen but went seven shutout innings in his second start last week. This time, he went six scoreless and struck out 10 while allowing just two hits. Shawn O’Neill (La Salle) picked up the save. Austin Davidson (Pepperdine) had two hits and two RBI, while Jordan Luplow (Fresno State) also drove in two. Will Fulmer (Montevallo) and Chris Marconcini (Duke) added two hits each. Orleans is now 18-18, just a point back of Harwich for second place in the West. For Cotuit, Bradley Zimmer (San Francisco) made his return from Team USA and went 1-for-4.
Dillon Peters (Texas) turned in his second straight dominant start and the Mariners pulled away late for an easy victory. Peters struck out six in five scoreless innings after seven shutout innings in his last start. Logan Jernigan (NC State) struck out four in three innings of relief and Jake Drossner (Maryland) finished the job. Derek Fisher (Virginia) had two RBI to lead the attack, while Ben Moore (Alabama) and Tanner English (South Carolina) had two hits each.
The Anglers delivered a steady offensive performance and held off Bourne for their 24th victory of the season. Jimmy Pickens (Michigan State) had two hits, including a home run, to power the offense. Landon Lassiter (North Carolina) added two hits and two RBI, Michael Russell (North Carolina) had two hits, Blake Butera (Boston College) drove in two runs and recent arrival Brett Bell (Texas Tech) added two hits. Andrew McGee (Monmouth) gave up three runs in four innings. Dominic Moreno (Texas Tech) got the win with three scoreless innings of relief and David Speer (Columbia) shut down his former team over the final two innings for the save. Bourne got four hits from Mark Laird (LSU) but was again kept from clinching a playoff spot.
Orleans and Cotuit will meet for a second straight night, this time at Lowell Park. It should be a good pitching match-up with Bobby Poyner (Florida) starting for Orleans and Ben Smith (Coastal Carolina) going for Cotuit. Smith was one of the league’s top strikeout pitchers before he missed his last turn in the rotation.
Chatham and Hyannis own a combined three of the starting spots in the All-Star Game. That’s significantly less than Falmouth, less than Harwich and the same number as Brewster.
But who needs star power?
The Anglers beat Wareham 8-4 last night for their fourth straight win and their league-best 23rd of the season. They have a 12-point lead on second-place Harwich in the East.
The Harbor Hawks beat Brewster 5-0 last night for their third consecutive win. They lead the West by four points over Cotuit and five over the star-studded Falmouth squad.
I don’t think Chatham and Hyannis had too many snubs in the all-star department. Skyler Ewing has been the Harbor Hawks’ best player but he had to be an all-star reserve because he plays the same position as Bourne’s Max Pentecost. Lukas Schiraldi has a case for Chatham.
Generally speaking, though, the numbers are about right. The Anglers and Harbor Hawks have some very good players, but success seems to be driven by good, steady baseball more than stars who light it up.
It was more of the same last night.
Chatham scored seven runs in the first two innings on its way to a win over the Gatemen last night. Mitchell Gonsolus (Gonzaga) went 4-for-5 with two runs scored, while Brandon Sedell (Nova Southeastern) went 2-for-4 with four RBI. Dante Flores (USC) added two hits, Michael Russell (North Carolina) hit a home run and J.D. Davis (Cal State Fullerton) drove in two runs. On the mound, Matthew Gage (Siena) gave up one earned run on six hits in five strong innings. Ryan Leach (Franklin Pierce) and Mitch Merten (UC Irvine) delivered solid work out of the bullpen.
In Brewster, Hyannis got six shutout innings from Austin Pettibone (UC Santa Barbara), who had struggled in his last start. Tyler Spoon (Arkansas), Brian Anderson (Arkansas) and Landon Curry (Indiana State) had two hits each, while Dominic Jose had two RBI. The Harbor Hawks have won three straight and four of five.
The Braves touched up East All-Star starting pitcher Aaron Bummer (Nebraska) for four runs and got a steady performance from Austin Gomber (Florida Atlantic) en route to a 4-3 victory. Clint Freeman (East Tennessee State) went 2-for-4 with two RBI and now has a six-game hitting streak. Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State) also went 2-for-4, upping his average to .398. Eric Fisher (Arkansas) and Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech) also drove in runs for the Braves. On the mound, Gomber didn’t record a strikeout but gave up just two runs in five innings. Trace Dempsey (Ohio State) picked up his fourth save.
The Firebirds seem to be getting back on track after a tough stretch, and they beat the Commodores with a big offensive night. Austin Davidson (Pepperdine) led a 15-hit attack with three hits and three RBI. Will Fulmer (Vanderbilt) also had three hits while Jordan Luplow (Fresno State) and Jordan Betts (Duke) had two hits and two RBI each. Corey Miller (Pepperdine) gave up three runs in five innings for the win. For Falmouth, Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) hit his fifth home run and brought his league-leading RBI total to 29. Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) went 4-for-5.
The Red Sox scored three runs in the eighth and held off a Cotuit charge in the ninth for the victory. D.J. Stewart (Florida State) had an RBI double to get the rally in gear before Jose Trevino (Oral Roberts) got the go-ahead run home with an RBI single. Trevino then scored on an error. Darrell Hunter (Oregon) gave up two hits and a run in the ninth but ultimately struck out the side to pick up the save. Kody Kerski (Sacred Heart) got the win. Trevino led the Y-D offense with three hits and an RBI. For Cotuit, Chris Ellis (Ole Miss) gave up three runs in seven innings.
Harwich will see if it can gain some ground when it visits Chatham for a 7 p.m. start. Dillon Peters (Texas) will try for a repeat of his last start, when he went seven shutout innings. Tommy Lawrence (Maine) takes his 3-0 record to the mound for Chatham.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
It has not been a good year for Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox pitchers and with ace Erick Fedde taking a detour to Team USA, it didn’t look like this week would be much help.
Daniel Savas had something to say about that.
The righty from Illinois State turned in as dominant a performance last night as anyone on the Cape has delivered this summer. He struck out 12 and allowed one run in eight innings as the Red Sox beat Harwich 5-3.
It was the the third straight win for Savas, who is steadily emerging as one of the top pitchers in the league. He has suddenly vaulted himself into second in the league in strikeouts, despite the fact that he didn’t make his first appearance until June 23 and his first start until July 5.
The performance is only surprising in the sense that you might not have seen it coming. Savas was a late arrival – on a temporary contract, in fact – but his spring was tremendous. He went 10-0 for Illinois State with a 1.79 ERA and five complete games in 15 starts. He struck out 98 in 100.1 innings. Opponents hit just .180 against him.
Savas had a solid freshman season in 2011 before redshirting in 2012. This season represented an impressive return. He was a first-team all-Missouri Valley pick.
After all of that, though, Savas was not drafted this spring. He hit the road for the Cape, and the Red Sox are very happy he did. He’s been just what the doctor ordered for them – they’re 3-0 in games he’s started.
Last night, Savas actually gave up a home run to the first batter he faced, Ian Happ (Cincinnati), but it was smooth sailing from there. He struck out the side after the home run, then cruised, allowing just four more hits. He only got stronger as the game went on, retiring the last 11 batters he faced.
He had plenty of support, too. The Red Sox got two RBI from D.J. Stewart (Florida), plus one RBI each by Taylor Smart (Tennessee) and Alex Blandino (Stanford).
The Red Sox are now just one game under .500, and they may get their ace back soon – Fedde is expected back when Team USA’s season ends next week.
But with Savas in the mix, it may get crowded at the top of the rotation.
The East and West first-place teams rank third and fourth in team ERA, but their third meeting of the year was a slugfest. Chatham prevailed, running its record against the Kettleers to 3-0 and becoming the first team in the league to 20 wins. They’re now 20-9. The Anglers scored six runs in the fourth, still found themselves in a tied game but took the lead with one in the sixth and three in the seventh. J.D. Davis (Cal State Fullerton) hit his second home run, part of a three-hit, three RBI night. Michael Russell (North Carolina) drove in two runs, while Dante Flores (USC), Connor Joe (San Diego) and Jimmy Pickens (Michigan State) drove in one each. On the mound, Andrew McGee (Monmouth) had another tough outing, but the bullpen picked up the slack, allowing just one run over the final 4.1 innings. Ryan Leach (Franklin Pierce) got the win and Kyle Funkhouser (Louisville) notched his fourth save in just his fifth appearance. For Cotuit, Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt) went 3-for-4 with his first home run of the summer.
Jaron Long (Ohio State) was terrific again as the Braves shut out Brewster for their second straight win. Long went six scoreless, striking out three and giving up just three hits. He’s now 5-0 and owns more than a third of his team’s wins. He has allowed one run all summer and just 17 hits in 28 innings pitched. Michael Costello (Radford) and Justin McCalvin (Kennesaw State) finished off the shutout, with McCalvin striking out the side in a spotless ninth. The Bourne offense was led by Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State), who went 2-for-5 with three RBI. Trent Gilbert (Arizona) went 4-for-4.
The Commodores was 0-4 against Hyannis but exacted a measure of revenge last night, pounding 18 hits on their way to the lopsided victory. Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) went 2-for-4 and hit his sixth home run, which vaults him into the league lead. Five other Commodores also had multi-hit games, led by Kevin Cron (TCU), who went 4-for-4 with three RBI. Dylan Davis (Oregon State) had three RBI and Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) had two, bumping his league-high total to 26. On the mound, Trey Teakell (TCU) – who pitched in a loss to Hyannis last week – went seven strong innings, striking out four and giving up only one hit.
The Firebirds have been struggling but picked up a much-needed victory with a shutout of the Gatemen. Vanderbilt lefty Jared Miller made his third start and was at his best, tossing seven innings of two-hit baseball. He struck out four. Jeremy Rhoades (Illinois State) and Matt Troupe (Arizona) finished it off, with Troupe getting his sixth save. Jordan Luplow (Fresno State) went 4-for-4 with his second home run of the summer, stretching his hit streak to six games. Vince Conde (Vanderbilt) and Austin Davidson (Pepperdine) had two hits each.
Cotuit and Hyannis, the top two teams in the West, will square off for the fourth time this season at 6 p.m. at McKeon Park. The Kettleers are 3-1 in the four match-ups. Kyle Freeland (Evansville), who’s won his last two starts, gets the ball for Hyannis. Christian Cecilio (San Francisco), who has settled in after one bad June start, is on the hill for Cotuit.