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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.

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Veterans lead Commodores

Falmouth 13

 
falmouthlogoFalmouth had a murderer’s row lineup last summer and rode it to the West Division regular-season championship and the second-best record in the Cape League.

The sluggers from that team have moved on to big things. Casey Gillaspie is the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, Kevin Cron has had a solid year for TCU, Rhys Hoskins has hit nine homers for Sacramento State and Dylan Davis has helped Oregon State to a national No. 1 ranking.

But quite a few other Commodores will be back in the fold, as Falmouth is set to bring in one of the league’s more experienced teams this summer. The list includes reigning batting champion Kevin Newman, some key position players and a host of solid bullpen arms.

It’s a good starting point, a luxury that a lot of Cape League teams don’t often have. Falmouth will build on that foundation with a solid group of newcomers, led by guys like Steven Duggar, Tyler Krieger, Tate Matheny and Heath Quinn.

I don’t know if the Commodores will hit the long ball like they did last year, but they’ll take the same success either way.

 

THE SKINNY

Manager: Jeff Trundy
Last Year: 26-18; Lost in West Division Semifinals
Returning Players: 7
Juniors: 1
Sophomores: 15
Freshmen: 4

 

NOTABLE

  • Four returning pitchers will lead the Commodores’ staff. Three have been bullpen guys in the past – Garrett Cleavinger, Kevin Mooney and Jared Price – while Kevin McKanna should return to the rotation. McKanna didn’t have a great summer last year, but his spring with Rice – coupled with the experience he gained last summer, could mean big things.

  • Colin Poche has not emerged as a star for Arkansas yet, but he was tabbed as the top prospect in the Northwoods League last summer by both Perfect Game and Baseball America. Perfect Game also ranked the Northwoods as the second-best summer league behind the Cape, so it’s high praise.

  • For the second straight year, Missouri top prospect Alec Rash was on the initial Falmouth roster but has since been removed. Rash has made only 10 appearances this spring. He was an unsigned second-round pick in 2012.

  • Clemson is sending two of its best hitters to Falmouth in sophomores Tyler Krieger and Steven Duggar, two of the ACC’s top sophomores. Both also bring speed to the table.

  • Kevin Newman is the top returning hitter in the league, and there’s no disputing that. Newman won the Cape League batting title as a freshman last year.

  • Leon Byrd and Sam Gillikin were big parts of a really good Falmouth team last year. Neither has the kind of spring they’d like, so I imagine they’ll be excited to be back in Falmouth.

  • Oregon State freshman Trever Morrison’s lists as his favorite athlete former Beaver and current Chicago Cub Darwin Barney. Like Barney, Morrison is defensive wiz for a very good Beaver club, but if he ends up in Falmouth, he’ll get an experience Barney did not. Barney was on the 2006 Falmouth roster but played for Team USA instead.

  • Missouri State’s Tate Matheny ranks third in the Missouri Valley Conference in home runs. The leader? Former Commodore Casey Gillaspie, who just earned conference Player of the Year honors.

  • Also of note, Matheny is the son of St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike.

  • Samford has sent a few sluggers to the Cape the last few years – Phil Ervin to Harwich in 2012 and Caleb Bryson to Cotuit late last year. Heath Quinn is next in line. The freshman has slugged nine homers this spring.

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    FIVE TO WATCH

    1. Colin Poche
    2. Tyler Krieger
    3. Kevin Newman
    4. Steven Duggar
    5. Tate Matheny

     

    PITCHERS

    *Garrett Cleavinger – LHP – 6’0 220 – Oregon – Sophomore
    Justin Dillon – RHP – 6’4 225 – Sacramento State – RS Freshman
    Chandler Eden – RHP – 6’4 175 – Oregon State – Freshman
    Matt Hall – LHP – 6’1 190 – Missouri State – Sophomore
    *Kevin McKanna – RHP – 6’1 185 – Rice – Sophomore
    Sean McLaughlin – RHP/OF – 5’11 184 – Georgia – Sophomore
    Sutter McLoughlin – RHP – 6’5 225 – Sacramento State – Sophomore
    *Kevin Mooney – RHP – 6’2 215 – Maryland – Sophomore
    Colin Poche – LHP – 6’3 220 – Arkansas – Sophomore
    *Jared Price – RHP – 6’2 190 – Maryland – Sophomore
    * – returning player

     

    Garrett Cleavinger – LHP – 6’0 220
    Oregon
    Sophomore

    Cleavinger had a great freshman year in Eugene then spent last summer in Falmouth. His ERA was over six with the Commodores but he struck out 22 in just 12.1 innings, flashing the potential that put him at No. 57 on Perfect Game’s top 100 CCBL prospects. Cleavinger has continued to be a big piece of the Ducks’ bullpen this spring, making a team-high 32 appearances with a 3.00 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 27 innings.

    Justin Dillon – RHP – 6’4 225
    Sacramento State
    RS Freshman

    A 39th-round pick out of high school, Dillon redshirted last year and has had a solid first season for the Hornets this spring. Pitching in the weekend rotation, Dillon has a 3.57 ERA.

    Chandler Eden – RHP – 6’4 175
    Oregon State
    Freshman

    A 36th-round pick out of high school, Eden hasn’t seen a ton of action for the top-ranked Beavers this spring, pitching in only seven games. He had some summer success last year, earning top prospect honors in the Horizon Air Summer Series, a competition for summer collegiate teams from out west.

    Matt Hall – LHP – 6’1 190
    Missouri State
    Sophomore

    Hall had a 2.50 ERA in a swing role as a freshman last year. His ERA has risen to 4.40 this season in 15 appearances, 10 of which have been starts. He has struck out 43 and walked 25.

    Kevin McKanna – RHP – 6’1 185
    Rice
    Sophomore

    McKanna was a 22nd-round draft pick out of high school. After a decent freshman year, McKanna had some struggles on the Cape, starting five games for Falmouth and finishing with an ERA over six. Back at Rice, he has settled in as a sophomore. In 15 appearances – 11 starts – McKanna has a 2.84 ERA.

    Sean McLaughlin – RHP/OF – 5’11 184
    Georgia
    Sophomore

    McLaughlin was a weekend starter for the Bulldogs as a freshman and also had a decent year with the bat. This year, he’s made only three pitching appearances, while hitting .274.

    Sutter McLoughlin – RHP – 6’5 225
    Sacramento State
    Sophomore

    Another Sacramento State Hornet, McLoughlin has done his work – and done it very well – out of the bullpen. McLoughlin set a program record for saves as a freshman with 17. He’s picked up nine more this year to go with a 1.99 ERA.

    Kevin Mooney – RHP – 6’2 215
    Maryland
    Sophomore

    Mooney made a splash as a freshman when he saved nine games for the Terps. After a strong summer in the Falmouth bullpen, Mooney has been up to the same tricks this spring, saving nine games again. He owns a 3.25 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 27.2 innings.

    Colin Poche – LHP – 6’3 220
    Arkansas
    Sophomore

    A Texas high school star and a fifth-round pick of the Orioles in the 2012 draft, Poche made only eight appearances in his freshman season with the Razorbacks. But last summer, he was catching everybody’s eye again in the Northwoods League, where Perfect Game picked him as the top prospect. This spring Poche has started seven games and made nine relief appearances, posting a 2.55 ERA.

    Jared Price – RHP – 6’2 190
    Maryland
    Sophomore

    Price joined his Maryland teammate Mooney in Falmouth last summer and had a 4.90 ERA in 14 appearances. This spring, his ERA is over seven out of the Terps bullpen, though he has struck out better than a batter an inning.

     

    POSITION PLAYERS

    *Leon Byrd – 2B/SS – 5’7 170 – Rice – Sophomore
    Shaun Chase – C – 6’1 214 – Oregon – Junior
    Conor Costello – OF/RHP – 6’3 204 – Oklahoma State – Sophomore
    Steven Duggar – OF – 6’2 190 – Clemson – Sophomore
    *Sam Gillikin – OF – 6’2 198 – Auburn – Sophomore
    Tyler Krieger – INF – 6’1 175 – Clemson – Sophomore
    Tate Matheny – OF – 6’0 190 – Missouri State – Sophomore
    Trever Morrison – INF – 5’11 173 – Oregon State – Freshman
    *Kevin Newman – SS/INF – 6’1 180 – Arizona – Sophomore
    Heath Quinn – OF – 6’3 195 – Samford – Freshman
    * – returning player

     

    Leon Byrd – 2B/SS – 5’7 170
    Rice
    Sophomore

    Byrd was drafted in the 25th round out of high school. After a solid freshman year, he was a valuable part of Falmouth’s big summer last year, hitting .252 and stealing eight bases. He’s taken a step back this spring, hitting .239.

    Shaun Chase – C – 6’1 214
    Oregon
    Junior

    A late addition to the Falmouth roster, Chase had a career .194 batting average before a breakout this season. Chase is hitting .292 and leads the PAC-12 in home runs with 12. He has a .370 OBP and a .658 slugging percentage.

    Conor Costello – OF/RHP – 6’3 204
    Oklahoma State
    Sophomore

    Costello spent the 2012 season at Arkansas before transferring to Oklahoma State. After sitting out last year, he’s hitting .226 this year with six home runs.

    Steven Duggar – OF – 6’2 190
    Clemson
    Sophomore

    Duggar was a Freshman All-American for the Tigers last year and made a good impression on the Cape in a brief stint with Cotuit. For the Tigers this spring, Duggar has continued on the upward trajectory, hitting .301 and ranking second in the ACC in stolen bases with 25.

    Sam Gillikin – OF – 6’2 198
    Auburn
    Sophomore

    Gillikin hit under .200 as a freshman but got a shot with Falmouth last summer and made the most of it, earning the everyday center field job and hitting .256. He has hit .214 for the Tigers this spring.

    Tyler Krieger – INF – 6’1 175
    Clemson
    Sophomore

    A late-round pick out of high school, Krieger grabbed hold of the shortstop job for the Tigers as a freshman and turned in a solid season, hitting .252. He was Perfect Game’s sixth-best prospect in the California Collegiate League last summer and has followed that up with a big jump in his sophomore campaign. Still the everyday shortstop, Krieger has also been the Tigers’ leading hitting. He’s at .337 with two homers and has added 19 stolen bases.

    Tate Matheny – OF – 6’0 190
    Missouri State
    Sophomore

    A 23rd round pick out of high school by his hometown Cardinals – who are managed by his father – Matheny still opted for Missouri State, and his Bears are very happy about that. After hitting .336 on his way to a parade of Freshman All-America accolades last year, Matheny hasn’t slipped a bit as a sophomore. He’s hitting .330 with 10 home runs and 37 RBI. He ranked third in the Missouri Valley Conference in home runs and earned first-team all-conference honors.

    Trever Morrison – INF – 5’11 173
    Oregon State
    Freshman

    Morrison was a 36th-round pick of the Red Sox last year but headed to Corvallis, where he’s grabbed the starting shortstop job for the No. 1 team in the country. He hasn’t hit a ton, batting .220, but he’s also made just seven errors on the season.

    Kevin Newman – SS/INF – 6’1 180
    Arizona
    Sophomore

    Newman hit .336 on his way to Freshman All-America honors last year but even that didn’t signal what was to come. Playing for Falmouth last summer, Newman hit .375 to become the first freshman in Cape League history to win the batting title. This spring, Newman has hit .292 for the Wildcats.

    Heath Quinn – OF – 6’3 195
    Samford
    Freshman

    Quinn went 4-for-5 in his first collegiate game in February and didn’t slow down much on his way to Southern Conference Freshman of the Year honors. Quinn is hitting .321 with nine homers, 47 RBI, a .401 OBP and a .534 slugging percentage.

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    Casey at the Bat

    Casey Gillaspie hit his league-leading seventh home run yesterday.

     
    Casey Gillaspie was going to have a hard time matching his big brother’s success. That’s what happens your brother is a former Cape Cod Baseball League MVP.

    But Gillaspie is doing his best.

    The Falmouth slugger went 4-for-6 in a doubleheader yesterday and belted his league-leading seventh home run. Falmouth split the twin bill with Bourne, winning the first game 3-1 and dropping the second 4-3.

    Gillaspie has now officially matched his brother in the home run category. Casey hit a league-best .345 with seven homers in his 2007 MVP campaign with Falmouth.

    Casey got off to a bit of a slow start this summer. While teammate Rhys Hoskins was hot from the beginning, Kevin Cron was delivering huge games and Dylan Davis was bursting onto the scene with four home runs in his first four games, Gillaspie was a little more in the shadows. But he was clearly part of the sluggers crew, and he has steadily improved his all-around numbers in the last few weeks.

    Gillaspie was hitting .235 on July 15. Since then, he’s had a hit in nine of 10 games and is batting .447 in that stretch with five extra-base hits. He leads the league in home runs by two and he ranks second in extra-base hits. His batting average is up to .292, his on-base percentage is .364 and his slugging percentage is .496.

    Falmouth didn’t really need the help, but Gillaspie’s uptick makes them that much more dangerous. Davis had two RBI and Leon Byrd, Jr. (Rice) hit a home run in the game-one win yesterday. Trey Teakell (TCU) tossed seven strong innings on the mound.

    In game two, Bourne got six strong innings from Austin Gomber (Florida Atlantic), who was making his final start. Tim Caputo (Rhode Island) and Mason Robbins (Southern Miss) drove in two runs each. That was enough to hold off Falmouth.

    Gillaspie did his part with a double and a homer. If he stays hot, it’s going to get harder and harder to hold Falmouth off.

     

    Hyannis 0, Brewster 0; Hyannis 5, Brewster 4

    Hyannis and Brewster also staged a doubleheader and the Harbor Hawks came away from it with three points and a three-point lead in the West standings. Brewster got a dominant performance from Aaron Brown (Pepperdine) in game one. Brown went eight scoreless innings and struck out five. Rocky McCord (Auburn) and Jordan Foley (Central Michigan) matched him though, combining for eight strikeouts and five hits allowed in nine innings. The game ended in a 0-0 tie. In game two, the Harbor Hawks won a one-run game for the ninth time. Brian Anderson (Arkansas) brought in the go-ahead run in the sixth and Eric Eck (Wofford) notched his league-best ninth save to finish it off.

     

    Cotuit 8, Y-D 3

    Cotuit got two RBI each from newcomer Austin Byler (Nevada) and Team USA returnee Bradley Zimmer (San Francisco) on their way to a victory over the Red Sox. The Kettleers are three points back of Hyannis for first place in the West. Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt) added a double to take the league lead in extra-base hits. Wiseman is hitting .483 over his last nine games. On the mound, Ben Smith (Coastal Carolina) went four shutout innings with five strikeouts. John Hochstatter (Stanford) worked two scoreless innings for the win and Joel Seddon (South Carolina) got a save with three scoreless frames.

     

    Wareham 11, Chatham 6

    The Gatemen made the long trek to Chatham and came back with one of their best wins of the season. Ethan Gross (Memphis) went 3-for-4 with four RBI to lead the charge. Kyle Schwarber (Indiana), who went 4-for-4 in his first game back after Team USA, continued to mash, going 4-for-6 with a double in his second game. Brett Pirtle (Mississippi State) added a home run and Adam Toth (Baylor) knocked in two runs. Kurt McCune (LSU) picked up the win with five solid innings. He struck out five and allowed two runs. Jonathan Holder (Mississippi State) struck out three over the final 1.2 innings to finish it off. For Chatham, Jimmy Pickens (Michigan State) hit his fourth home run.

     

    Harwich at Orleans, PPD

     

    What to Watch

    Chatham ace Lukas Schiraldi (Navarro College), who shut out Falmouth for six innings in his last start, draws the Commodores again as the Anglers hit the road. Kevin McKanna (Rice) is scheduled to start for Falmouth.
     

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    The Real Kettleers

    Yale Rosen slides in safely for Cotuit during a game this week.

     
    You could make a pretty good team out of players who have left Cotuit this summer. From Max Schrock, Will Remillard, Aramis Garcia and Brad Zimmer to Trevor Seidenberger and Dusty Isaacs, you’d be in good shape.

    The latest loss is the biggest. Mike Ford arrived for his second summer in Cotuit coming off a draft in which he didn’t hear his name called despite a spring that will go down in Ivy League annals. Ford’s goal was to hook on with a Major League team – and he’s done it. He is expected to sign with the New York Yankees this week.

    Ford, who was fresh off a 4-for-4, two home run day, was an MVP candidate. He could make the all-departed Kettleers squad a Cape League contender.

    But I have a feeling the real Kettleers would still find a way.

    On the day they said farewell to Ford, Cotuit beat Bourne 2-1 and took a three-point lead on Hyannis for first place in the West. The Kettleers – despite all the personnel losses, and despite having had 41 different players don their uniform – have the second-best record in the league.

    On Tuesday, they got another strong pitching performance from Jared Walsh (Georgia), who continues to lead the league in ERA at 0.36. The only caveat is that Walsh hasn’t pitched deep into games – he doesn’t have a win or a loss – but he’s been so steady that he’s often set Cotuit on a path to victory.

    He went 4.1 scoreless innings against the Braves, striking out three and allowing just one hit. Joel Seddon (South Carolina) allowed his first run of the year in relief but kept Cotuit in front and picked up the victory. Brian Miller (Vanderbilt) turned in his third-straight two-inning stint and picked up the save.

    Kyle Kubat (Nebraska) was strong in six innings of work for the Braves, but two unearned runs made the difference. Danny Diekroeger (Stanford) led the Cotuit offense with two hits, while Yale Rosen (Washington State) and Jake Fincher (NC State) had one RBI each.

    Cotuit would have loved to have Mike Ford adding a home run to the victory or any of the former Kettleers chipping in. That’s not going to happen, but it sure looks like the Kettleers will be making the best of it anyway.

     

    Harwich 3, Chatham 0

    Chandler Shepherd (Kentucky) turned in his third scoreless start of the summer and his bullpen finished the job as the Mariners (16-13) knocked off first-place Chatham (9-9-1). Shepherd had gone six shutout innings twice before, and this one may have out-done the first two. He struck out eight and gave up just three hits against a Chatham team that’s been the best in the league. Johnathan Frebis (Middle Tennessee State) worked two scoreless innings in relief before Chris Oliver (Arkansas) struck out the side around a walk in the ninth for the save. Aaron Barbosa (Northeastern) had two hits and an RBI to lead the Mariner attack. Derek Fisher (Virginia) and Branden Cogswell (Virginia) drove in the other runs. Harwich has won three straight.

     

    Orleans 6, Hyannis 5

    The Firebirds had dropped five in a row and – with Brewster hot on their heels – they were in danger of falling into the East basement. They stopped the streak and avoided that drop in the most dramatic fashion possible. With his team trailing 5-4 and Hyannis closer Eric Eck (Wofford) on the mound, Jordan Luplow (Fresno State) drove in the tying and winning runs with a base hit as Orleans walked off with a 6-5 victory over a Hyannis team that generally doesn’t lose close games. The Firebirds had also rallied for two runs in the eighth after Hyannis had gone up 4-2. The rally made a winner out of Brian Clark (Kent State), who went three innings and actually gave up the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth. Collin Slaybaugh (Washington State) had four hits to lead the Firebirds, who had said goodbye to an injured Greg Allen (San Diego State) earlier in the day. For Hyannis, Tyler Spoon (Arkansas) and Skyler Ewing (Rice) both hit their fourth home runs of the season. Ewing went 4-for-5 and now ranks third in the league in hitting.

     

    Falmouth 5, Y-D 1

    The Commodores had gone 1-4 in their last five, with the only win coming against Y-D. They matched up with Y-D again Tuesday and used a four-run seventh to pick up another victory, snapping a two-game skid. They’re now 16-12, a point back of Hyannis for second in the West. Troy Stein (Texas A&M) went 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBI to lead Falmouth. Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) and Leon Byrd, Jr. (Rice) drove in one run each. On the mound, John Means (West Virginia) went six innings without allowing an earned run. He struck out three. Donny Murray (Holy Cross) got the victory.

     

    Brewster 5, Wareham 1

    The Whitecaps (11-17) won for the fifth time in seven tries and remained two points out of fourth in the East. Brandon Leibrandt (Florida State) was dominant for a second-straight start, allowing just an unearned run on three hits in five innings. He now has a 1.59 ERA and hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last two starts. Nick Lynch (UC Davis) went 1-for-3 with three RBI to pace the offense, while Nicholas Vazquez (Pittsburgh) and Cole Lankford (Texas A&M) also drove in runs. For Wareham, Sean Newcomb (Hartford) was a bright spot. The big lefty – who started on opening night then missed a big chunk of time with illness – had his best performance since returning. He struck out five in three innings of relief.

     

    What to Watch

    Just two games on the schedule today. Orleans visits Hyannis and Wareham heads to Bourne. Both are 6 p.m. starts. In Hyannis, Jeff Hoffman (East Carolina) will make his third start of the summer.

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    Ford Tough

    Mike Ford went 4-for-4 with two home runs and is now hitting .420 on the summer.

     
    In a Cape Cod TimesQ&A this week, Cotuit’s Mike Ford (Princeton) said his goals for this summer were two-fold. He wants to make the Cape League All-Star team and he’d like to hook on as a free agent with a Major League club.

    Both are looking well within reach, especially after last night.

    Ford was already in the midst of an MVP-type campaign, and even if he had turned in a solid but unspectacular second half, he would have been one of the better performers in the league. Last night, he went the spectacular route. Ford went 4-for-4 with two home runs and five RBI in leading Cotuit past Hyannis 5-0.

    Ford is steadily turning into one of the best stories on the Cape. He held his own last summer, then returned to school at Princeton and turned in one of the best baseball seasons the Ivy League’s ever seen when he earned league Pitcher and Player of the Year honors.

    And then he didn’t get drafted. Major League teams have their reasons – Ford isn’t big and doesn’t have a clear position destination – but, after this summer, you would think someone would take a chance on the bat.

    Ford is now hitting .420, best in the league, and his five home runs are tied for the league lead. His 18 RBI rank third. He also leads the league with a .510 OBP, and his triple-slash line is .420/.510/.691.

    He knocked in all five of Cotuit’s runs last night, while Hunter Cole (Georgia) and Nolan Clark (Concordia) added two hits. Christian Cecilio (San Francisco) turned in five shutout innings, reliever Joel Seddon (South Carolina) worked two scoreless to keep his ERA at 0.00, and Brian Miller (Vanderbilt) finished out the game with two quick frames.

    Cotuit now owns a 3-1 record against rival Hyannis, and Saturday’s win gives them the most points in the West Division.

    The Kettleers have had a lot of roster turnover and a lot of different players than they expected to have. But with Mike Ford in the mix, they may just keep finding a way to win.

     

    Falmouth 5, Y-D 0

    The Commodores have had some rough pitching performances in July, but last night’s wasn’t one of them. Brandon Magallones (Northwestern) turned in seven innings of one-hit shutout baseball as Falmouth (15-9) blanked Y-D. Magallones had given up three runs on seven hits in his last start but was untouchable this time, taking a no-hitter into the fifth. Donny Murray (Holy Cross) and Zech Lemond (Rice) finished off the shutout inning with an inning each. Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) homered to lead the offense, while Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State), Dylan Davis (Oregon State) and Leon Byrd, Jr. (Rice) had two hits each.

     

    Brewster 3, Harwich 0

    Rain wreaked havoc on the other three games, with Bourne-Wareham getting postponed and two other games getting shortened. Brewster beat Harwich in six innings, as Dylan Toscano (Stony Brook) tossed a shutout with two strikeouts, and that goes into the book as the league’s first one-pitcher shutout of the summer. The Whitecaps got all the offense they needed from a first-inning, three-run double by David Armendariz (Cal Poly). Harwich starter A.J. Reed (Kentucky) pitched shutout ball the rest of the way, but his team didn’t get a shot at a late-innings comeback.

     

    Chatham 2, Orleans 1

    The Anglers scored two in the top of the seventh, Orleans couldn’t answer in the bottom half and the game was called after that, giving the Anglers their league-leading 17th victory. J.D. Davis (Cal State Fullerton) hit a solo home run to tie the game in the seventh before Josh Eldridge (Old Dominion) singled and eventually came around with the go-ahead run on a wild pitch. Chad Sobotka (SC Upstate) then pitched a scoreless frame before the rain had its say. Matt Gage (Siena) got the win for Chatham with six strong innings. He struck out seven. Bobby Poyner (Florida) was the hard-luck loser for Orleans.

     

    What to Watch

    A pair of Pepperdine Waves will square off against each other in Brewster at 5 p.m. Corey Miller, a 16th-round pick who just announced he’ll be returning to school, will go for the Firebirds. Aaron Brown, who was drafted in the 30th round as a draft-eligible sophomore, will start for Brewster.

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    Saving the Day

    Cotuit's Brian Miller picked up his third save on a night in which every winning team got a save.

     
    Tuesday featured a night of close games in the Cape Cod Baseball League. Three one-run games, one two-run game and – the largest margin – one three-run game.

    It was a good night to be a closer.

    The league’s best were on display, with Eric Eck (Wofford) picking up his league-best sixth save for Hyannis, Matt Troupe (Arizona) getting his fifth for Orleans and Cotuit’s Brian Miller (Vanderbilt) and Brewster’s Brad Schreiber (Purdue) each picking up their third.

    While Eck has been the saves leader for a week or so, Troupe has been the most dominant. He struck out one in a quick 15-pitch ninth inning last night as Orleans shut out Harwich 3-0.

    Interestingly, for a team that doesn’t have terrific pitching numbers – Orleans has the league’s fifth-best ERA – it was the fourth shutout of the season for the Firebirds.

    It helps to have Troupe. He’s pitched at the back end of each of those shutouts, accounting for four of his five saves. And when he’s come in, the shutouts are not in doubt.

    Troupe has allowed no earned runs this season and just one unearned. In 8.1 innings, he has struck out 16, walked four and allowed just three hits. Opponents are hitting .111 against him.

    As a freshman in 2012, Troupe had six saves in Arizona’s College World Series championship season. He then pitched briefly for Orleans last summer and saved nine more games this spring for the Wildcats.

    This summer, he wasted no time establishing himself as the closer – despite being in a bullpen full of closers. Troupe struck out the side in his first two appearances. He has cruised from there.

    The Firebirds, meanwhile, have been up-and-down, with a perfectly even 11-11 record. Last night, they got a dominant performance from Trent Szkutnik (Michigan), who went six shutout innings five days after pitching the first leg of another shutout. Chris Marconcini (Duke) drove in a run to lead the offense. Brian Clark (Kent State) and Trevor Kelley (North Carolina) pitched a scoreless inning each.

    And as usual, Troupe finished it all off.

     

    Hyannis 4, Chatham 3

    The save by Eck came in an impressive victory for Hyannis (14-7), who held off a first-place Chatham team that had won five straight overall and two straight games on walk-offs. The Anglers fell to 15-7-1. Austin Slater (Stanford) and Jake Hernandez (USC) led the Hyannis offense with an RBI apiece. Dominic Jose (Stanford) and Steve Wilkerson (Clemson) had two hits each. Cy Sneed (Dallas Baptist) picked up the win with five strikeouts in five strong innings. Chatham got two runs off reliever Mike Gunn (Arkansas) to put another rally in play, but Hyannis slammed the door. Sarkis Ohanian (Duke), who’s emerging as one of the best setup men in the league, struck out two in two scoreless frames before Eck worked around a two-out single to pitch a scoreless ninth. For Chatham, Michael Russell (North Carolina) had two hits and two RBI.

     

    Brewster 1, Y-D 0

    Brandon Leibrandt (Florida State) went seven shutout innings as the Whitecaps (7-15) edged Y-D 1-0. Liebrandt, who starred for the Seminoles this spring, had made one relief appearance and one short start this summer. He broke out in a big way Tuesday, allowing just four hits and striking out three while pitching seven full. Evan Rutter (Rice) and Schreiber finished off the shutout. Brewster got just enough offense to back Leibrandt and company, with Austin Bailey (San Diego) delivering an RBI single in the third inning. Y-D ace Erick Fedde (UNLV) gave up just the one run in four innings but took the loss. Alex Blandino (Stanford) had two hits for the Red Sox, who dropped to 10-12-1.

     

    Cotuit 2, Wareham 1

    The Gatemen got one of their best pitching performances of the season but ended up on the wrong end of the scoreboard. Andro Cutura (Southeastern Louisiana) allowed two runs on four hits in eight innings but those two runs were enough for a Cotuit victory. Yale Rosen (Washington State) delivered both runs with a third-inning single, and the Kettleers got a strong pitching performance of their own. Chris Ellis (Ole Miss), who gave up four runs in his last start, was back on track, surrendering just an unearned run in six innings. Reliever Joel Seddon (South Carolina) turned in his sixth zero-earned run start of the summer before Miller came on for the save. Cotuit remains in a three-way tie with Falmouth and Hyannis for first place in the West.

     

    Falmouth 5, Bourne 3

    The Commodores (14-8) won for the third straight time, using a big third inning to beat Bourne (9-13). Surprisingly, Falmouth did not hit any home runs, but had enough offense anyway. Troy Stein (Texas A&M), who’s been kind of an unsung hero behind the team’s power bats, went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) and Dylan Davis (Oregon State) also knocked in runs. Leon Byrd, Jr. (Rice) and Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) each had a double. John Means (West Virginia) was solid on the mound, striking out three and giving up two runs in six innings. Donny Murray (Holy Cross) struck out four in two innings and Hunter Brothers (Lipscomb) struck out the side in the ninth for his first save. Bourne got a big night from Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State), who went 3-for-4 with his third home run.

     

    What to Watch

    Great match-up in Falmouth. Top prospect Jeff Hoffman (East Carolina) will make his second start of the summer for Hyannis, and it will come against the league’s most powerful team in the Commodores. Trey Teakell (TCU), who’s been Falmouth’s best starter, will oppose Hoffman. The teams are tied for first place in the West.
     

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    A Falmouth Fourth

    Leon Byrd Jr. had a double and a triple as Falmouth ran past Cotuit in a Fourth of July victory.

     
    No team in the Cape Cod Baseball League celebrated America’s independence quite like the Falmouth Commodores.

    While one other team swept its holiday series, and the others all played to splits, Falmouth surged to a pair of victories over Cotuit, the team that came into the holiday week with the most wins in the league.

    With a 5-3 victory Wednesday and a 13-6 win on the Fourth of July, the Commodores have now matched that win total with an 11-7 record. Hyannis also has 11 wins, creating a logjam at the top of the West.

    Falmouth picked up No. 11 – and the holiday sweep – thanks to one of its best offensive nights of the season. The Commodores finished with seven extra-base hits and two home runs. Dylan Davis (Oregon State), who hit two home runs on Wednesday, added another last night, going 3-for-5 with three runs scored and four RBI. He is tied for the league lead in homers with all of three games under his belt and he’s hitting a cool .538.

    Conner Hale (State College of Florida) also homered and went 2-for-4 with four RBI. Leon Byrd Jr. (Rice) had a double and a triple, Kevin Cron (TCU) stayed hot with a 3-for-4 night and two RBI, and Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) went 2-for-4.

    On the mound, Daniel Koger (Auburn) struck out six in four scoreless innings in his first appearance since week one. Kevin Mooney got the win in relief.

    The Kettleers had 12 hits of their own – including four from Mike Ford (Princeton) and two home runs by Yale Rosen (Washington State), who also joined the tie for the league lead – but it wasn’t enough.

    Falmouth, who’s been poised for a breakout all year with its productive offense and strikeout-happy pitching staff, started to do it in style.

     

    Hyannis 9, Y-D 6

    Jeff Hoffman (East Carolina) made his 2013 Cape League debut and didn’t disappoint. The rising junior lefty flashed the stuff that made him Baseball America’s seventh-best prospect in the Cape last year, striking out eight and giving up two runs on five hits in six innings of work. Frankie Piliere of Perfect Game tweeted that Hoffman’s fastball touched 97 and that “the title of best pitcher on the Cape is his to lose.” Hoffman’s debut set Hyannis (11-5) on the course to a victory as they led most of the way and then held off a late run by the Red Sox (8-9-1). Eric Eck (Wofford) picked up his fourth save, which is tied for the league lead. Austin Slater (Stanford) homered for the Harbor Hawks while Jay Baum (Clemson) had three hits and two RBI. Alex Blandino (Stanford) had three hits for the Red Sox.

     

    Chatham 7, Orleans 2

    After getting shut out on Wednesday, the Anglers (11-6-1) got right back on the horse with a 12-hit showing and a series split with the Firebirds (9-8). Dante Flores (USC), who has had more multi-hit games this summer (5) than single-hit games (3), delivered another one, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Five other Anglers had an RBI each as well, including Connor Joe (San Diego), who had two hits to go with it. On the mound, early-season star Andrew McGee (Monmouth) had his shortest outing of the summer but was still solid. He gave up two runs in four innings while striking out three. Tommy Lawrence (Maine) relieved him and got his second win in five days with two perfect innings. J.D. Davis (Cal State Fullerton), a two-way player in the college season, made his first pitching appearance of the summer and struck out two for the save.

     

    Bourne 6, Wareham 1

    Bourne (9-9) had lost its only game with Wareham (3-15) before the holiday, but the series went to the Braves. After a 4-2 victory on Wednesday, they cruised to a 6-1 win on Thursday. Tim Caputo (Rhode Island) went 2-for-5 to finish the holiday series going 6-for-9. Mason Robbins (Southern Miss) and Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State) each had three hits while Tyler Kuresa (UC Santa Barbara) homered, his first. Clint Freeman (East Tennessee State) had two hits and drove in two runs. On the mound, Jaron Long (Ohio State) turned in his third impressive start, striking out two in five innings and giving up his first earned run of the season. Cody Livingston (Southern Miss) had a dominant relief outing, striking out six of the nine men he faced in three perfect innings. Nigel Nootbaar (USC) finished the job with a scoreless frame. For Wareham Fred Shepard (Amherst) struck out eight in 4.2 innings but was touched up for six runs.

     

    Brewster 10, Harwich 5

    The teams combined for 34 hits but the Whitecaps (4-13) had a little more production and knocked off the Mariners (10-8). Jose Brizuela (Florida State) went 2-for-4 with four RBI to lead the parade, Trevor Mitsui (Washington State) had three hits and two RBI and Scott Heineman (Oregon) continued a hot streak with a 4-for-5 night in the leadoff spot. Heineman was hitting .143 on June 25. He is now hitting .321. Nicholas Vazquez (Pittsburgh) added two hits and an RBI. On the mound, Jake Stinnett (Maryland) gave up 10 hits in six innings but limited the Mariners to two runs on his way to the win. He struck out six. Corey Taylor (Texas Tech) pitched three strong innings to close it out. Harwich got a hit from every spot in the lineup, including three from Derek Fisher (Virginia), who has a six-game hitting streak and is batting .359.

     

    What to Watch

    Falmouth will try to stay hot as it heads to Harwich for a 7 p.m. match-up with the Mariners, who have been one of the top teams in the East. Brandon Magallones (Northwestern), who has a 1.86 ERA, goes for Falmouth against A.J. Reed (Kentucky), Harwich’s two-way standout who’s just back from Team USA.

    And a quick site note – Daily Fog will take a brief hiatus Saturday but will be back on Sunday.

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    Shut Down

    Greg Allen and Orleans notched a big win over Chatham.

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

    Orleans wasn’t having it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     

    Falmouth 5, Cotuit 3

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

     

    Harwich 10, Brewster 3

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

     

    Y-D 6, Hyannis 5

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

     

    Bourne 4, Wareham 2

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

     

    What to Watch

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

     

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    Birds on Fire

    Zach Fish homered last night and has been part of a huge stretch for the middle of the Orleans batting order.

    This time last year, the Harwich Mariners were already well on their way to a historic season of long balls.

    The 2013 Orleans Firebirds will not match them – they’re not even a third of the way to Harwich’s one-month total – but in the return of the pitcher-friendly Cape League, they’re doing their best.

    The Firebirds lead the league with eight home runs, and the middle of their order is steadily emerging as the best in the league. Thanks to a home run by Zach Fish (Oklahoma State) and another solid night by the rest of the big bats, Orleans knocked off Harwich – the hottest team in the East – with a 6-2 victory. The Firebirds are now 6-4, tied with Harwich for second place and a half-game back of Chatham.

    The Firebirds have won two in a row and three of four, a stretch that started with a 17-12 mauling of Y-D.

    Their three biggest bats have done a lot of the damage. Over the last four games, Jordan Luplow (Fresno State), Chris Marconcini (Duke) and Fish have hit .388 with four home runs, two doubles, 11 runs scored and 19 RBI. Marconcini, who hit eight home runs for Duke this spring, has been the best of the bunch, going 9-for-18 with two homers, five runs and nine RBI. He leads the league in hitting with a .376 average. He’s tied for second in home runs and ranks second in RBI.

    On Monday, he took a backseat to Fish, whose third inning two-run homer put the Firebirds in control. Luplow and Marconcini each added a hit, while Austin Davidson (Pepperdine), another key contributor went 2-for-4 with three runs scored. Recent arrival Vince Conde (Vanderbilt) chipped in two hits and an RBI.

    Corey Miller (Pepperdine) got the win for the Firebirds with five strong innings.

     

    Chatham 6, Cotuit 4

    Cotuit took Chatham’s spot atop Perfect Game’s latest summer collegiate league rankings, but the Anglers got the best of the Kettleers for the second time this season. The teams now have matching 7-4 records. Chatham starter Andrew McGee (Monmouth) continued his early-season dominance, striking out eight and allowing just one earned run in seven innings. That was the first run he’s allowed all year, and he leads the league in strikeouts with 20. Connor Joe (San Diego) and Jimmy Pickens (Michigan State) each hit home runs to lead the Chatham offense. Josh Eldridge (Old Dominion) drove in two key runs in the ninth as Chatham held off a late charge by the Kettleers. Max Schrock (South Carolina) had three hits to lead Cotuit.

     

    Hyannis 6, Falmouth 4

    The Harbor Hawks trailed 4-1 into the sixth but rallied to tie it then won in the 11th inning and are now 7-3, a half-game ahead of Cotuit and Chatham for the best mark in the league. Skyler Ewing (Rice) doubled in the tying run in the ninth. In the 11th, Tyler Spoon (Arkansas) knocked in the go-ahead run. Eric Eck (Wofford) got the win for the Harbor Hawks and Andrew Istler (Duke) came on in the bottom of the 11th to get the save. Steve Wilkerson (Clemson), Ryan Padilla (New Mexico) and Drew Stankiewicz (Arizona State) all had two hits for the Harbor Hawks. Leon Byrd, Jr. (Rice) went 4-for-5 with two RBI and two stolen bases for the Commodores (6-5).

     

    Y-D 9, Bourne 1

    After giving up 40 runs in its last three games, Y-D (4-7) got a much-needed quality pitching performance from Erick Fedde (UNLV) in an easy win over Bourne (5-6). Fedde, who had already turned in two solid starts, gave up just one run on five hits in seven innings and struck out five. He has a 0.92 ERA and ranks second in the league in strikeouts. The Red Sox offense – which has been steady but just unable to keep up in some slugfests – did the rest, scoring five runs in the first and cruising from there. Taylor Gushue (Florida) went 2-for-5 with two RBI and Brandon Downes (Virginia) also drove in two runs. Andrew Daniel (San Diego), Robert Pehl (Washington) and D.J. Stewart (Florida State) all had two hits. Bourne had won five straight before blowout losses the last two nights.

     

    Brewster 6, Wareham 4

    The Whitecaps (3-7) and Gatemen (2-9) got together for the second straight night, but this time Brewster prevailed. Jose Brizuela (Florida State) and Keaton Aldridge (Memphis) each had three hits and two RBI for the Whitecaps, while Cole Lankford (Texas A&M) had three hits and knocked in one. Corey Taylor (Texas Tech) got his second win in three days with two scoreless innings of relief. Brad Schreiber (Purdue) picked up the save.

     

    What to Watch

    Y-D could use another solid pitching performance and may have the right guy on the hill as it hosts Chatham at 5 p.m. Jeremy Null, who ranked 17th in the nation in strikeouts at Western Carolina, will make his first start after three relief appearances. Aaron Garza (Houston) goes for Chatham.