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Daily Fog: Chatham Restart

Blake Butera, pictured last year, drove in four runs in Chatham's season-opening win.
Blake Butera, pictured last year, drove in four runs in Chatham’s season-opening win.

 

I was shocked to find, when writing the Chatham early look for this season, that Blake Butera (Boston College) hit .196 for the Anglers last year. In my head, he was a key cog for the best team in the league, not someone who finished below the Mendoza Line.

Despite the statistics, though, I think I had it right. Butera was a key cog. He started 34 games in the regular season, hit .357 in the playoffs and was welcomed back with open arms to Chatham this season.

If opening night is any indication, he won’t be below the Mendoza Line this season.

Butera went 2-for-5, with a double, two runs scored and four RBI to lead Chatham past Orleans 10-2 at Eldredge Park. Butera started the game with a single, scored soon after, and his team never trailed from there. He added a three-run double in the eighth to put the game out of reach.

Butera’s strong start coincided with a strong beginning for the Anglers, who wouldn’t mind replicating last year’s 6-0 start.

Matthew Peters (California University), who’s on a temporary contract, went 3-for-4 and scored two runs, while Patrick Mazeika (Stetson) went 1-for-2 with three runs scored and an RBI. Mazeika played briefly for Cotuit last summer and should be a big addition for the Anglers.

On the mound, another returnee from Boston College made his second straight opening night appearance for Chatham. Andrew Chin, who came out of the bullpen in Chatham’s opening night win last year, gave up just an unearned run in four innings. Lou Distasio (Rhode Island), another guy on a temp contract, pitched two perfect innings and was credited with the win.

Orleans got two hits and an RBI from Edwin Rios (Florida International).

Harwich 7, Y-D 2

The Mariners also got a big night from a returning standout as Ian Happ (Cincinnati) went 2-for-2 and scored two runs in a victory over Y-D. Happ is perhaps the Cape League’s top returning prospect. Also coming up big were Robert Youngdahl (Notre Dame), who went 2-for-4 with two RBI, and Angelo Amendolare (Jacksonville), who knocked in two. The offense was more than enough for starter James Mulry (Northeastern), who had by far the night’s best pitching performance. In a time of the season when short outings are the norm, Mulry went seven scoreless and struck out nine, while scattering five hits. Interestingly, his college teammate Michael Foster (Northeastern) was the only one to do much damage, going 3-for-4 for Y-D. Doug Willey (Franklin Pierce) was strong in relief, striking out five in four scoreless innings.

Bourne 4, Wareham 2

South Florida standout Jimmy Herget went six strong innings and the Braves had a steady offensive night in a 4-2 win over the Gatemen. Herget, who was last seen on a mound in a conference tournament upset of Louisville, will head to Team USA training camp soon, but made his first start in Bourne count. He allowed two runs and struck out five in six innings for the win. The Braves got two hits and an RBI each from Logan Ratledge (NC State), Blake Davey (Connecticut), and Stephen Wrenn (Georgia). Wareham got five strong innings of relief from Liam O’Sullivan (St. Leo) in the loss.

Hyannis 3, Cotuit 2

The Harbor Hawks edged rival Cotuit 3-2 thanks to a run in the sixth. Cam Gibson (Michigan State) drew a bases-loaded walk to break the 2-2 tie and Hyannis held on from there. Matthew Margaritonda (Marshall) and Ian Gibaut (Tulane) combined on three scoreless innings of relief, with Gibaut picking up the save. Starter Tate Scioneaux (SE Louisiana) also pitched well, giving up one earned in six innings for the win. Dalton Britt (Liberty) had two hits to lead the offense. Cotuit got three hits from D.C. Arendas (South Carolina).

Brewster 7, Falmouth 3

Coming off its second straight last-place finish, Brewster started 2014 in style, rallying from an early 3-0 deficit to top Falmouth 7-3. Travis Maezes (Michigan) had the best offensive night in the league, going 4-for-4 with two runs scored. Dalton DiNatale (Arizona State) added two hits and two runs scored, while John Sansone (Florida State) delivered a three-run triple that broke the game open. On the mound, Cody Ponce (Cal Poly Pomona) gave up three runs in 3.1 innings before a shutdown performance by the bullpen. Ryan McCormick (St. John’s) pitched 2.2 perfect frames and Andrew Naderer (Grand Canyon) struck out four in three scoreless innings. For Falmouth, reigning Cape League batting champ Kevin Newman (Arizona) went 2-for-5 with two RBI.

What to Watch

Y-D hosts Falmouth at 5 p.m for what should be a good early-season pitching performance. Kevin Duchene (Illinois) makes his first start for Y-D after a spring in which he had a 1.80 ERA in the weekend rotation. Kevin McKanna (Rice) gets the ball for Falmouth as he makes his return to the Cape.

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Kettleers to the Lead

Caleb Bryson hit a home run, his six in nine games, as Cotuit took a 1-0 lead in the championship series.

 
The last time Cotuit and Orleans played in the regular season, the Firebirds won a 2-0 shutout. They came into the Cape League championship series with a little extra rest and with their pitching lined up. They had won 15 of their last 18.

Cotuit, as always, was undeterred.

The Kettleers broke a 2-2 tie with two runs in the eighth and out-pitched Orleans pretty much the whole way en route to a 4-2 victory yesterday in game one of the Cape Cod Baseball League championship series. Cotuit is one win away from its second championship in four years.

Cotuit took a 2-0 lead in the first inning of Wednesday’s game on a home run by Caleb Bryson (Samford), who has to be one of the greatest late-season pick-ups in Cape League history. Bryson has six home runs in nine games with the Kettleers.

For a while, it looked like the lead would hold up. While Orleans starter Bobby Poyner (Florida) kept it from growing by escaping two bases-loaded jams, Cotuit’s Evan Beal (South Carolina) kept it from shrinking for four innings. Beal, who pitched five strong innings in a start in the Falmouth series, was even better this time, scattering five hits in six innings.

But the Firebirds came on. A base hit by Geoff DeGroot (UMass-Lowell) that was mis-played in left field allowed a run to score in the fifth. Orleans then tied it in the seventh when Ross Kivett (Kansas State) drew a bases-loaded walk.

Both teams missed chances after that, with Cotuit coming up empty after a failed squeeze bunt in the seventh and Orleans’s Austin Davidson (Pepperdine) getting thrown out trying to stretch a double into a triple in the top of the eighth.

At that point, the vaunted Orleans bullpen was in action, but Cotuit broke the tie anyway. In the bottom of the eighth, Cotuit loaded the bases on a walk, a double by Logan Ratledge (NC State) and an intentional walk. Orleans went lefty-lefty against Bradley Zimmer (San Francisco) with Brian Clark (Kent State), who hadn’t allowed a run since July 16, but Zimmer delivered. He chopped a single up the middle and two runs scored to put Cotuit ahead.

Needing just three outs, Cotuit reliever Wesley Cox (Texas San Antonio) cruised, getting two groundouts and a strikeout to end it.

Game two is set for tonight at 7 p.m. in Orleans. The Firebirds were down 1-0 in their first-round series to Harwich before coming back to win, while Cotuit was up 1-0 in its West finals series with Bourne before getting pushed to a third game. I don’t think anybody would be surprised to see the Cape League summer continue for one more day after tonight.

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One Away

Jake Fincher slides into second in Saturday's game.

 
After nothing but close games in the first-round of the playoffs, the division championship series got underway with two games that were a little more lopsided. Cotuit rolled past Bourne and Orleans pulled away late to hand Chatham its first playoff loss.

 

Cotuit 9, Bourne 2

The last time the Cotuit Kettleers were in the West finals and the last time they were the No. 3 seed, they won the 2010 Cape Cod Baseball League championship. They took a step in the same direction yesterday when they jumped to an early lead and cruised over Bourne 9-2 in game one of the Western Division championship series.

The Kettleers scored five runs in the second inning and never really looked back, adding to the lead as they went. Dalton Potts (Tennessee Martin), making just his second start of the summer, stranded two men in three of his five innings and held the Braves to just a run. John Hochstatter (Stanford), Joel Seddon (South Carolina) and Eric Karch (Pepperdine) finished the job.

The Cotuit offense once again got huge contributions from its late-season reinforcements. Caleb Bryson (Samford) hit his fifth home run in his sixth game to start the scoring, and Austin Byler (Nevada) blasted a two-run shot a batter later to give Cotuit the lead. Danny Diekroeger (Stanford) added two RBI, while Bradley Zimmer (San Francisco), who’s back from an injury that kept him out of part of the first-round series, went 1-for-4 with an RBI.

The Kettleers finished with 13 hits. Jake Fincher (NC State), Logan Ratledge (NC State) and Garrett Stubbs (USC) chipped in two each.

The Braves, who are playing without MVP Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State), had 10 hits of their own but scored just the two runs. That’s been an issue all year – the Braves ranked second in the league in batting average but just seventh in runs scored.

Game two is set for today at 6 p.m. at Doran Park.

 

Orleans 7, Chatham 3

The Firebirds broke open a 4-3 game with three in the eighth and three pitchers allowed just three hits en route to a victory over Chatham. Orleans, who won two straight against Chatham to end the regular season, has now won three straight.

Corey Miller (Pepperdine), who won one of those two regular-season meetings, went five strong innings for the Firebirds, allowing three unearned runs on three hits. He struck out six.

Then the bullpen took over. Luis Paula (North Carolina) and Jeremy Rhoades (Illinois State) pitched the last four innings without allowing a hit. In the playoffs, Orleans relievers have now allowed four runs in 14 innings.

The offense spotted Miller a four-run lead with two in the first and two in the second. Austin Davidson (Pepperdine) finished 2-for-4 with three RBI and Jordan Betts (Duke) knocked in two. Vince Conde (Vanderbilt) added two hits and an RBI.

Game two is slated for 7 p.m. in Orleans. Shawn O’Neill (La Salle) goes for the Firebirds. He has pitched mostly as a reliever this summer. Aaron Garza (Houston), who’s winless despite some solid starts, gets the ball for Chatham.

 

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Fired Up

Will Fulmer and his mates at the top of the Orleans lineup have helped power a six-game winning streak.

 
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.

 

Chatham 8, Falmouth 0

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.

 

Cotuit 4, Hyannis 1

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 7, Harwich 4

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.

 

Bourne 8, Brewster 7

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.

 

What to Watch

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.
 

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First Place Duel

Kyle Freeland struck out six in two innings and combined with Jeff Hoffman on a shutout of Chatham.

 
For all the parity in the Cape Cod Baseball League this summer, there have been just four 1-0 games. Two of them have come in the budding rivalry between division leaders Hyannis and Chatham.

And knowing Hyannis’ propensity for winning close games, you can guess how they’ve gone.

The Harbor Hawks posted their second 1-0 win of the season against the Anglers last night, and this one was the most impressive. Jeff Hoffman (East Carolina) and Kyle Freeland (Evansville) combined for 16 strikeouts as the Harbor Hawks shut down the Anglers. Chatham pitchers did their part in the pitcher’s duel too, but Hyannis scored a run in the bottom of the ninth to win it.

Hyannis is now 21-12-1 and leading the West by two points over Cotuit. Chatham is 23-10-1 and has a whopping 12-point cushion on second-place Harwich in the East.

Wednesday’s match-up shaped up as a pitcher’s duel. Hoffman is perhaps the league’s top prospect while Chatham starter Tommy Lawrence (Maine) was rolling in with a 14.1 inning scoreless streak.

Neither blinked.

Hoffman is on a short leash this summer and Wednesday’s game was scheduled to be his last start. He went out with a bang, striking out 10 and allowing just four hits in seven scoreless innings. After a rough outing in his second start, Hoffman finished his short stint in Hyannis with a pair of shutout performances. He struck out 33 in 24.1 innings.

Freeland picked up where Hoffman left off. He allowed three hits in two innings but all the outs he recorded came via the strikeout. Freeland leads the league in strikeouts with 39, despite coming out of the bullpen in two of his seven appearances. Hoffman and Freeland combined to shut-out a Chatham team that had scored 39 runs in its last four games, all wins.

Lawrence kept up with the Hyannis aces, turning in his second straight quality start. He struck out four and gave up three hits in six innings. Chad Sobotka (South Carolina Upstate) worked a scoreless seventh and Kyle Funkhouser (Louisville) struck out the side in the eighth.

Just when it was looking like the battle would go on forever, though, Hyannis broke through. Tyler Spoon (Arkansas) hit a fly ball down the right-field line that was ruled fair and bounced past a diving Josh Eldridge (Old Dominion). Spoon raced to third and when the ball got away on a bad relay, he scampered home with the winning run.

Hyannis is now 3-1 against Chatham this season, with each win coming by one run. Chatham’s lone victory came by a 10-0 score.

 

Orleans 5, Bourne 4

The Firebirds edged Bourne for their fourth straight win and are suddenly just a point back of Harwich for second place in the East. I wouldn’t have expected the win streak to continue with unbeaten Jaron Long (Ohio State) on the mound for Bourne, but Orleans touched him up for two unearned runs and,with his all-star start coming Saturday, he departed after two innings. The Firebirds offense was led by Jordan Betts (Duke), who had three hits. Will Fulmer (Vanderbilt) had two hits and an RBI. On the mound, Josh Sborz (Virginia) gave up two earned in 3.1 innings before Kyle Twomey (USC) dominated. He struck out five in 3.2 innings of relief for the win. It was the best outing of the summer for the former third-round pick. Brian Clark (Kent State) and Matt Troupe (Arizona) followed him to the mound and pitched an inning each, with Troupe recording his eighth save.

 

Y-D 7, Harwich 6

The Red Sox are also making a run in the East and they’re now two points back of Harwich thanks to an 11-inning win over the Mariners. The Red Sox strung four hits together in the top of the 11th, with the last one a D.J. Stewart (Florida State) RBI single to put them in front. Darrell Hunter (Oregon) then worked a perfect bottom of the 11th for his sixth save. Dan Altavilla (Mercyhurst) picked up the victory with 3.2 scoreless innings of relief. The Red Sox offense was led by Alex Blandino (Stanford), who went 3-for-6 with a home run and two RBI.

 

Cotuit 5, Brewster 4

The Kettleers held off a late rally by the Whitecaps to win 5-4 and stay two points back of first-place Hyannis in the West. Evan Beal (South Carolina) was dominant on the mound, striking out seven in seven shutout innings. It was a return to form for Beal, who had given up six runs in his last outing after two straight scoreless starts. Brewster scored four in the ninth off the Cotuit bullpen, but Joel Seddon (South Carolina) eventually closed the door when he induced a double play and finished things with a strikeout. Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt) continued his hot streak with a 2-for-4, two RBI night. He’s 11 for his last 21. Logan Ratledge (NC State) added two hits and an RBI. And the win wasn’t the only good news for Cotuit. According to Greg Joyce of the Cape Cod Times, Bradley Zimmer (San Francisco) will be returning to Cotuit after spending most of the summer with Team USA.

 

Falmouth at Wareham, ppd. to July 30

 

What to Watch

Orleans will try for its fifth straight win as it hosts Cotuit at 7 p.m. Jared Miller (Vanderbilt) went seven shutout innings in his last start and gets the ball for the Firebirds. Cotuit counters with Christian Cecilio (San Francisco), who has turned in four solid starts in a row.
 

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Holding Steady

Chatham is heating up again after a brief hiccup.

 
It could have been deja vu. The Chatham Anglers have started hot before. In 2010, they won seven of their first 10 games – and just 13 more the rest of the season. They missed the playoffs.

When the 2013 Anglers raced to a 6-0 start and then lost five of six, it was hard not to think back and wonder if it was going to happen all over again.

It’s certainly not happening right now.

Chatham beat Harwich 10-6 for its third straight win and its sixth in seven games. While Cotuit has been steady, and Hyannis has been winning and Harwich and Falmouth have been hot, it’s the Anglers who own the most wins in the league. They’re 13-6-1 and leading the East by five points over Harwich.

Last night, Chatham pounded 13 hits in out-slugging a Harwich team that had just out-slugged Falmouth the night before. Dante Flores (USC) put together his third consecutive multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with three RBI. He’s now hitting .365, good for second in the league.

Landon Lassiter (North Carolina) added two hits, as did Sheehan Planas-Arteaga (Barry), Mitchell Gonsolus (Gonzaga) and Josh Eldridge (Old Dominion). The Anglers got a hit from eight of nine spots in the order and an RBI from six.

Matthew Gage (Siena) turned in his second straight strong start, striking out two and giving up just two runs in six innings. Harwich did a little damage against the Chatham bullpen, but the Anglers held them off. Kyle Funkhouser (Louisville) picked up his second save in as many chances since arriving on the Cape.

Just like that, the Anglers were back at the top. It looks like they plan to stay.

 

Falmouth 9, Y-D 8

The Commodores (12-8) bounced back from a slugfest loss to Harwich with a slugfest win over the Red Sox (9-10-1). Y-D led 8-6 going into the ninth, but Falmouth scored three runs to win it. Dylan Davis (Oregon State) beat the throw to first on a double-play attempt, which scored the winning run. Falmouth got a huge night from Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State), who hit his fourth home run as part of a 3-for-5, 4 RBI day. He also leads the league in RBI with 18. Kevin Newman (Arizona) and Sam Gillikin (Auburn) also had three hits for the Commodores. Davis, who had hit a home run in three straight games, finally did not go yard, but did hit a double and drove in two runs.

 

Cotuit 2, Hyannis 1

The Kettleers (12-8) snapped a three-game skid and posted their second win of the season over the Harbor Hawks (12-6). Cotuit, Hyannis and Falmouth are all tied atop the West standings with 24 points each. The Kettleers manufactured a run in the top of the ninth to break a 1-1 tie, with Jake Fincher (NC State) reaching on an error, stealing second and coming around on two wild pitches. Brian Miller (Vanderbilt) pitched a scoreless ninth to seal the victory. Steven Duggar (Clemson) had three hits to lead the Kettleers while Logan Ratledge (NC State) and Mike Ford (Princeton) had two each. Evan Beal (South Carolina) tossed five shutout innings with six strikeouts. Andrew Thome (North Dakota) also struck out six for Hyannis.

 

Brewster 5, Bourne 4

The Whitecaps have 40 hits in their last three games, and not surprisingly, they’re on a three-game winning streak that has improved their record to 6-13. On this night, they had 13 hits, bided their time against standout Ryan Kellogg (Arizona State) and scored five runs over the last four innings to net the victory. Jose Brizuela (Florida State) went 3-for-5 while Scott Heineman (Oregon) stretched his hit streak to eight games with a 2-for-5 night in the leadoff spot. Trevor Mitsui (Washington State) and Aaron Brown (Pepperdine) added two hits each. Frankie Vanderka (Stony Brook) turned in a solid start, allowing three runs in seven innings. Trey Cochran-Gill (Auburn) got the win in relief.

 

Wareham 2, Orleans 1

The struggling Wareham offense scored the first two runs Orleans standout Bobby Poyner (Florida) has given up all year and made the lead stand up for the victory. Wareham is 4-16, while Orleans dropped to 9-10. Both Wareham runs came in the fifth. Chris Chinea (LSU) knocked in a run on a ground-out before Daniel Rosenbaum (Louisville) hit an RBI single. Three Gatemen pitchers made the slim lead hold up. Tucker Simpson (Florida) struck out four and gave up one run in 5.2 innings to out-duel his college teammate Poyner for the win. Ryan Riga (Ohio State) worked 2.1 scoreless innings and Andro Cutura (Southeastern Louisana) picked up the save.

 

What to Watch

Hyannis and Cotuit will meet again at 5 p.m. at Lowell Park. Adam Ravenelle (Vanderbilt), who has only pitched out of the bullpen so far, will make his first start for Cotuit. Patrick Andrews (Clemson), who was solid in his first start, goes for Hyannis.

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Coastal Duo

Ben Smith delivers a pitch for Cotuit earlier this summer.

 
Ben Smith and Patrick Corbett left Coastal Carolina in the spring knowing they’d be back together this summer in Cotuit.

I’m not sure they knew they’d be this together.

The Coastal Carolina teammates have each pitched in four games for the Kettleers – the same four games. Smith has started four, and Corbett has come on in relief in the same four.

It’s mostly a quirky coincidence, but it’s also been very effective.

Smith suddenly leads the league in strikeouts with 22 while Corbett has yet to allow an earned run in 8.1 innings of work. Cotuit has won three of the duo’s four games, with the only loss a walk-off by Chatham – when Smith and Corbett had already departed.

That Chatham game marked the first use of the tag team. Smith started and went 2.2 innings. Corbett followed him to the mound and went 2.1. Five days later, in a 6-3 win over Orleans, Smith stretched out to five strong innings, while Corbett chipped in for one out in the eighth. Their next game against Wareham, they were in full-on tag team mode, with Smith going six innings and Corbett finishing the job with three.

Last night, the Kettleers beat Brewster 8-2 with Smith and Corbett combining for seven strong innings. Smith struck out seven and gave up two runs on five hits in 4.1 innings of work. Corbett came on in the fifth and struck out three in 2.2 scoreless innings. Brian Miller (Vanderbilt) then worked two scoreless frames to finish it off.

The Cotuit pitchers had plenty of run support. Logan Ratledge (NC State) hit his second home run – in his second game with the Kettleers. The rest of the attack was balanced. Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt), Yale Rosen (Washington State), Kevin Bradley (Clemson), Jake Fincher (NC State) and Galli Cribbs, Jr. (Clarendon) all drove in one run each.

The win was Cotuit’s 11th of the year, best in the league.

If they need another one five days from now, they’ll know who to call.

 

Hyannis 4, Harwich 2

The Harbor Hawks (10-4) matched up against Harwich’s Chandler Shepherd (Kentucky), who hadn’t allowed a run in two starts. Shepherd struck out nine in six innings, but Hyannis touched him up for three runs on its way to an impressive victory. Steve Wilkerson (Clemson), Skyler Ewing (Rice) and Jeff Schalk (UAB) all homered for the Harbor Hawks, while Chase Griffin (Georgia State) drove in the other run. The three home runs matched the team’s season total going into last night. Hyannis also got strong pitching. Austin Pettibone (UC Santa Barbara) struck out four in six scoreless innings on the same night his brother Jonathan picked up a win for the Philadelphia Phillies. Eric Eck (Wofford) picked up his third save with two strikeouts in a scoreless ninth. For Harwich, Derek Fisher (Virginia) went 3-for-4 while Ian Happ (Cincinnati) had two hits and an RBI. The Mariners are 9-7 and have dropped three in a row.

 

Chatham 7, Bourne 5

The Anglers (10-5-1) joined Cotuit and Hyannis in the double-digit win club with their third straight win. They scored five runs in the first inning and never trailed, holding off a charge from Bourne to win. Hunter Redman (Texas Tech) had a huge night to lead the offense, going 4-for-4 with an RBI. He had three hits for the season before that. Jimmy Pickens (Michigan State) added two hits and an RBI, while Josh Eldridge (Old Dominion) knocked in two runs. North Carolina standouts Landon Lassiter and Michael Russell made their Cape debuts and had one hit apiece for the Anglers. On the mound, Joe Goodman (High Point) picked up the win in relief and Kyle Funkhouser (Louisville) picked up a save in his debut. Bourne (7-9) got three hits from Trent Gilbert (Arizona) and two RBI from Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State).

 

Orleans 11, Falmouth 5

The Firebirds (8-7) scored double-digit runs for the second time this year and moved over .500 with the victory over Falmouth. They finished with 17 hits off of a parade of Falmouth pitchers, doing all their damage in the first four innings. Zach Fish (Oklahoma State) led the charge, going 3-for-4 with three RBI. Ross Kivett (Kansas State) went 3-for-4 with two RBI, and Austin Davidson (Pepperdine) had two hits and three RBI. Leadoff man Greg Allen (San Diego State) went 2-for-6, stretching his hit streak to six games. He has also had three straight multi-hit games and is now hitting .333, good for third in the league. Corey Miller (Pepperdine) picked up the win with five solid innings. Four relievers worked one inning each. Kevin Newman (Arizona) had three hits for Falmouth (9-7).

 

Wareham 6, Y-D 3

The Gatemen (3-13) snapped a give-game skid with a much-needed victory over Y-D (7-8-1). Kurt McCune (LSU), a former Friday starter for the Tigers who spent the spring working his way back from injury, was solid in his first Cape start of the year, striking out two and allowing two runs in five innings. Trey Killian (Arkansas) was terrific in relief, giving up one run and striking out five in a four-inning save. The offense got two hits and two RBI from Trevor Podratz (Hawaii), plus three hits and an RBI from Cole Stancil (St. Leo). The team’s 12 hits were a season-high for the Gatemen.

 

What to Watch

Teams square off tonight in the first of two holiday rivalry games, with all the same teams meeting tomorrow on the other’s home field for the Fourth of July. Cotuit hosts Falmouth tonight at 5 p.m. in a battle of two of the West’s best teams. Chris Ellis (Ole Miss), who has given up one earned run in three starts, goes for the Kettleers against Trey Teakell (TCU), who has a 1.47 ERA in three starts. In the East, Orleans hosts Chatham at 7 p.m., with Trent Szkutnik (Michigan) on the mound. He allowed two runs in his first start. Aaron Garza (Houston), who owns a 2.34 ERA, starts for Chatham.

 

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Walk This Way

Brandon Sedell and the Chatham Anglers have been the league's most patient team - and it's working for them.

 
The Chatham Anglers have been a good hitting team this summer, but not the Cape’s best. What they do have going for them is the opportunity to hit with more men on base than any team in the league.

Because the Anglers can work a walk.

Chatham drew a season-high 10 walks on Sunday in a 7-3 victory over Brewster. That gives them a league-high 86 for the season, 23 more than second-place Cotuit. Not surprisingly, the Anglers also lead the league in on-base percentage with a .361 mark.

In some cases, you can chalk walks up to the luck of the draw and the fact that you might just be facing pitchers who are wild. But when the numbers are this high, it’s clearly part of an approach. Chatham also led the league in walks last year.

This year, the patient approach has been a key cog in the team’s successful start. The Anglers had a brief hiccup after their hot start but have won two in a row since.

The walks piled up against Brewster, with Richard Prigatano (Long Beach State) drawing three and league-leader Mitchell Gonsolus (Gonzaga) working two. Four of Chatham’s seven runs were scored by batters who got on base with a walk.

Dante Flores (USC) had two hits and an RBI while Jimmy Pickens (Michigan State) went 1-for-4 with two runs driven in. Sheehan Planas-Arteaga (Barry) also drove in a run.

Tommy Lawrence (Maine) got the win in relief, striking out four in 3.1 hitless innings.

The Anglers improved to 9-5-1, which puts them back atop the East Division standings.

 

Y-D 4, Harwich 0

The Red Sox (7-7-1) are suddenly the hottest team in the league. They beat Harwich (9-6) by a 4-0 score yesterday for their third straight win. Clay Smith (St. Louis), whose last appearance came in a 17-12 loss to Orleans, was dominant this time, striking out three and scattering five hits in seven shutout innings for the win. Kody Kerski (Sacred Heart) and Sam Coonrod (Southern Illinois) pitched an inning each to finish the shutout. Auston Bousfield (Ole Miss) went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while D.J. Stewart (Florida State) and Taylor Gushue (Florida) also knocked in a run each. Andrew Daniel (San Diego) went 1-for-4 to stretch his hitting streak to 11 games. He now leads the league with a .421 batting average. The Red Sox did most of their damage off Harwich starter Aaron Bummer (Nebraska), who hadn’t given up a run in his first two starts.

 

Cotuit 6, Bourne 1

A night after falling in a walk-off to Bourne, the Kettleers (10-5) won the rematch and became the first team in the league to 10 wins. Bourne fell to 7-8. Christian Cecilio (San Francisco), who had given up seven runs in a loss to Bourne on June 22, got the start and allowed just an unearned run in 7.1 innings. He only struck out two but induced an amazing 15 ground-ball outs. The Cotuit offense also stepped up, scoring two runs off Bourne starter Austin Gomber (Florida Atlantic), who was part of a combined no-hitter the last time he faced the Kettleers. Newcomer Logan Ratledge (NC State) hit a solo home run while Kevin Bradley (Clemson) went 1-for-4 with two RBI. Jake Fincher (NC State) and Nolan Clark (Concordia) drove in one run apiece.

 

Hyannis 6, Falmouth 3

The Harbor Hawks (9-4) were the only team to beat Falmouth (9-6) in a stretch of seven games, and they did it again Sunday, ending a three-game winning streak for the Commodores. Andrew Thome (North Dakota) picked up his league-leading third win with five strong innings. Tyler Spoon (Arkansas) and Skyler Ewing (Rice) both hit home runs to lead the Hyannis offense. Austin Slater (Stanford) added two hits. Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) hit his second home run of the year for the Commodores.

 

Orleans 2, Wareham 0

The Firebirds (7-7) handed the Gatemen (2-13) their fifth straight loss with the shutout. Bobby Poyner (Florida) struck out five in five innings to get the ball rolling. Four relievers went one inning each to keep it going, with Matt Troupe (Arizona) working the ninth for his third save, which ties him for the league lead. The Orleans offense got two hits and an RBI from Collin Slaybaugh (Washington State), plus an RBI from Jordan Luplow (Fresno State). Trevor Podratz (Hawaii) had two hits to lead Wareham.

 

What to Watch

It’s a league-wide off-day as the teams head to Fenway Park for a work-out in front of scouts.