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All League Team Unveiled

Steven Duggar was one of six Falmouth Commodores on the All-League squad.
Steven Duggar was one of six Falmouth Commodores on the All-League squad.

 

This is a few days old, but in case you missed it, the Cape League released its All-League selections for the 2014 season. The team is below. Below that, a few notes.

First Base – A.J. Murray – Chatham – Georgia Tech
Second Base – Billy Fleming – Bourne – West Virginia
Shortstop – Kevin Newman – Falmouth – Arizona
Third Base – David Thompson – Orleans – Miami
Infield Utility – Richard Martin Jr. – Bourne – Florida
Outfield – Gio Brusa – Brewster – Pacific
Outfield – Donnie Dewees Jr. – Hyannis – North Florida
Outfield – Steven Duggar – Falmouth – Clemson
Outfield – Ian Happ – Harwich – Cincinnati
Outfield – Mark Laird – Bourne – LSU
Outfield – Andrew Stevenson – Y-D – LSU
DH – Conner Hale – Falmouth – LSU
DH – Chris Shaw – Chatham – Boston College
Catcher – Jameson Fisher – Cotuit – SE Louisiana
Catcher – Anthony Hermelyn – Harwich – Oklahoma

Pitcher – Michael Boyle – Harwich – Radford
Pitcher – Zack Erwin – Harwich – Clemson
Pitcher – Matt Hall – Falmouth – Missouri State
Pitcher – Jordan Hillyer – Chatham – Kennesaw State
Pitcher – Justin Jacome – Y-D – UC Santa Barbara
Pitcher – Ryan Kellogg – Bourne – Arizona State
Pitcher – Kolton Mahoney – Orleans – BYU
Pitcher – Kevin McCanna – Falmouth – Rice
Pitcher – Andrew Naderer – Brewster – Grand Canyon
Pitcher – Kyle Twomey – Orleans – USC
Closer – Phil Bickford – Y-D – Cal State Fullerton
Closer – Adam Whitt – Cotuit – Nevada
Utility – Jake Madsen – Falmouth – Ohio

 

NOTES

  • Kevin Newman and Ryan Kellog are your lone repeat honorees. The Arizona-Arizona State rivals had terrific Cape League careers.

  • For the second year in a row, Falmouth had the most All-League selections with six. Lot of talent at Guv Fuller Field the last two years.

  • Champion Y-D with only one position player on the team. I thought that might be unusual, but it’s actually the second year in a row. Cotuit had just one All-League hitter last year, Rhett Wiseman. In the case of both Y-D and Cotuit, it speaks to the ability to play one day at a time and find a way to win, without having the stars of stars.

  • Snubs? Jordan Tarsovich jumps out to me. Probably the league champ’s most consistent hitter, Tarsovich hit .322 with three homers. I think Y-D’s Rob Fonseca (.315, 4 HR’s) could have been there too. And Bourne’s Blake Davey tied for second in the league in extra-base hits. A couple more possibilities, but overall, solid work, I think.

  • LSU leads all schools with three selections: Andrew Stevenson, Conner Hale and Mark Laird.

  • Seven schools have an All-League pick for the second year in a row: Arizona, USC, Arizona State, West Virginia, Florida and . . . mighty Kennesaw State. With MVP Max Pentecost last year and standout pitcher Jordan Hillyer this year, the Owls are making some Cape League noise.

  • How about schools that have an All-League pick for three years running? Nada. I was shocked by that.

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    Complete Dominance

    Ryan Kellogg nearly tossed the Cape's first nine-inning, solo no-hitter since 2010.
    Ryan Kellogg nearly tossed the Cape’s first nine-inning, solo no-hitter since 2010.

     

    Before last night, there had not been a single nine-inning complete game pitching performance in the 2014 Cape Cod Baseball League season.

    And now there have been two, including the best performance of the summer.

    Bourne’s Ryan Kellogg (Arizona State) came within one out of a no-hitter in a 5-0 win at Chatham, settling for the aforementioned best performance of the summer – a one-hit shutout, with 11 strikeouts. In Wareham, Sean Adler (USC), who had started only one other game this summer, tossed a complete-game shutout with eight strikeouts in a 5-0 win over Cotuit.

    Sometimes, teams start running out of pitching and cobbling things together as the season winds down. Clearly, not these two.

    Kellogg has been a terrific Cape League pitcher, posting a 1.36 ERA last year and a 2.63 mark this season, but last night – fittingly, his final start as a Brave – was his master work. The lefty was perfect through five innings, with seven strikeouts. He issued a leadoff walk in the sixth but the runner was erased on a double play, and Kellogg kept cruising. He struck out two in the seventh and worked a one-two-three ninth. After a fly-out and a swinging strikeout, he was one out away, but Landon Cray (Seattle) reached on a slow roller to third base to break up the no-hit bid at the last possible moment.

    Kellogg was bidding to become the first solo pitcher to toss a nine-inning no-hitter since Y-D’s Jordan Pries in 2010 (three of his Bourne teammates combined on one last summer and Bourne’s Jeff Thompson tossed a six-inning no-no in 2012).

    Though he didn’t get it, it was still an incredible performance and Kellogg finished it – of course – with a strikeout.

    Zander Wiel (Vanderbilt) hit a grand slam to lead the offense, while Brett Sullivan (Pacific) had three hits. Kellogg’s gem and the solid offensive day allowed the Braves to set a franchise record for regular-season victories with 26. With the win and a Falmouth loss, Bourne has a two-game cushion in first place, with two games to play.

    Adler gives Wareham a gem

    Sean Adler gave up a hit to the third batter he faced, so there was no talk of no-hitters in Wareham. But his performance was almost as good. He scattered six hits and went the distance in an efficient 104 pitches.

    Adler only made his debut for Wareham in mid-July and has made just four appearances. His longest previous outing was six innings.

    But as the scoreless frames piled up, Adler got better and better. He gave up two hits in an inning just once. After giving up a two-out double to Kyle Holder (San Diego) in the sixth, he struck out the next batter and didn’t allow another hit. He retired nine of 10, with the only exception coming on an error. That runner was erased on a double play.

    Adler’s performance gave the Gatemen something to celebrate a night after they were eliminated from playoff contention. Kyri Washington (Longwood) and Adler’s USC teammate Blake Lacey each had a hit and two RBI to lead the Gatemen offense.

     

    Harwich 3, Y-D 1

    How good were the pitching performances? A division title plays second fiddle. Harwich clinched the regular season Eastern Division crown with a 3-1 victory over the Red Sox, coupled with an Orleans loss. The Mariners have been at the top since the very beginning of the season, when they won their first three games. Y-D and Orleans have made charges, but Harwich never faltered and is in the midst of a surge to the finish, thanks to three straight victories. Last night, James Mulry (Northeastern) – who put Harwich in first place way back on opening night – tossed 6.2 innings for the win, giving up one run and striking out five. Seth McGarry (Florida Atlantic) pitched 1.1 scoreless frames and Jacob Evans (Oklahoma) pitched a scoreless ninth for his ninth outing of zero earned runs in 10 games this season. The offense got an RBI each from Anthony Hermelyn (Virginia Tech), C.J. Hinojosa (Texas) and Angelo Amendolare (Jacksonville). Y-D, who is tied with Orleans for second place, has lost three in a row.

     

    Brewster 7, Orleans 2

    Don’t look now, but Brewster is making a push to the playoffs that would go down as one of the most improbable in recent memory. The Whitecaps have won four of five games – and tied the other – and with Chatham’s loss last night, they’re just one point back of the Anglers for the fourth and final playoff spot, with two games to play. Tyger Talley (Arizona), making just his third start, allowed two runs in five innings and Levi MaVorhis (Kansas State) pitched four hitless innings to seal the win. Andrew Lee (Tennessee), who has eight hits in the five-game stretch, homered and drove in two to lead the offense. Scott Kingery (Arizona) had two hits and three RBI. Bobby Dalbec (Arizona) homered for the Firebirds, who have lost four in a row. Brewster will finish the season with two games against Harwich. Chatham, as it tries to hold off the Whitecaps, has two against Orleans.

     

    Hyannis 10, Falmouth 0

    Hyannis leap-frogged Cotuit back into third place, while putting Falmouth into an uphill battle on its quest for first. Four Harbor Hawks combined on the shutout. Shaefer Shepard (Catawba) went five innings, Matt LaRocca (Akron) struck out four in two innings while Chris Mourelle (Florida International) and Lance Thonvold (Minnesota) pitched one inning each. Carl Wise (College of Charleston) hit his sixth home run to pace the offense, while Dylan Bosheers (Tennessee Tech) also homered. Daniel Kihle (Wichita State) had two hits and two RBI. For Falmouth, Kevin Newman (Arizona) went 0-for-4, putting him into a tie with Bourne’s Billy Fleming for the batting title. Newman is trying to become the first-ever two time Cape League batting champ.

     

    What to Watch

    Bourne will try to clinch the West title outright when it hosts Wareham at 6 p.m. In the suddenly interesting race for the last East playoff spot, Brewster visits Harwich at 5:30 p.m. and Chatham heads to Orleans at 7.

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    The Next Wave

    Grant Kay went 4-for-4 with a walk-off homer in Cotuit's win Monday.
    Grant Kay went 4-for-4 with a walk-off homer in Cotuit’s win Monday.

     

    The 2013 season in Cotuit was marked by a lot of departures, a lot of arrivals and ultimately a run to the Cape Cod Baseball League championship.

    We’ll see what happens in 2014. The Kettleers are a little off their pace from last year and every day seems like a bullpen day for their starting rotation. But one thing isn’t changing: Cotuit still knows how to find reinforcements.

    The Kettleers walked off with a 9-8 victory over Falmouth yesterday and three guys who arrived after June 30 helped power it. Grant Kay (Louisville) went 4-for-4 and hit a walk-off home run, John Norwood (Vanderbilt) went 2-for-4 with three RBI and Tres Barrera (Texas) had a homer and two RBI.

    Kay and Norwood were both in Omaha when the Cape League season began and neither was on Cotuit’s initial rosters. Kay hit .285 with five homers for Louisville but lasted until the 27th round in the MLB draft. Norwood hit .298 and stole 17 bases for national champion Vanderbilt but went undrafted. Of course, Norwood was the hero of the College World Series, smashing a home run in the eighth inning of game three to put his team in front for good.

    Norwood played his first game in a Cotuit uniform on Sunday. Kay played his first one on June 30. Barrera, a top catching prospect from the University of Texas, was on Cotuit’s initial roster but only made his debut on Saturday.

    The Kettleers – who have needed to replace some production since Austin Byler left to sign a pro contract – were glad to have all three of their new guys on Monday. Norwood had a two-run single as part of a five-run second inning and Barrera hit a solo home run in the third.

    Kay had his second consecutive four-hit game and ended up as the hero. With darkness closing in and two outs in the bottom of the seventh – what would be the final inning – Kay fell behind 0-2, worked it to 2-2 then smashed the walk-off homer.

    Cotuit is now 10-12-1 and sitting in third place in the West.

     

    Orleans 3, Chatham 1

    Chatham, winners of four straight, carried a 1-0 lead into the eighth inning but Orleans scored three decisive runs in the eighth for a 3-1 victory. The Firebirds have now won three straight – and nine of 10 – and have a three-point edge on Chatham for second place in the East. With the bases loaded in the eighth, Mitchell Tolman (Oregon) knocked a base hit to bring in the tying run and when the ball got past the right fielder, the other two runners scored as well. That was all Orleans needed, with Reilly Hovis (North Carolina) tossing a scoreless ninth to seal the win. The game was a pitcher’s duel in the early going, with Chatham’s Andrew Chin (Boston College) going six shutout innings and Orleans’ Kyle Twomey (USC) allowing one run in five innings. Jake Fraley (LSU) broke a scoreless tie in the fourth for Chatham with an RBI double, and that was the only scoring until Orleans’ eighth-inning rally.

     

    Harwich 7, Brewster 3

    As hot as Orleans has been, Harwich continues to hold onto first place and stayed there again on Monday with a win over Brewster. Brendon Sanger (Florida Atlantic) homered and drove in three and Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech) also homered. Ian Happ (Cincinnati) and Kyle Barrett (Kentucky) added two hits each. Jon Harris (Missouri State), who was chased in the second inning of his last start, rebounded with five solid innings. Johnathan Frebis (Middle Tennessee State) pitched three scoreless innings of relief and Ray Castillo (Alabama) tossed the final inning. Harwich is now 14-8-1.

     

    Bourne 8, Wareham 5

    The Braves held off a late charge by Wareham to move to 9-3 in home games this season. The Braves have the best record in the league at 15-8. Bourne led 8-2 in the eighth before Wareham scored four runs in the final two innings. John Gorman (Boston College) eventually got out of trouble in the ninth to finish off the win. Ryan Kellogg (Arizona State) allowed one run in seven innings with six strikeouts for the win. Richard Martin Jr. (Florida) hit his second home run in three games to power the Bourne offense and recent arrival Zander Wiel (Vanderbilt) also homered. Brian Serven (Arizona State) had two RBI and Billy Fleming (West Virginia) delivered three hits. Wareham got a home run from Kramer Robertson (LSU) and three RBI from Chris Chinea (LSU).

     

    Y-D 10, Hyannis 8

    Y-D won its second straight and sent Hyannis to its seventh straight loss with a slugfest victory. Nico Giarratano (San Francisco) had two hits and three RBI for the Red Sox while Jesse Jenner (San Diego) knocked in two. Josh Lester (Missouri) had three hits and scored three runs. and Andrew Stevenson (LSU) added two hits. Dimitri Kourtis (Mercer) allowed one run over the final 1.1 innings to hold off Hyannis. Parker Bugg (LSU) got the win in relief. Daniel Kihle (Wichita State) hit a home run for Hyannis and is now tied for the league lead. Carl Wise (College of Charleston) also homered.

     

    What to Watch

    Cotuit hosts West-leading Bourne at 5 p.m., and another reinforcement gets the ball for the Kettleers. Grayson Jones (Shelton State CC), who was drafted in the 14th round by the Indians this year, will make his first start. Travis Bergen (Kennesaw State), who went six scoreless in his last start, is the listed starter for Bourne.

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    Byler Says Goodbye

    Austin Byler homered in his final Cape League game Monday night.
    Austin Byler homered in his final Cape League game Monday night.

     

    Cotuit’s Austin Byler (Nevada) ended his Cape League career on Monday night. The 23rd-round pick of the Washington Nationals is expected to sign shortly and begin the next chapter in his baseball career.

    His Cape League chapter was short, but it was memorable. In 30 career Cape League games spanning the end of last summer and the beginning of this one, Byler batted .299 with six home runs and 18 RBI. He could have easily won Cape League Playoff MVP honors last year after batting .429 with two homers in the postseason. This year, he hit four home runs in 11 games and will depart the Cape with his name atop the home run leaderboard.

    He also went out with a bang.

    Byler went 3-for-6 last night with a home run as Cotuit beat up on West-leading Bourne 16-6. It was the first time this season that the Kettleers hit double digits in runs.

    Fittingly, Byler started his going away party festivities when he led off the second inning with a home run. It touched off a five-run inning that also included a homer by Ian Rice (Chipola College).

    After the Braves made it a 5-4 game in the bottom of the second, Cotuit steadily pulled away. The Kettleers got two more home runs from Drew Jackson (Stanford) and Grant Kay (Louisville), the first of the season for both.

    Cotuit scored seven runs – six earned – against Bourne’s Ryan Kellogg (Arizona State), who had allowed just one earned run in his first 12 innings this summer.

    Byler, Kay and Jackson Glines (Michigan) each had three hits, while Rice had four RBI. Jackson, Jake Fincher (NC State) and Logan Taylor (Texas A&M) had two RBI each, as did Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt), who’s fresh off a College World Series title.

    Trey Wingenter (Auburn) got the win in relief. Gabe Berman (Western Michigan) struck out five in 3.1 innings for the save.

     

    Harwich 7, Chatham 3

    Harwich and Bourne have been matching each other for the best record in the league for about a week. That finally changed Monday, as the Braves lost and Harwich topped Chatham 7-3 to improve to a league-best 12-6 on the season. Jared Poche’ (LSU) struck out seven in seven shutout innings, giving him a 1.06 ERA in three starts this summer. The offense backed him with a five-run third inning and tacked on two in the ninth. Ian Happ (Cincinnati) went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI to lead the offense. He’s 4-for-8 with six RBI in his last two games. Angelo Amendolare (Jacksonville) added two hits. Chatham, which fell to 8-9-1, got three RBI from Landon Cray (Seattle).

     

    Orleans 11, Brewster 7

    The Firebirds remained the hottest team in the league, topping Brewster 11-7 for their fifth straight win. Orleans is 10-8, while Brewster fell to 7-11. David Thompson (Miami) and Mitchell Tolman (Oregon) combined for seven hits in the middle of the order, with Thompson getting four and Tolman knocking three. Cole Peragine (Stony Brook) added three hits and Bobby Dalbec (Arizona) had three RBI. Despite all the offense, Orleans had to withstand a charge from Brewster. Mikey White (Alabama) went 4-for-5, making him seven for his last nine, while Travis Maezes (Michigan) had three hits, including a home run, and four RBI. But after the Whitecaps scored five in the eighth, Reilly Hovis (North Carolina) pitched a perfect ninth to seal the victory for Orleans. Kyle Twomey (USC) was credited with the win after 3.1 scoreless innings of relief.

     

    Y-D 8, Wareham 6

    The Red Sox trailed by two in their last at-bat, but scored four runs in the top of the ninth and held off Wareham in the bottom half for an 8-6 win. Hunter Cole (Georgia) had an RBI single to make it a one-run game in the ninth before Andrew Stevenson (LSU) scored the tying run on a wild pitch. Josh Lester (Missouri) then smacked a two-run single to give his team the lead. Phil Bickford (Cal State Fullerton), the former first-round pick who seems to be sliding into a late-inning role for Y-D, blew away the Gatemen in the bottom of the ninth, striking out two and needing just nine pitches to finish it off. Cole finished with three hits and two RBI for the Red Sox, while Lester and Rob Fonseca (Northeastern) also had two RBI. Nick Halamandaris (California) homered for Wareham and Chris Chinea (LSU) had three RBI.

     

    Falmouth 4, Hyannis 2

    Falmouth broke a 2-2 tie in the fourth and didn’t allow another run as it won its second straight with a victory over Hyannis. Ryan Moseley (Texas Tech), making his debut in the lineup and batting ninth, delivered a two-run single in the fourth. Cameron O’Brien (West Virginia) and Jake Madsen (Ohio) knocked in the other runs. Matt Hall (Missouri State), who came in with the league’s best ERA among qualified starting pitchers, gave up a two-run homer to Daniel Kihle (Wichita State) in the first but settled in from there. He went seven, allowing just the first-inning runs while striking out five. Travis Stout (Jacksonville State) picked up the save. Alec Byrd (Florida State) pitched 3.1 scoreless innings of relief for Hyannis, but the offense couldn’t make up the deficit. Falmouth, at 9-8-1, is just one point back of Hyannis for third in the West.

     

    What to Watch

    Tuesday is a league-wide day off, so watch the World Cup. When the league gets back to action Wednesday, division leaders Harwich and Bourne will square off at Whitehouse Field.

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    A Red Wilson Night

    Patrick Mazeika's three-run homer gave Chatham a lead in Tuesday's slugfest.
    Patrick Mazeika’s three-run homer gave Chatham a lead in Tuesday’s slugfest.

     

    Yarmouth’s Red Wilson Field has the shortest fences in the Cape Cod Baseball League. Home runs are more common there, and in turn, big run totals flow a little more easily.

    And every once in a while, the floodgates really open.

    Last night at Red Wilson, Chatham and Y-D combined for six home runs, 31 hits and 30 runs in a 16-14 Chatham victory. The 30 combined runs is the most in a Cape League game since 2010, when Y-D beat Orleans 23-10 in a playoff game . . . at Red Wilson Field. Two teams also hit 30 in the 2010 regular season, when Harwich beat Y-D 16-14 . . . at Red Wilson Field. (Two totals near 30 – a 17-12 game last year and a 16-10 game in 2012 – also happened in Yarmouth).

    Red Wilson’s latest show belonged to the Anglers, who scored five runs in the top of the eighth inning and stopped the slugfest in the bottom half. With the sun setting on the three-hour, 20-minute game, it was called after eight.

    Chatham hit two home runs and Y-D hit three. Chris Shaw (Boston College) had one of the blasts for Chatham as part of a big night. He went 4-for-6 with three runs scored and an RBI. Patrick Mazeika (Stetson) hit the other home run for the Anglers on his way to a 1-for-2, four-run, three-RBI game.

    The Anglers trailed 13-11 going into the eighth, but exploded immediately. Kal Simmons (Kennesaw State) led off with a double and A.J. Murray (Georgia Tech) traded places with him on an RBI double. After a base hit by Shaw, Landon Lassiter (North Carolina) doubled in the tying run. Y-D went to its bullpen, but Mazeika greeted reliever Dimitri Kourtis (Mercer) with a three-run homer, the biggest and the final blow in the night’s power surge.

    Kyle Davis (USC), who’s been one of the best relievers in the league this summer, came on to try and close the door for Chatham. Though even he couldn’t escape without giving up a run – his second of the year – Davis stranded two runners when he ended the game with a strikeout. Davis got the save for Zack Burdi (Louisville), who had gotten out of a jam in the seventh.

    Simmons and Landon Cray (Seattle) had three hits each for Chatham, while Murray and Mazeika drove in three runs apiece. Chatham has now scored the second-most runs in the league after ranking in the middle of the pack before last night.

    Y-D got two home runs from Hunter Cole (Georgia), plus one each from Rob Fonseca (Northeastern) and Ryan Hissey (William & Mary).

     

    Hyannis 14, Cotuit 2

    The Harbor Hawks weren’t at Red Wilson Field but may as well have been in the late innings of a 14-2 victory over Cotuit at Lowell Park. Leading 3-0 into the seventh, Hyannis scored 11 runs over the final three innings. The Harbor Hawks (9-4) have now scored the most runs in the league and are 3-0 against rival Cotuit (6-7). Bobby Melley (Connecticut), who was hitting .250 coming in after a huge spring for the Huskies, broke out with a 4-for-4, four RBI night. Kyle Survance (Houston) homered and drove in two, Daniel Kihle (Wichita State) went 2-for-2 with two RBI and Jarret DeHart (LSU) had two RBI. Tate Scioneaux (SE Louisiana), pitching without a big lead, went six scoreless innings with three strikeouts for his third win in as many starts.

     

    Bourne 5, Orleans 2

    Making his ninth career Cape League start, Ryan Kellogg (Arizona State) turned in perhaps his best performance as the West-leading Braves (10-3) topped Orleans (5-8). Kellogg went six scoreless innings, striking out four and scattering six hits. Thomas Hatch (Oklahoma State) and Lucas Laster (Mississippi State) finished off the win. Kellogg’s battery mate and ASU teammate Brian Serven homered for the Braves. Gavin Collins (Mississippi State) and Blake Allemand (Texas A&M) added two hits each.

     

    Harwich 4, Wareham 1

    The Mariners remained even with Bourne for the best record in the league thanks to a victory over Wareham. Michael Boyle (Radford) allowed just an unearned run in 5.1 innings for the win. Jacob Evans (Oklahoma) struck out four in 2.2 innings of relief and Seth McGarry (Florida Atlantic) pitched a perfect ninth for his first save. Sal Annunziata (Seton Hall) homered to lead the offense, while Kyle Barrett (Kentucky) had three hits from the top of the lineup. Barrett owns a six-game hitting streak and is batting .400 on the year.

     

    Falmouth 8, Brewster 3

    The Commodores (5-7-1) snapped a five-game winless streak with a victory over Brewster (5-8). Steven Duggar (Clemson) went 3-for-4 with two RBI to lead the offense, which hadn’t scored more than five runs since June 15. Cameron O’Brien (West Virginia) added three RBI, while Trever Morrison (Oregon State) and Conner Hale (LSU) had two hits each. Matt Eureste (San Jacinto North) went 1-for-4 and continues to lead the league in hitting with a .414 average. On the mound for Falmouth, Matt Hall (Missouri State) turned in one of the team’s best starts of the summer, striking out five in seven scoreless innings. Hall is now tied for the league lead in strikeouts.

     

    What to Watch

    A good pitching match-up is lined up in Orleans, where the Firebirds send Brett Lilek (Arizona State) to the mound against Harwich’s James Mulry (Northeastern). Lilek, a standout this spring, struck out six in four scoreless innings in his first Cape League start. Mulry has a 1.39 ERA in two starts.

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    Sun Splashed

    Ryan Kellogg, pictured last year, had a strong first start in 2014.
    Ryan Kellogg, pictured last year, had a strong first start in 2014.

     

    Wednesday was one of the hottest days of the summer so far, and two Sun Devils must have felt right at home.

    Arizona State’s Ryan Kellogg went six strong innings for Bourne as the Braves topped Cotuit 5-4, while spring teammate Brett Lilek went four scoreless frames in a 5-0 shutout for Orleans over Brewster.

    The perennial powerhouse Sun Devils didn’t have their best season this year, finishing 33-24 and losing in an NCAA Tournament Regional to Sacramento State. But the uncharacteristic early exit wasn’t for lack of success from their top two starting pitchers. Lilek emerged as an ace in his sophomore season, putting up a 2.68 ERA with 79 strikeouts on his way to first-team all-conference honors. Kellogg, who starred last year as well, had his ERA climb to 3.76 but still went 8-3 and was a workhorse with 103 innings pitched.

    Both Kellogg and Lilek look poised for big summers, and they delivered in their first appearances.

    Kellogg, making a return trip to Bourne, struck out seven and scattered seven hits in six innings. He gave up three runs, but only one was earned. Cotuit threatened against the Braves bullpen, but Lucas Laster (Mississippi State) and John Gorman (Boston College) slammed the door.

    The Bourne offense scored four runs in the first inning and never trailed. Billy Fleming (West Virginia), Blake Davey (Connecticut), Ryan Howard (Missouri) and Kellogg’s ASU teammate Brian Serven all had one RBI. Logan Taylor (Texas A&M) had three hits for Cotuit. Bourne improved to 5-2 while Cotuit dropped to 4-3.

    In Orleans, the Firebirds also staked their ASU starter to an early lead, scoring all five of the game’s runs in the bottom of the first. David Fletcher (Loyola Marymount), a defensive whiz who was off to a slow start with the bat, broke out with a 3-for-3 night. Timmy Robinson (USC) hit a home run and drove in three, adding to the Firebirds’ league-best total of eight.

    Lilek went only four innings but was dominant, striking out six of the 14 batters he faced and giving up just two hits, both singles. Ryne Combs (Kentucky) and Kyle Wilcox (Bryant) followed with two scoreless innings apiece before a perfect ninth from Bobby Dalbec (Arizona).

    Levi MaVorhis (Kansas State) rescued Brewster after the first inning and went six scoreless, striking out five.

    Orleans improved to 3-4. Brewster is also 3-4.

     

    Harwich 6, Hyannis 3 (11 innings)

    In a battle of teams off to strong starts, Harwich continued the best start in the league with an extra-innings victory over Hyannis. The Mariners, now 6-1, had allowed Hyannis to tie the game with a run in the eighth, but they struck first in extras with three in the top of the 11th. Cavan Biggio (Notre Dame) had a sacrifice fly, Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech) had an RBI single and Ian Happ (Cincinnati) had a sacrifice fly. Ray Castillo (Alabama) gave up two hits in the bottom of the 11th, but with the tying run at third, he struck out Dylan Bosheers (Tennessee Tech) to end it. The win went to Jacob Evans (Oklahoma), who went 2.1 strong innings. Starter James Mulry (Northeastern), dominant on opening night, gave up two runs in six innings in his second start. Happ had two hits and is hitting .500 for the summer. Gonzalez, Kyle Barrett (Kentucky), and Sal Annunziata (Seton Hall) also had two hits. Bobby Melley (Connecticut) had two hits and Carl Wise (College of Charleston) homered for the Harbor Hawks.

     

    Chatham 4, Y-D 1

    The Anglers won their second straight and created a logjam of 3-4 teams in the East. Jordan Hillyer (Kennesaw State) allowed one hit and one unearned run in five strong innings for Chatham. Lou Distasio (Rhode Island) and Kyle Davis (USC) combined for four scoreless innings in relief. A.J. Murray (Georgia Tech) led the Chatham offense with a home run and two RBI. Blake Butera (Boston College) and Ty Moore (UCLA) had two hits each.

     

    Falmouth 5, Wareham 4

    Wareham out-hit Falmouth 14-8 but the Commodores managed one more run on the scoreboard in the 5-4 victory. Tate Matheny (Missouri State) went 2-for-4 with a home run in his last game before Team USA training camp, while Kevin Newman (Arizona) also had two hits before he departs. Sam Gillikin (Auburn) added two hits and an RBI for Falmouth. Kevin McCanna (Rice) picked up his second win of the season with his second six-inning effort. He gave up three runs and struck out four. Wareham got three hits apiece from Willie Calhoun (Arizona), Keaton Aldridge (Memphis) and Chris Chinea (LSU) but left 12 runners on base.

     

    What to Watch

    Jason Inghram (William & Mary) makes his second start for Harwich after seven innings of two-hit baseball last week. The Mariners host Chatham at 7 p.m.

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    Star-powered Braves Set to Go

    stock_bourne13

     

    TeamLogo_Bourne2003.jpgThe Bourne Braves have had the Cape Cod Baseball League MVP in two of the last three years and three of the last five. It’s never a guarantee of success – the Braves were a .500 team with last year’s MVP Max Pentecost – but the awards represent the fact that good things are happening in Bourne more often than not these days. And look what Bourne did after its .500 season last year. The Braves made a surprising run to the West finals.

    As the 2014 season begins, the Braves are bringing in one of the youngest teams in the league, so there are some unknowns there. But it’s also a talented club, led by a host of proven college pitchers like Ryan Kellogg and Jimmy Herget.

    Maybe there’s another MVP in the mix, too. Either way, the Braves are hoping for continued success.

     

    THE SKINNY

    Manager: Harvey Shapiro
    Last Year: 21-21-1; Lost in West finals
    Returning Players: 2
    Juniors: 1
    Sophomores: 11
    Freshmen: 11

     

    NOTABLE

  • Arizona State pitchers Ryan Kellogg and Ryan Burr both have a shot to be among the best pitchers on the Cape this summer. Kellogg returns to Bourne for a second year, off another strong season in Tempe. Burr, who’s also been invited to Team USA, has been a dynamic closer for the Sun Devils.

  • Few pitchers on Cape rosters can boast a better 2014 college season than South Florida’s Jimmy Herget. The righty was one of the top pitchers in the American Athletic Conference, and led South Florida’s conference tourney upset of now Omaha-bound Louisville.

  • Bourne has three Louisville pitchers who have done very well this year. That’s the good news. The bad news from Bourne’s perspective is that the Cards are headed to Omaha, so the future Braves may be late arrivals.

  • Harrison Bader has done nothing but hit in two years with the Florida Gators, leading the team in batting average as a freshman and a sophomore.

  • Mississippi State freshman Gavin Collins was a top-notch catching prospect who slid in the draft last year due to an injury. He had a solid debut in Starkville this season.

  • Bourne has seven freshman hitters. Considering the struggles freshmen often have on the Cape, that could be a challenge, but this crew has a lot going for it. Brett Sullivan had a terrific freshman campaign at Pacific and Stephen Wrenn looks like a star-in-the-making at Georgia.

  • The Braves will have one veteran to anchor the lineup in Mark Laird, who returns for a second year. He’s been a steady player for LSU.

    •  

    FIVE TO WATCH

    1. Ryan Kellogg
    2. Ryan Burr
    3. Harrison Bader
    4. Brett Sullivan
    5. Mark Laird

     

    PITCHERS

    Ryan Burr – RHP – 6’4 225 – Arizona State – Sophomore
    Thomas Hatch – RHP – 6’1 200 – Oklahoma State – Freshman
    Dylan Hecht – RHP – 6’2 195 – UC Santa Barbara – Sophomore
    Jimmy Herget – RHP – 6’3 165 – South Florida – Sophomore
    *Ryan Kellogg – LHP – 6’6 225 – Arizona State – Sophomore
    Anthony Kidston – RHP/INF – 6’2 195 – Louisville – Sophomore
    Sam Kmiec – LHP – 6’0 210 – Winthrop – RS Sophomore
    Lucas Laster – LHP – 5’11 175 – Mississippi State – Junior
    Brett Morales – RHP – 6’1 200 – Florida – Freshman
    Josh Rogers – LHP – 6’3 210 – Louisville – Freshman
    Andrew Sopko – RHP – 6’2 200 – Gonzaga – Sophomore
    Jacob Sparger – RHP – 6’5 197 – Louisville – Freshman
    * – returning player

     

    Ryan Burr – RHP – 6’4 225
    Arizona State
    Sophomore

    A 33rd-round pick out of high school, Burr grabbed the closer’s role last year and set a school freshman record for saves with 11. Despite pitching out of the bullpen, he ranked second on the team in strikeouts. He continued to pitch as a closer this season, saving 12 games while striking out 56 in 44 innings. Burr has been invited to Team USA.

    Thomas Hatch – RHP – 6’1 200
    Oklahoma State
    Freshman

    According to Baseball America, Hatch was the 95th-best high school prospect in the 2013 draft, and he was selected in the 33rd round. He headed off to Stillwater, where he had some ups and downs as a freshman. Hatch finished with a 5.28 ERA in a swing role.

    Dylan Hecht – RHP – 6’2 195
    UC Santa Barbara
    Sophomore

    Hecht closed for the Gauchos as a freshman last year and picked up nine saves. He played in the West Coast League last summer and was tabbed as the league’s third-best prospect by Perfect Game. Hecht moved off the closer role this season and had an ERA over six in just nine appearances.

    Jimmy Herget – RHP – 6’3 165
    South Florida
    Sophomore

    Herget was thrown into the fire last year when he made his first collegiate start against powerhouse Florida State. He responded with four strong innings and parlayed that into an outstanding freshman season. He was even better this year as he emerged as an ace. Herget had a 1.26 ERA and struck out 90 in 107.1 innings. He earned first-team all-conference honors.

    Ryan Kellogg – LHP – 6’6 225
    Arizona State
    Sophomore

    Kellogg was a 12th-round pick out of high school and starred as a freshman in Tempe, putting up a Freshman All-American season that included a no-hitter. In Bourne last summer, Kellogg had an ERA under two in six starts. This spring, he continued to be steady, going 8-3 with a 3.76 ERA and leading the team in innings pitched.

    Anthony Kidston – RHP/INF – 6’2 195
    Louisville
    Sophomore

    Kidston pitched in a swing role last year and saw occasional two-way duty. He has focused exclusively on pitching this spring with good results. Kidston has been the Cardinals’ Sunday starter and hasn’t lost a game, going 9-0 with a 3.54 ERA.

    Sam Kmiec – LHP – 6’0 210
    Winthrop
    RS Sophomore

    Kmiec had a strong freshman season for the Eagles last year and was even better this year, putting up a 2.95 ERA as a weekend starter. In 103.2 innings, he struck out 73 and walked just 17.

    Lucas Laster – LHP – 5’11 175
    Mississippi State
    Junior

    A junior-college transfer, Laster was a valuable member of the Bulldogs’ staff this season as he made four starts and five relief appearances with a 2.60 ERA. He struck out 25 in 34.2 innings.

    Brett Morales – RHP – 6’1 200
    Florida
    Freshman

    Morales was one of the top high-school prospects in the state of Florida last year and was drafted in the 24th round. He had an up-and-down debut with the Gators, putting up an ERA over six in 11 appearances.

    Josh Rogers – LHP – 6’3 210
    Louisville
    Freshman

    A native of New Albany, Ind., Rogers crossed the Ohio River to attend Louisville and has made a splash for the CWS-bound Cardinals. Making nine starts and five relief appearances, Rogers owns a 3.63 ERA and has struck out 47 in 53 innings.

    Andrew Sopko – RHP – 6’2 200
    Gonzaga
    Sophomore

    Sopko was a Montana high school star and was drafted in the 14th round in 2012. He didn’t do much in his first year in Spokane but was named the Alaska League’s 17th-best prospect by Perfect Game last summer. This year, he took the expected leap, putting up a 3.64 ERA as a weekend starter.

    Jacob Sparger – RHP – 6’5 197
    Louisville
    Freshman

    The top prospect in Wisconsin last year, Sparger headed to Louisville and has had a strong debut campaign. Pitching mostly out of the bullpen, Sparger has a 3.20 ERA and has struck out 26 in 45 innings.

     

    POSITION PLAYERS

    Harrison Bader – OF – 6’1 195 – Florida – Sophomore
    Gavin Collins – C – 5’11 200 – Mississippi State – Freshman
    Jason Delay – C – 6’0 – 180 – Vanderbilt – Freshman
    Bryce Harman – INF – 6’6 220 – East Carolina – Freshman
    Ryan Howard – INF – 6’1 192 – Missouri – Freshman
    Ben Johnson – OF – 6’1 195 – Texas – Sophomore
    *Mark Laird – OF – 6’2 175 – LSU – Sophomore
    Richard Martin Jr. – INF – 5’11 186 – Florida – Sophomore
    Brian Serven – C – 6’0 195 – Arizona State – Freshman
    Brett Sullivan – INF – 6’0 175 – Pacific – Freshman
    Stephen Wrenn – OF – 6’2 180 – Georgia – Freshman
    * – returning player

     

    Harrison Bader – OF – 6’1 195
    Florida
    Sophomore

    Bader was a New York high school star who headed south and promptly led the Gators in hitting last year. After a summer in the Northwoods League, he paced Florida again this year, hitting .335 with two homers, 24 RBI and a a team-best .411 OBP. He also stole 13 bases.

    Gavin Collins – C – 5’11 200
    Mississippi State
    Freshman

    Collins was projected as a top-five round pick before an injury cost him his senior season in high school. His loss was Mississippi State’s gain as Collins hit the college ranks with a .304 batting average and one home run.

    Jason Delay – C – 6’0 – 180
    Vanderbilt
    Freshman

    A Georgia high school star, Delay gradually worked his way into the starting catcher’s job at Vanderbilt this year. He finished with a .272 average and 13 RBI.

    Bryce Harman – INF – 6’6 220
    East Carolina
    Freshman

    Harman was a basketball and baseball standout at his Virginia high school and was a 27th-round draft pick last year. At East Carolina, he hit .244 but blasted a team-high seven home runs and had a .338 OBP.

    Ryan Howard – INF – 6’1 192
    Missouri
    Freshman

    Howard jumped right into the starting lineup in his freshman year in Columbia and acquitted himself well. He hit .302 and knocked in 20 runs.

    Ben Johnson – OF – 6’1 195
    Texas
    Sophomore

    Johnson didn’t have a great freshman year but is in the midst of an honorable mention All-Big 12 season this year. He’s hitting .271 for the Omaha-bound Longhorns and he leads the team with six home runs.

    Mark Laird – OF – 6’2 175
    LSU
    Sophomore

    Laird grabbed a starting job in the LSU outfield last year and hit over .300. He then hit .292 with Bourne last summer. This year, he batted .291 for the Tigers and stole 10 bases.

    Richard Martin Jr. – INF – 5’11 186
    Florida
    Sophomore

    Martin was a 38th-round pick out of high school and saw regular duty for the Gators last year. He played for Falmouth in the Cape League last summer and struggled to a .193 average. This spring, he was back on the horse, hitting .266 with 13 extra-base hits and 18 stolen bases.

    Brian Serven – C – 6’0 195
    Arizona State
    Freshman

    Serven started 45 games for the Sun Devils as a freshman this season and held his own. He finished with a .249 batting average to go with three homers and 27 RBI.

    Brett Sullivan – INF – 6’0 175
    Pacific
    Freshman

    Sullivan joined older brother Tyler in the Pacific lineup this season and made himself right at home with a huge debut. Sullivan hit a team-best .357, smacked four home runs, hit a team-best 24 extra-base hits and drove in a team-high 40 runs.

    Stephen Wrenn – OF – 6’2 180
    Georgia
    Freshman

    Wrenn was drafted in the 27th round last year by his hometown Braves but opted to stick with his commitment to Georgia. He started 55 games as a freshman and hit .254 with 20 RBI. He set a school record for an outfielder with a perfect fielding percentage.

    Posted on

    Three Comebacks and an Ace

    Chatham snapped a five-game skid at the right time, winning 6-0 in its playoff opener.

     
    If all the days of the Cape Cod Baseball League playoffs are like day one, we’re in for an exciting week.

    Three of the four games featured comebacks and were decided by a run. The other featured an ace pitching like one and a top team getting back on track. Chatham and Harwich were victorious in the East while Hyannis and Falmouth came out on top in the West.

    Chatham 6, Y-D 0

    On a night when he received the P.F.C. Whitehouse Award as the league’s Most Outstanding Pitcher, Chatham’s Lukas Schiraldi (Navarro) pitched like he deserved it. Schiraldi, who grew increasingly dominant as the summer went on, struck out six and allowed just two hits in seven scoreless innings as Chatham cruised past Y-D.

    Schiraldi was kind of the last man standing among the league’s best pitchers, with Jaron Long signing, and Jeff Hoffman and Erick Fedde departing early. But Schiraldi, who did not make the all-star team, wasn’t just the best of the rest. He was tremendous, especially late in the year. He allowed just five earned runs all summer while winning the league’s ERA title. In his last two starts of the regular season, Schiraldi went 12 scoreless innings.

    The streak continued in the playoffs. Schiraldi allowed a double to D.J. Stewart (Florida State), a single to Alex Blandino (Stanford) and nothing else. Mitch Merten (UC Irvine) followed him to the mound and kept it up, going two hitless innings to finish it off.

    The Anglers, who lost five in a row to end the regular season, also woke up the offense. Dante Flores (USC) hit a grand slam in the second inning, and the Anglers never looked back. Connor Joe (San Diego) added a home run and Ryan Plourde (Fairfield), a recent arrival from the NECBL, drove in a run.

    In game two today, Chatham sends Tommy Lawrence (Maine) to the hill against Y-D’s James Kaprielian (UCLA), one of the top freshmen pitchers in the league.

     

    Hyannis 4, Bourne 3

    Kyle Freeland (Evansville) and Ryan Kellogg (Arizona State) staged a pitching duel for the playoff annals, but the game came down to a late rally by the Harbor Hawks. Trailing 3-1, Hyannis scored three runs in the eighth to win 4-3. Is anyone surprised it was a one-run game? Hyannis won eight of them in the regular season.

    Freeland, the Cape’s strikeout king, had pitched in relief more than he had started late in the season, but he got the ball for the opener and didn’t disappoint. Freeland struck out 10 and allowed just three hits and an unearned run in seven innings of work.

    Kellogg matched him, striking out six and allowing one run in seven innings.

    When Freeland and Kellogg departed, the offenses came to life. Bourne scored two in the top of the eighth to take the lead, but Hyannis answered with a decisive three-run rally. Tyler Spoon (Arkansas) doubled in Dominic Jose (Stanford), Ryan Padilla (New Mexico) scored the tying run on a wild pitch and Austin Slater (Stanford) knocked in Spoon with the go-ahead run on a base hit.

    Jordan Foley (Central Michigan), who had given up the two runs in the eighth, returned to the mound in the ninth and closed the door, working around a two-out walk and striking out two to seal the victory.

    Game two is slated for 6 p.m. in Bourne. Cy Sneed (Dallas Baptist), who went six scoreless in his last start, goes for Hyannis against Kyle Kubat (Nebraska), who lost his last three starts but has generally been solid.

     

    Falmouth 6, Cotuit 5

    Cotuit looked like it might spring the upset, but Falmouth rallied from a 5-1 deficit to win 6-5.

    Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) went 3-for-4 with three RBI to lead the comeback charge. Dylan Davis (Oregon State) and Troy Stein (Texas A&M) also had two hits, and the Commodores took advantage of three Cotuit errors.

    Cotuit got a home run from Danny Diekroeger (Stanford) on its way to the lead, but didn’t score in the final four innings. Preston Johnson (Chipola), Brent Stong (Bradley), Jared Price (Maryland), and Hunter Brothers (Lipscomb) combined on the shutout bullpen performance. Price got the win and Brothers picked up the save.

    In game two this afternoon, Falmouth will start John Means (West Virginia), who’s been the team’s best pitcher. Cotuit goes with Evan Beal (South Carolina), who had four strong starts in five tries.

     

    Harwich 6, Orleans 5

    Third-seeded Harwich pulled off the day’s only upset when it came back from a 5-4 deficit after blowing a 4-1 lead.

    Ian Happ (Cincinnati) and Tanner English (South Carolina) homered for the Mariners, with Happ going 3-for-3. English’s home run came in the sixth and turned the 5-4 deficit into a 6-5 lead.

    The one-run cushion was enough for Johnathan Frebis (Middle Tennessee State), who struck out six in four scoreless innings after relieving Dillon Peters (Texas).

    Orleans got a grand slam from Jordan Betts (Duke) to take its lead but didn’t score from the fourth inning on.

    Bobby Poyner (Florida), who probably takes the ace label for Orleans, goes tonight at Whitehouse Field as the Firebirds try to stay alive. Nick Howard (Virginia), who’s working an 11-inning scoreless streak, starts for Harwich.

     

    Posted on

    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.
     

    Posted on

    Playoffs?

    Jay Baum and Hyannis have already secured a playoff spot.

     
    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.

     

    Chatham 10, Falmouth 4

    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.

     

    Orleans 6, Brewster 1

    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.

     

    Bourne 8, Y-D 1

    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.

     

    What to Watch

    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.