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Beating the Best

Richard Martin Jr. scored what proved to be the winning run as Bourne beat Harwich.
Richard Martin Jr. scored what proved to be the winning run as Bourne beat Harwich.

 

Harwich has been the most well-rounded team in the league so far this summer, with the most runs scored in the league and by far the fewest allowed. They’ve also shined in close games, winning two one-run games and two-run three-run games.

But Bourne gave the Mariners a taste of their own medicine on Friday.

The Braves scored two runs in the fifth, allowed one in the bottom half of the same inning and then slammed the door, beating Harwich 2-1. It was just the second loss for the Mariners, who dropped to 7-2. Bourne, now 6-3, grabbed hold of first place in the West.

After getting shut-out through four by Harwich starter Jake Drossner (Maryland) Bourne scored its first run on an RBI groundout by Billy Fleming (West Virginia). Richard Martin Jr. (Florida) then raced home on a passed ball, which would prove to be a huge run.

Harwich got one back on a Kyle Barrett (Kentucky) RBI single, but Bourne starter Travis Bergen (Kennesaw State) got Skye Bolt (North Carolina) to groundout to end the fifth.

From there, the Braves bullpen took over, with Thomas Hatch (Oklahoma State) and Joey Strain (Winthrop) combining to allow just one hit over the final four innings. Bergen got the win after striking out seven in five innings. Strain picked up the save.

 

Orleans 3, Cotuit 0

Orleans won by shutout for the third time this season in a 3-0 victory over Cotuit. Trevor Megill (Loyola Marymount) went one scoreless frame before Nathan Bannister (Arizona) turned in his second straight four-inning stint of shutout baseball. Bannister was credited with the win. Reilly Hovis (North Carolina), Bobby Dalbec (Arizona) and Jacob Cronenworth (Michigan) finished out the shutout. David Fletcher (Loyola Marymount) led the offense with two hits and an RBI, while Edwin Rios (Florida International) picked up his league-leading ninth RBI.

 

Brewster 4, Y-D 1

The Whitecaps topped Y-D for their second straight win, improving to 5-4. Justin Montemayor (Houston) went 3-for-4 with an RBI, Gio Brusa (Pacific) went 2-for-4 and scored two runs, and Josh Vidales (Houston) went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Brewster scored three runs against Y-D starter Michael Murray (Florida Gulf Coast), who was one of the top pitchers in the nation this spring. On the mound for the Whitecaps, Ryan McCormick (St. John’s) allowed just a run on four hits in 5.2 innings.

 

Wareham 7, Hyannis 5

Wareham also won its second straight, holding off a late charge by Hyannis for a 7-5 victory. Andrew Knizner (NC State) went 3-for-4 with three RBI while Chris Chinea (LSU) drove in two. The Gatemen have put up double-digit hits in four consecutive games and now lead the league in hits with 89. On the mound, Ryan Olson (San Diego) gave up four runs but only one earned in 4.2 innings. Andrew Zapata (Connecticut) got the win in relief with Scott Effross (Indiana) grabbing the save. Hyannis got a home run from Ben DeLuzio (Florida State).

 

Chatham 3, Falmouth 3

The first tie of the Cape League season happened after 12 innings in Falmouth. The Commodores trailed until the eighth, when they took a 3-2 lead. Chatham answered with a run in the top of the ninth and that was it for the scoring. Matt Eureste (San Jacinto North) went 4-for-6 atop the Commodore lineup and now leads the league in hitting with a .500 average. Steven Duggar (Clemson) drove in two runs. Nicholas Cooney (Wesleyan) pitched six strong innings, while Matt Eckelman (St. Louis) kept Chatham off the board for the final three. Chatham’s Zac Gallen (North Carolina) went six shutout innings, allowing three hits and striking out three. Ty Moore (UCLA), A.J. Murray (Georgia Tech), Kal Simmons (Kennesaw State) and Landon Cray (Seattle) had two hits each.

 

What to Watch

Wareham will visit Orleans as it tries to win its third straight behind perhaps it best pitcher, Kentucky’s Kyle Cody. He struck out six in three innings in his first start. The Firebirds counter with Kolton Mahoney (BYU) who struck out seven in four innings of relief in his only other appearance.

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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.