Their Number

Orleans celebrates a run in one of its victories over Harwich.

The Harwich Mariners have been in first place in the Cape League’s Eastern Division since the opening night play ball, partly because they’ve cruised through a lot of their competition in the East. Harwich is 6-0 against Chatham, Brewster and Yarmouth-Dennis.

But Orleans is just a game back of Harwich, as close as anyone’s been in a while, and there’s a reason for that too. While Harwich is unbeaten against three of its division rivals, it’s winless against the fourth. Orleans moved to 3-0 against Harwich this season with a 3-1 victory on Saturday night.

The teams didn’t have their first meeting this year until two weeks in, when Orleans won 7-5 thanks to two David Thompson (Miami) home runs. Four days later, Orleans pounded 17 hits in a rare poor performance by a Harwich starting pitcher and won 15-8.

On Saturday, after the washed-out Fourth of July, Orleans sent budding ace Kolton Mahoney (BYU) to the hill and set the course for another victory. Mahoney, the league’s strikeout leader, went five scoreless innings, allowing just two singles and striking out four to pick up the win. He’s now tied for the league lead in wins, leads in strikeouts and ranks fourth in ERA.

Orleans gave him a lead with a run in the fourth and two in the fifth off Harwich starter Jason Inghram (William & Mary), who came in with a 2.35 ERA. Johnny Sewald (Arizona), David Fletcher (Loyola Marymount) and Thompson each knocked in a run. Cole Peragine (Stony Brook) added two hits. Mitchell Tolman (Oregon) went 1-for-4 and continued the league lead in on-base percentage at .509. He has reached base in every game he’s played this summer.

Armed with a lead, the Orleans bullpen cruised through the last four innings, allowing four hits in that span. Harwich didn’t have an extra-base hit in the game. Sam Moore (UC Irvine), the NCAA saves leader this year, made his fourth appearance since arriving from Omaha, and picked up his first Cape League save.

Jacob Evans (Oklahoma) was a bright spot for Harwich, striking out six in four scoreless innings of relief. He has not allowed a run in 16 innings of relief this summer.

But this night belonged to Orleans. The Firebirds are now 12-9, one game back of Harwich.

Bourne 5, Y-D 0

While Harwich went down, Bourne shut out Y-D to reclaim the best record in the league label. Travis Bergen (Kennesaw State) struck out six and allowed just two singles in six scoreless innings. Bergen had been touched up for five runs in his last start. Dylan Nelson (Radford) and Joey Strain (Winthrop) followed him to the hill and finished off the shutout. The Braves offense backed Bergen with four early runs. Richard Martin Jr. (Florida) hit his first home run of the summer while Gavin Collins (Mississippi State) had two hits. Blake Davey (Connecticut), Brett Sullivan (Pacific) and Stephen Wrenn (Georgia) drove in one run apiece. Bourne has won three in a row after dropping three straight before that.

Falmouth 14, Hyannis 3

Much like Orleans and Harwich, Falmouth has had Hyannis’ number. The Commodores picked up their third win in 10 days against the Harbor Hawks with their most lopsided victory of the season. They led 6-1 in the eighth when they exploded for eight runs to pull away. Austin Afenir (Oral Roberts) led the attack with a 4-for-4, two RBI night, and Sam Gillikin (Auburn) added three hits. Ten different players had at least one RBI. Alex Young (TCU), who had a great spring as a reliever in Fort Worth, made his first Cape League start and allowed just one run in five innings. Three relievers tossed scoreless innings, with Nicholas Cooney (Wesleyan) striking out the side in his stint. Hyannis has lost five in a row, and Falmouth is now ahead of the Harbor Hawks for second place in the West.

Chatham 7, Brewster 2

The Anglers kept pace in the tightening East race with a 7-2 victory over Brewster. Chatham is now 11-9-1, one point back of Orleans for second. Ty Moore (UCLA) homered to lead the offense, while Nick Collins (Georgetown) went 3-for-4 and Kevin Fagan (Stetson) drove in three runs. A.J. Murray (Georgia Tech) went 1-for-4 and now owns a 10-game hitting streak. On the mound for Chatham, Max Tishman (Wake Forest) turned in another solid performance, scattering eight hits and allowing one run in six innings of work. Tishman, who leads the Anglers in innings pitched, has a 2.14 ERA.

Wareham 7, Cotuit 3

Kyle Cody (Kentucky) followed up a dominant start with a very good one, striking out nine and giving up three runs in eight innings as Wareham topped Cotuit. Cody struck out six in seven scoreless innings in his last start. Cotuit touched him up for three early runs this time, but he was back to dominance after that, allowing just two hits from the fourth inning on. Scott Effross (Indiana) pitched a scoreless ninth to finish off the win. The Wareham offense got two RBI from Willie Calhoun (Arizona) and two hits and an RBI from Kramer Robertson (LSU).

What to Watch

First-place Bourne and a hot Falmouth team will meet at Doran Park at 6 p.m. Andrew Sopko (Gonzaga), who’s been strong all summer, makes his fourth start for Bourne. Falmouth trots out Ryan Moseley (Texas Tech), who allowed three runs in his only start of the summer.

June 29, 2014June 29, 2014

Big Arms

Nick Halamandaris makes a play at first earlier this season.

Pitchers have certainly held their own in the Cape League this season, but there haven’t been a ton of dominant performances. Before Saturday’s games, the league’s strikeout leader was a relief pitcher.

But on opposite ends of the Cape Saturday, two pitchers added a little dominance to the equation.

In Falmouth, Wareham’s Kyle Cody (Kentucky) struck out six in seven shutout innings as the Gatemen beat Falmouth 4-0. In Orleans, Kolton Mahoney (BYU) struck out 11 in six innings as the Firebirds beat Y-D 6-3.

Scouts and people who have seen Cody in the past have been waiting for a performance like this. Despite the fact that he pitched only nine innings for Wareham last summer, Perfect Game still picked him as the Cape League’s 30th-best prospect.

The 6-foot-7 righty had pitched 4.1 innings this summer, but broke out with the big performance on Saturday. He allowed three singles, walked one and threw 67 of 91 pitches for strikes.

Scott Effross (Indiana) followed him to the hill and followed suit, striking out four in two scoreless innings to finish off the shutout. The Wareham offense got RBI from Jake Little (Memphis) and Nick Halamandaris (California).

In Orleans, Mahoney has been strong all summer, having gone six scoreless innings in his last start. The 23rd-round pick this year also tossed a no-hitter for BYU this spring.

Last night, he allowed one hit through five scoreless innings before Jordan Tarsovich (VMI) smacked a game-tying, three-run home run in the sixth. But after the home run, Mahoney struck out the final two batters he faced and his offense rallied immediately with a run in the bottom of the sixth to put him in line for the win. The 11 strikeouts put Mahoney in the league lead with 24 on the year.

Kyle Twomey (USC) and Jacob Cronenworth (Michigan) relieved Mahoney and finished off the victory. Edwin Rios (Florida International) and Bobby Dalbec (Arizona) both homered to lead the Firebirds offense.

Cotuit 3, Harwich 1

Cotuit also got a pretty good pitching performance as Logan James (Stanford) allowed one run in five innings with six strikeouts. Adam Whitt (Nevada), who’s been one of the best relievers in the league, struck out seven batters in just 2.2 innings. Jeff Kinley (Michigan State) picked up a save with 1.1 scoreless innings. The Kettleers got an RBI each from Jake Fincher (NC State) and Jeremy Taylor (East Tennessee State). The Kettleers have won two in a row and are now at .500 with an 8-8 mark.

Hyannis 6, Bourne 2

The Harbor Hawks got solid pitching, steady offense and five stolen bases in a victory over West-leading Bourne. The Harbor Hawks are now 10-6, just one game back of the Braves. Blake Hickman (Iowa) allowed two runs and struck out four in five innings. He left with the lead, and reliever Marcus Brakeman (Stanford) kept it thanks to four scoreless frames. David Houser (Tennessee) led the offense with two hits and three RBI. Austin Slater (Stanford) also had two hits. For Bourne, Harrison Bader (Florida) homered.

Brewster 5, Chatham 4

Wade Wass (Alabama) hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning to give Brewster its first lead of the game, and the Whitecaps held on from there to win 5-4. The homer was part of a three-hit, four RBI night for Wass, who was batting just .179 coming into the game. Braden Bishop (Washington) and Kevin Martir (Maryland) added two hits each for the Whitecaps. Andrew Naderer (Grand Canyon) struck out five in in three innings of relief and Evan Hill (Michigan) pitched a scoreless ninth.

What to Watch

Orleans, winners of three straight, is now in second place in the East and will visit first-place Harwich tonight at 5:30 p.m. Bobby Poyner (Florida) starts for Orleans, with Jared Poche’ (LSU) going for Harwich.

June 21, 2014June 21, 2014

Beating the Best

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.

June 11, 2014June 11, 2014

Wareham Looking to Regain Form

Wareham followed up one of the franchise’s most memorable seasons with one of its most forgettable. After winning the Cape League title in 2012, the Gatemen just didn’t have the horses last year and won only nine games. They finished second-to-last in the league in both batting average and ERA, an easy recipe for a rough season.

As 2014 rolls around, the Gatemen would love a step back in the right direction, and they’re bound to get it just based on how much they struggled last year. If things come together well, they may get a good-sized step.

Four players return from last year, including two SEC pitchers who could anchor the rotation in Kyle Cody and Trey Killian. The lineup lacks the thumpers that Wareham had in 2012, but there’s some certainly some potential.

For the Gatemen, there’s nowhere to go but up.

THE SKINNY

Manager: Cooper Farris
Last Year: 9-33; Missed playoffs
Returning Players: 4
Juniors: 2
Sophomores: 10
Freshmen: 9

NOTABLE

Kentucky’s Kyle Cody pitched all of nine innings with the Gatemen last summer but made enough of an impression to check in on the league’s top prospect lists. This could be a big summer for him.

Wareham got a longer look at Trey Killian last year and had to like what they saw. He struck out nearly a batter an inning in the Gatemen rotation and will be a good bet for an even better summer this year.

Indiana’s Scott Effross may have the inside track at the closer’s job, based on college numbers. He’s saved five games each of the past two years.

It wasn’t too long ago that Wareham brought in UConn stars George Springer and Matt Barnes. Anthony Kay and Andrew Zapata may not be at their level, but the freshman pitchers are coming off solid debuts.

Elliot Surrey has been the second-best starting pitcher for a talented UC Irvine team that is headed to Omaha.

Also headed to Omaha are the Louisville Cardinals, who have three players pegged for Wareham. All would provide a boost, so the Gatemen will be waiting.

Texas-San Antonio catcher John Bormann was a 19th-round pick of the Angels in last week’s MLB draft.

If Bormann is in town, Wareham will have a dynamic catching duo. The other half is Rice junior John Clay Reeves, a juco transfer who was Conference USA’s Newcomer of the Year this season. LSU’s Chris Chinea can also catch but could bounce around the diamond as well.

FIVE TO WATCH

1. Kyle Cody
2. Trey Killian
3. John Clay Reeves
4. Elliot Surrey
5. John Bormann

PITCHERS

*Kyle Cody – RHP – 6’7 245 – Kentucky – Sophomore
Scott Effross – RHP – 6’2 195 – Indiana – Sophomore
Max Engelbrekt – LHP – 6’3 200 – Oregon State – Sophomore
Myles Gentry – RHP – 6’0 200 – Mississippi State – Sophomore
Drew Harrington – LHP – 6’1 215 – Louisville – Freshman
Anthony Kay – LHP – 6’1 185 – Connecticut – Freshman
*Trey Killian – RHP – 6’3 205 – Arkansas – Sophomore
Ryan Olson – RHP – 6’3 185 – San Diego – Freshman
Elliot Surrey – LHP – 5’11 185 – UC Irvine – Sophomore
Andrew Zapata – RHP – 6’0 190 – Connecticut – Freshman
* – returning player

Kyle Cody – RHP – 6’7 245
Kentucky
Sophomore

Cody worked his way into Kentucky’s weekend rotation by the time conference play hit last season, starting the emergence that has him among the best sophomore arms in the country. He played briefly for Wareham last summer and offered a tantalizing glimpse for scouts. Perfect Game rated him as the Cape’s 30th-best prospect. This spring, he started six games and made 12 relief appearances, posting a 2.84 ERA.

Scott Effross – RHP – 6’2 195
Indiana
Sophomore

Effross saved five games with a 2.44 ERA last year en route to Freshman All-America honors. The 11th-best prospect in the Great Lakes Collegiate League, Effross followed up with an even better sophomore campaign. He saves five games again while dropping his ERA to 1.98. He struck out 40 and walked just 11 in 54 innings.

Max Engelbrekt – LHP – 6’3 200
Oregon State
Sophomore

Engelbrekt has been a valuable left-handed arm out of the bullpen throughout his stay in Corvallis. He made 17 appearances this year and posted a 2.84 ERA.

Myles Gentry – RHP – 6’0 200
Mississippi State
Sophomore

A Mississippi high school standout, Gentry jumped into the Bulldogs pen as a freshman and turned in a strong season, limiting opponents to a .200 batting average and posting a 3.69 ERA. This year, he had a 4.78 ERA in 20 appearances.

Drew Harrington – LHP – 6’1 215
Louisville
Freshman

Kentucky’s Gatorade Player of the Year in 2013, Harrington has flashed his potential in his freshman season with the Omaha-bound Cardinals. Though his ERA is 4.95 in 21 appearances, he has struck out 34 and walked only seven 36.1 innings.

Anthony Kay – LHP – 6’1 185
Connecticut
Freshman

Kay was drafted in the 29th round by the Mets but stuck with UConn and had a strong first season in a swing role. He had a 3.49 ERA and struck out 56 in 67 innings. He was second on the team in strikeouts.

Trey Killian – RHP – 6’3 205
Arkansas
Sophomore

The top high school prospect in the state of Arkansas in 2012, Killian made a splash for the Razorbacks last spring when he posted a 3.19 ERA in a swing role. He moved into the weekend rotation full-time this year and didn’t miss a beat, putting up a 2.30 ERA while striking out 62 in 94 innings. Killian made six starts for Wareham last summer and struck out nearly a batter an inning with an ERA a shade over four.

Ryan Olson – RHP – 6’3 185
San Diego
Freshman

Olson struck out 31 in 36 innings for the Toreros in his debut season but finished with an ERA over six.

Elliot Surrey – LHP – 5’11 185
UC Irvine
Sophomore

Surrey didn’t see a ton of innings as a freshman but has made up for lost time this year. Taking over as a weekend starter, Surrey has a 1.99 ERA and ranks second in innings pitched on the Omaha-bound UC Irvine club. He has struck out 75 and walked 27 in 108.1 innings.

Andrew Zapata – RHP – 6’0 190
Connecticut
Freshman

Another UConn freshman from New York, Zapata also pitched in a swing role and had some success in his debut season. The right finished with a 2.57 ERA despite walking one more batter than he struck out.

POSITION PLAYERS

John Bormann – C – 6’0 200 – Texas-San Antonio – Junior
Willie Calhoun – INF – 5’9 180 – Arizona – Freshman
*Christopher Chinea – C – 6’0 215 – LSU – Sophomore
Nick Halamandaris – INF – 6’1 225 – California – Sophomore
Anderson Miller – OF/LHP – 6’3 205 – Western Kentucky – Sophomore
Corey Ray – OF – 6’0 190 – Louisville – Freshman
John Clay Reeves – C – 6’0 200 – Rice – Junior
Kramer Robertson – INF – 5’10 170 – LSU – Freshman
Errol Robinson – INF – 5’11 170 – Mississippi – Freshman
*Danny Rosenbaum – INF – 6’1 200 – Louisville – Sophomore
Charlie Warren – OF/RHP – 6’2 185 – Rice – Freshman
* – returning player

John Bormann – C – 6’0 200
Texas-San Antonio
Junior

Bormann was just selected by the Angels in the 19th round of this year’s draft. If he plays in Wareham, he’ll come in off a strong junior season. Bormann hit .288 with four homers and 24 RBI.

Willie Calhoun – INF – 5’9 180
Arizona
Freshman

Calhoun was a 17th-round pick of Tampa Bay last season but headed to Arizona. He finished his freshman year with a .247 batting average.

Christopher Chinea – C – 6’0 215
LSU
Sophomore

Chinea hit .247 as a freshman in part-time duty last year. After holding his own with Wareham, he made more solid contributions to the Tigers this year. He hit .250 with two homers.

Nick Halamandaris – INF – 6’1 225
California
Sophomore

Halamandaris was an eighth-round pick of the Mariners out of high school but has yet to make big waves at Cal. After hitting just over .200 last year, he batted .244 this year.

Anderson Miller – OF/LHP – 6’3 205
Western Kentucky
Sophomore

Miller was off to a strong start in his freshman year before it was cut short due to injury. Upon returning this year, he picked up where he had left off in a big way. Miller hit .335 with three homers, 18 extra-base hits and 33 RBI. He was a second-team all-Sun Belt selection.

Corey Ray – OF – 6’0 190
Louisville
Freshman

Ray was Seattle’s 33rd round pick last year but the Chicago native headed to Louisville. With the Cards, he has forced his way into more and more playing time thanks to a .347 batting average, a .434 OBP and eight extra-base hits.

John Clay Reeves – C – 6’0 200
Rice
Junior

Reeves started his career at Arkansas before a stint at Navarro Junior College last year. He burst onto the scene at Rice this year, hitting .317 with six homers en route to the Conference USA Newcomer of the Year award. Reeves has also been praised for his work behind the plate.

Kramer Robertson – INF – 5’10 170
LSU
Freshman

The son of Baylor women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey, Robertson headed East after a strong high school career in Texas. He played in 47 games for the Tigers this spring, starting 30 of them, and hit .200.

Errol Robinson – INF – 5’11 170
Mississippi
Freshman

A Maryland native, Robinson has had a strong debut in Oxford. Playing regularly for the CWS-bound Rebels, Robinson has a .290 batting average.

Danny Rosenbaum – INF – 6’1 200
Louisville
Sophomore

Rosenbaum has been one of the top hitters in a loaded Louisville lineup that begins play in the College World Series this week. The sophomore is batting .297 with 11 extra-base hits and 24 RBI. He played in Wareham last summer and hit .246.

Charlie Warren – OF/RHP – 6’2 185
Rice
Freshman

A Texas high school star, Warren started 35 games for the Owls this spring, finishing with a .264 batting average.