Posted on

Bringing the bats

ORL15_file

 

Pitching is often ahead of hitting in the early days of a summer league season, but that wasn’t really the case on opening night in the Cape Cod Baseball League Friday. Every team scored at least two runs and the longest outing by any pitcher was five innings.

The team that did the most scoring is a familiar one.

After watching 10 standouts from last year’s 30-win, offensive juggernaut go in the first four rounds of the Major League Draft, the new Orleans Firebirds didn’t miss a beat. With 15 hits, they broke things open in the late innings in a 9-4 victory over Brewster at Stony Brook Field.

It was a familiar name – though maybe not to Orleans fans – who led the charge. Former Wareham Gateman Logan Sowers (Indiana) – who hit under .200 in 29 games last summer – got nearly a fourth of last year’s season total in hits in one night. Coming off a bounce-back spring in which he hit eight home runs, Sowers went 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI. Each of his hits knocked in a run.

Riley Mahan (Kentucky) also had a fast start, going 4-for-6, knocking in one and scoring three runs from the No. 2 hole. Joe Baker (Texas) added two hits and two RBI and Riley Adams (San Diego) also chipped in two hits. Drew Lugbauer (Michigan) and Dane Hutcheon (Montevallo) had one RBI each, with Lugbauer plating the first run of the Cape League season.

Lefty Sean Guenther (Notre Dame) was the beneficiary of the hot start, allowing one run in five innings for the opening night win. He struck out four and surrendered two hits. Relievers Connor Alexander (Memphis) and Logan Roberts (Lane CC) finished the job.

While Brewster managed only four runs, it did show some pop. Ryan Noda (Cincinnati) and Matt Davis (VCU) both homered.

 

Falmouth 7, Chatham 4

Even a great pitching matchup wasn’t immune to an offensive opening night as Falmouth beat Chatham and North Carolina star J.B. Bukauskas. Falmouth scored five runs off Bukauskas in 4.2 innings, though only three were earned. Bukauskas, who is also a Team USA invite, struck out eight, more than any pitcher in the league on opening night, but took the loss. Falmouth starter Brady Puckett, a standout at Lipscomb this spring, surrendered three runs in four innings of work and saw Chatham jump to a 3-0 lead. But a four-run sixth inning sent the Commodores on their way. Willie Burger (Penn State) homered for Falmouth while leadoff man Kevin Merrell (South Florida) went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and Matt McLaughlin (Kansas) had two hits. Brendan King (Holy Cross) got the win in relief and Stephen Villines (Kansas) – who saved six games for Falmouth last year – notched his first this season. Falmouth got three hits and two RBI from Gunnar Troutwine (Wichita State).
 

Harwich 8, Cotuit 3

Cotuit made three errors in the first two innings as Harwich jumped to a 7-2 lead. The Mariners went on to the 8-3 win. Austin Filiere, a star at MIT and a rare Engineer to earn a Cape League spot, made his debut count by blasting a three-run home run in his first at-bat. A bases-loaded triple by Logan Farrar (VCU) in the second inning broke things open. Filiere and Farrar also scored one run each while Nick Dalesandro (Purdue) had three hits and three runs scored. Cotuit got early RBI from Jordan Pearce (Nevada) and Ben Ruta (Wagner) but Harwich starter Hunter Williams (North Carolina) settled in and allowed just those two runs in five innings, with five strikeouts. Keith Rogalla (Creighton) started for Cotuit and allowed eight runs, but only one was charged as earned. Ross Achter (Toledo) pitched three scoreless innings of relief.
 

Wareham 6, Y-D 3

Colton Shaver (BYU) had probably the best spring of any Cape League player in action Friday and he got his summer off to a roaring start as Wareham beat defending champion Y-D. Shaver, who hit 10 home runs for BYU this year, homered and went 2-for-4 with three RBI in leading an 11-hit Wareham attack. The homer sparked a three-run sixth inning that put the Gatemen in control. Niko Buentello (Auburn) added three hits and an RBI while Brett Netzer (Charlotte) also homered. Jake Fishman (Union College) allowed one run in five innings for the win. For Y-D, Matt Winaker (Stanford) hit a home run and Kevin Smith (Maryland) had two hits.
 

Bourne 3, Hyannis 2

The only low-scoring game of opening night was also the most dramatic as Bourne walked off (literally) with a 3-2 win over Hyannis. The Braves were out-hit 12-6, but the game was tied 2-2 in the ninth when Connor Wong (Houston) drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the winning run. The walkoff made a winner out of Zach Cook (Winthrop) who pitched 2.1 scoreless innings of relief after a scoreless relief outing by David Drouin (Hartford). Starter J.T. Perez (Cincinnati) pitched well with seven strikeouts and two runs allowed in five innings. Zach Rutherford (Old Dominion) had three hits and an RBI to lead the Harbor Hawks.
 

What to Watch

Orleans and Wareham, two of the hottest teams Friday, will square off at Eldredge Park at 7 p.m. Joe Ryan, who had a solid spring for Cal State Northridge, goes for the Firebirds against Nick Sprengel (San Diego), who had a high ERA but struck out more than a batter an inning in his freshman year with the Toreros.
 

Posted on

Firebirds building on big year

Screen shot 2016-06-05 at 9
 
 
The 2015 Firebirds were one of those once-in-a-few-years Cape League teams that more closely resembles an all-star squad, and the result was 31 wins. With nobody back from that team, the 2016 Firebirds have a tough act to follow.

Five to Watch

1. Riley Adams
2. Michael Mediavilla
3. Zach Warren
4. Chandler Day
5. Zach Kirtley

Notable

  • Vanderbilt’s Donny Everett, who died in a drowning accident last week, was slated to play for Orleans this summer. The Firebirds Twitter account joined the college baseball community in offering condolences.

  • Two other Commodores, Chandler Day and Ethan Paul, will head for Orleans. Day is a highly-touted freshman pitcher, while Paul had a solid season in the Vanderbilt infield.

  • Zach Willeman followed Eric Lauer to the mound a few times this season for Kent State and will follow his footsteps to Orleans this summer. Lauer was terrific for the Firebirds last year and even better for the Golden Flashes this spring. Willeman was the Kent State closer.

  • The Kent State connection isn’t the only one from last year’s Orleans’ rotation. Kyle Serrano’s Tennessee teammate Zach Warren is bound for Orleans after a pretty good sophomore season

  • Gonzaga’s Eli Morgan had the best starting pitching numbers among incoming Firebirds, going 10-2 with 99 strikeouts.

  • Will Stokes isn’t even the official closer at Ole Miss. That job belongs to former Falmouth Commodore Wyatt Short, but Stokes still managed to save seven games. He and Short combined for 18.

  • Miami has been one of the best teams in the nation and Michael Mediavilla has certainly pulled his weight. He’s 10-1 on the year and went seven strong innings in a regional win Saturday.

  • San Diego catcher Riley Adams is one of just five sophomores among the 15 Johnny Bench Award semifinalists. He had a strong sophomore campaign, improving across the board from a freshman season that was also pretty good.

  • Virginia’s Adam Haseley was a key part of last year’s College World Series championship, but he and the 2016 Cavaliers were bounced out of their own regional Sunday by East Carolina.

  • Brian Miller, North Carolina infielder, is not to be confused with Brian Miller, Vanderbilt reliever who starred for Cotuit in 2013. This Miller looks like he could be a fixture at the top of the Orleans order after hitting .345 and stealing 21 bases.

    • PITCHERS

    Brandon Bielak – SO – Notre Dame – Struck out almost a batter an inning with 2.10 ERA pitching mostly out in relief
    Chandler Day – FR – Vanderbilt – Highly-touted, projectable freshman held his own in debut, with 4.26 ERA in 10 appearances
    Sean Guenther – SO – Notre Dame – Saved five games as a freshman before pitching mostly as a starter with 4.62 ERA this year
    Calvin LeBrun – SO – Gonzaga – Went 5-4 with 4.97 ERA while pitching mostly out of the bullpen for Zags
    Zach Logue – SO – Kentucky – Split time as reliever and starter and posted 2.68 ERA, 38 Ks
    Kirk McCarty – SO – Southern Miss – Ace of Golden Eagle’s staff is 8-1 with 3.15 ERA and 89 strikeouts
    Michael Mediavilla – SO – Miami – Saturday starter leads ‘Canes in strikeouts with 69 and holds 10-1 record with 3.23 ERA
    Eli Morgan – SO – Gonzaga – Second-best starter for Bulldogs went 10-2, 3.66 ERA, 99 Ks in 103.1 innings
    Jason Morgan – SO – North Carolina – Weekend starter went 3-3 with 4.10 ERA and 47 Ks
    Joe Ryan – SO – Cal State Northridge – Pitched as both starter and reliever and finished with 3.35 ERA
    Kevin Smith – FR – Georgia – Went 5-1 in swing role with 3.91 ERA, 40 Ks for Bulldogs
    John Sparks – SO – Austin Peay – Struggled out of the pen for Governors, finishing with ERA over 10
    Will Stokes – SO – Ole Miss – Has saved seven games with 2.93 ERA in team-high 30 appearances
    Zach Warren – SO – Tennessee – Had solid season in weekend rotation with 4.04 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 58 Ks
    Zach Willeman – SO – Kent State – Finished top 10 in the nation in saves with 14 while posting 2.70 ERA

    CATCHERS

    Riley Adams – SO – San Diego – Had terrific season for Toreros, batting .327 with 6 HR, team-best 25 extra-base hits
    Drew Lugbauer – SO – Michigan – Standout in NECBL last summer hit .294 with 7 home runs as a sophomore

    INFIELDERS

    Joe Baker – SO – Texas – Followed strong freshman year with bit of a sophomore slump, finishing at .245 with 1 HR
    Garrett Benge – SO – Oklahoma State – Solid performer for Cowboys hitting .298 with four homers
    Will Golsan – SO – Ole Miss – Has started every game but one for Rebels and is batting .273 with three homers, 31 RBI
    Zach Kirtley – SO – St. Mary’s – Starred as a freshman and was top player for tourney team this year – .326, 7 HR, 43 RBI
    Riley Mahan – SO – Kentucky – Followed all-star campaign in Perfect Game League with .316, 5 HR sophomore season
    Ethan Paul – SO – Vanderbilt – Fourth-leading hitter for Commodores with .283 AVG, 4 HR, 9 SB

    OUTFIELDERS

    Adam Haseley – SO – Virginia – Omaha standout in championship run last year still hot, with .304 AVG and 1.73 ERA as a pitcher
    Scott Hurst – SO – Cal State Fullerton – Hitting .214 in 50 games for Titans
    Garrett McCain – SO – Oklahoma State – Batting .203 in part-time duty for Cowboys
    Keegan McGovern – SO – Georgia – Hit .263 with 6 HR, team-best 35 RBI in sophomore campaign
    Brian Miller – SO – North Carolina – Led Tar Heels with .345 AVG and stole 21 bases in 26 tries
    Sean Watkins – SO – Loyola Marymount – Hit .256 at the plate, saved seven games with 2.86 ERA out of bullpen