Streaking

Cole Freeman is now leading the league in hitting.

For all the dominant pitching in Harwich, the comeback from a tough start in Yarmouth and the steady performances in Falmouth, the summer’s longest win streak belongs to the Wareham Gatemen.

A 4-3 victory in 10 innings over Brewster Tuesday night was the seventh victory in a row for the Gatemen. Sitting at 13-14-3 before the streak began with losses in four of their last five, the Gatemen have stormed to complete control of second place in the West and cemented their spot as one of the league’s top four teams. They’re now 20-14-3.

The drama of Tuesday’s one-run, extra-inning victory was nothing new. Five of the seven victories in the streak have been one-run games. Wareham has had a knack for winning those games with late pushes and solid performances by the bullpen.

Much of Tuesday’s game had the streak in jeopardy. Brewster scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning and watched ace Zac Lowther (Xavier) strike out eight in 6.2 scoreless innings.

Wareham didn’t get on the board until the ninth inning but made up for lost time. Singles by Joey Bartosic (George Washington) and Gavin Sheets (Wake Forest) and a walk to Dominic Miroglio (San Francisco) loaded the bases with nobody out. Colton Shaver (BYU) brought a run home with a groundout and an error on a ground ball by Alex Destino (South Carolina) allowed the tying runs to score.

The Gatemen then took the lead in the 10th on three straight singles and a sacrifice fly by Miroglio. Jake Matthys (Angelo State), who had already pitched a scoreless ninth, did the same in the bottom of the 10th to seal the comeback win for the Gatemen.

Bartosic had three hits to lead the offense and Sheets had two. Freeman also had two and officially qualified for the batting title, a race that he now leads with a .387 mark. Freeman has been a key to the win streak, batting leadoff and getting 10 hits.

In addition to Matthys, Wareham got shut-down relief work before the comeback from Dalton Horton (TCU) and Clayton Gelfand (Chico State).

Harwich 7, Orleans 5

Joe Dunand (NC State) is emerging as a league MVP candidate and his latest big game helped lead Harwich to a key win over Orleans. Dunand went 4-for-4 with a double and an RBI and is on a six-game hitting streak, bumping his average to .373. He ranks second in the league in hitting, tied for sixth in home runs and is fifth in RBI — the only player to dot all three leaderboards. Dunand’s RBI double in the third started a comeback from an early 3-1 deficit and Harwich went on to the victory. Coupled with a Y-D loss, the win means the Mariners and Red Sox are locked in a first-place tie in the East. Ernie Clement (Virginia) added three hits and two runs scored for Harwich and Jonathan India (Florida) had two hits and scored twice. The top three hitters in the order — India, Clement and Dunand — scored six of the team’s seven runs. Ryan McAuliffe (St. John’s) got the win in relief and Teddy Rodliff (Stony Brook) pitched three scoreless innings of relief to close out the win. Orleans, which dropped its fourth in a row and fell to 16-20-1, got a home run from Ethan Paul (Vanderbilt).

Falmouth 7, Hyannis 3

The Commodores trailed 1-0 from the first inning through the sixth but blasted their way to a late rally and a win over Hyannis with three runs in the seventh, three in the eighth and one in the ninth. J.J. Matijevic (Arizona) had an RBI single, Willie Burger (Penn State) a sac fly and Tristan Gray (Rice) an RBI double to key the first rally and the Commodores were off and running. Gray finished with two hits to lead the charge and Cadyn Grenier (Oregon State) added an RBI. The late surge made a winner out of Brady Puckett (Lipscomb), who allowed a run for the first time since July 1 and responded with six scoreless innings to keep it a 1-0 game. Justin Lewis (Kentucky) struck out eight in six innings for Hyannis.

Bourne 3, Cotuit 2

The Braves went to 5-0 against Cotuit this season and pushed the Kettleers closer to the brink of playoff race elimination with a comeback win at Lowell Park. Trailing 2-0 in the eighth, the Braves got three straight singles ahead of an error, a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly to grab the lead. Sean Leland (Louisville) and Brendon Little (North Carolina) pitched a scoreless inning each to keep the Braves in front and seal the win. Willy Yahn (Connecticut) and Connor Wong (Houston) led the Bourne offense with two hits each. Cotuit, which lost its second straight and fell to 12-24-1, got four good innings from standout freshman Jason Bilous (Coastal Carolina).

Chatham 5, Y-D 4

The Anglers knocked off the East’s best and moved within one game of fourth-place Brewster with a dramatic comeback from four runs down in the ninth. Gunnar Troutwine (Wichita State) got the Anglers within two on a two-run single with one out in the ninth. Y-D made it two outs, but Stuart Fairchild (Wake Forest) smacked a three-run homer on a 2-2 count to give Chatham its first lead of the game. It was the first homer of the summer for Fairchild, who came in hitting .242. Jake Palomaki (Boston College) and D.J. Artis (Liberty) added hits to the rally for Chatham, which had notched just one hit before the ninth inning. Moises Ceja (UCLA) pitched a perfect bottom of the ninth inning to complete the comeback win. For Y-D, Chatham’s comeback spoiled a dominant start from Jared Janczak (TCU), who went six scoreless innings.

What to Watch

Falmouth and Y-D, owners of the best two records in the league, square off at Arnie Allen Diamond at 6 p.m. All-star Brendan King (Holy Cross), who hasn’t allowed a run since June 24, goes for Falmouth against Bryan Sammons (Western Carolina), who has gone 13.1 scoreless innings over his last two starts.

June 24, 2016June 24, 2016

Dominant Start

There have been Cape League pitching rotations that feature three or four future Big Leaguers. There have been staffs that heat up and dominate the playoffs. But I don’t remember many teams getting on early-season pitching run like the 2016 Harwich Mariners.

At at a time when a lot of arms are still getting stretched out and rotations are being solidified, the Mariners have had a remarkable first two weeks. In 12 games – and a 10-2 start – Harwich pitchers have allowed 16 earned runs. That’s a team ERA of 1.29.

For some perspective, the best mark at the end of the season last year belonged to Hyannis at 2.53. The best of the last ten years was Orleans’ 2.21 mark in 2010.

Thursday, the Mariners were up to their usual tricks, shutting out Chatham 6-0. It was their fifth shutout, which is only one less shutout than the other nine teams in the league have combined for.

Ryan McAuliffe (St. John’s) did the honors this time. On the heels of six innings of one-run ball in his first start, McAuliffe allowed three hits in six scoreless innings this time, striking out six.

He gave way to the bullpen and watched three relievers give up just one total hit. Newcomer Austin Bain (LSU) fit right in with his bullpen-mates, tossing a perfect seventh. Nick Brown (William & Mary) pitched a perfect eighth and Ethan Landon (Michigan State) worked around a two-out single for a scoreless ninth.

At the plate, the Mariners got four hits from Ernie Clement (Virginia), who’s now hitting a league-best .426. Virginia teammate Pavin Smith added three hits and Joseph Dunand (NC State) had two hits and two RBI.

The Mariners also made only one error, which has been par for the course. They’ve made the fewest errors in the league with eight, which has made the pitching even better. The Mariners somehow have not allowed an unearned run.

Thursday’s win was the fourth in a row for Harwich, who owns the best record in the league.

Brewster 12, Hyannis 3

The Whitecaps hit double digits for the second time in three games with a lopsided win over Hyannis. Ryan Noda (Cincinnati) hit his third homer, which ranks second to teammate Matt Davis for the league lead. A.J. Graffanino (Washington) added two hits and three RBI, Bryce Jordan (LSU) knocked in two and Brent Rooker (Mississippi State) drove in a pair. Hunter Martin (Tennessee) kept the Whitecaps in front when the game was closer in the early goings, allowing two runs and striking out eight in six innings. Zac Lowther (Xavier) made his second appearance after striking out nine in 3.2 innings his first time out, and fanned one in a scoreless inning of relief.

Falmouth 11, Cotuit 2

Falmouth also brought the bats, rolling a past a Cotuit team that continues to struggle. Brady Puckett (Lipscomb) tossed six scoreless innings and Falmouth built a 3-0 lead then exploded for eight runs in the seventh inning. Bryce Johnson (Sam Houston State), Matt Duce (Dallas Baptist) and Tristan Gray (Rice) drove in two runs each for the Commodores and Willie Burger (Penn State) had three hits. Falmouth improved to 6-6 while Cotuit fell to 1-11.

Bourne 7, Wareham 7

A battle for first place in the West ended with the teams in exactly the same spot as Bourne and Wareham played to a 7-7 tie that was called after 12 innings. The Gatemen led 7-4 going into the eighth inning, but the Braves pushed a run across in the eighth and tied the game in the ninth. Neither team scored in the extra frames. Jake Mangum (Mississippi State) plated the tying run with an infield single in the ninth to score Willy Yahn (Connecticut), part of a 4-for-7 day that included two runs scored. Evan Mendoza (NC State) added three hits and two RBI for the Braves. K.J. Harrison (Oregon State) led the Wareham offense, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Recent arrival Alex Destino (South Carolina) added three hits.

Y-D 5, Orleans 1

Y-D snapped a two-game skid with a victory over Orleans. Will Gaddis (Furman) struck out seven and allowed one run in 6.1 innings for the win. Nathan Kuchta (San Diego) and Calvin Faucher (UC Irvine) combined for 2.2 scoreless innings of relief. Leadoff man Tyler Houston (Butler) homered and drove in three runs to pace the offense for the Red Sox, with Will Toffey (Vanderbilt) and Paul Rufo (Binghmaton) each going 2-for-4.

What to Watch

Good pitching meets good hitting at Stony Brook Field tonight as Harwich visits Brewster. The Mariners, as mentioned, own the league’s best ERA. Brewster has scored the most runs in the league.

If you want to follow more of the Summer Nine journey, I’m in Santa Barbara, California, today to check out the perennial California Collegiate League contender Santa Barbara Foresters. Catch up on Twitter @Summer9Book

June 18, 2016June 18, 2016

So far, yet so close

Max Burt scored what proved to be the winning run for Harwich in the 11th inning.

They are near opposites. Harwich is 6-1, Hyannis 0-7. The Mariners have scored 40 runs and allowed 13. The Harbor Hawks have scored 13 and allowed 40.

But there was little separating the two in an 11-inning classic Friday night at McKeon Park.

They played scoreless inning after scoreless inning, and though Harwich had more chances, the teams got all the way to the 11th without a run going on the board. The Mariners eventually broke through in the top of the 11th.

For Harwich, it was an impressive win that showcased the pitching that has defined the team’s hot start. Do a little math on those 13 runs allowed in seven games and you see how good Mariner hurlers have been.

For Hyannis, it had to have been a frustrating night in a frustrating start. The Harbor Hawks didn’t blink against a team that’s had a lot more early success than them but ended up with the same result that they’ve found every time out.

Both starting pitchers went five strong innings. Hunter Williams (North Carolina) allowed two hits and struck out five. Mac Sceroler (SE Louisiana) – a 36th-round pick of the Phillies in last week’s draft – struck out six and scattered six hits in his five scoreless frames.

Spencer Stockton (Jacksonville), Teddy Rodliff (Stony Brook) and Zach Schellenger (Seton Hall) combined for six innings of three-hit baseball. Al Pesto (Duke) went two scoreless innings for Hyannis and Tyler Stevens (New Mexico) was into his fourth inning when Harwich struck.

Having stranded 12 runners to that point, the Mariners got a single from Max Burt (Northeastern). A sac bunt and a groundout sent him to third. Ernie Clement (Virginia) then smacked an 0-1 pitch for a base hit to score the game’s first – and only – run.

Schellenger came on for the bottom of the 11th, having tossed two perfect innings so far this summer. He gave up his first hit this time – a one-out double by Zach Rutherford (Old Dominion) – but struck out cleanup man Carl Stajduhar (New Mexico) and No. 5 hitter Jordan Rodgers (Tennessee) to end the game.

Schellenger has now struck out seven in three innings of work and leads the league with three saves. Tyler Kirkpatrick (Marist) and Nick Dalesandro (Purdue) had three hits each for the Mariners. UNC-Wilmington star Nick Feight made his debut and went 0-for-5.

Hyannis got two hits from Rutherford.

Brewster 4, Chatham 2

There was also an extra frame in Chatham, where Brewster topped the host Anglers thanks to a pair of runs in the 10th. Ryan Noda (Cincinnati) drew a bases-loaded walk for the go-ahead run and Ryan Gridley (Mississippi State) delivered a sacrifice fly to make it 4-2. And Chatham likely didn’t feel too confident at that point. Brewster reliever Zac Lowther (Xavier) – the Friday starter for a regional squad – came on with one out in the seventh inning and struck out the first two batters he faced. Then he struck out two more in the eighth. When the dust settled and Lowther pitched a scoreless 10th to finish off the win, he had struck out nine of the 12 batters he faced in 3.2 one-hit, shutout innings. Quite a Cape League debut for Lowther, who ranks eighth in the league in strikeouts – after 3.2 innings. For Chatham, J.B. Bukauskas (North Carolina) struck out nine in five innings.

Wareham 6, Falmouth 5

The Gatemen held off a late push and stopped Falmouth’s four-game win streak with a 6-5 win at Spillane Field. K.J. Harrison (Oregon State) had two hits and an RBI to lead the Wareham offense. Joey Bartosic (George Washington) and Preston Grand Pre (California) each drove in a run and scored a run. Starter Jake Walters (Alabama) allowed one run in four innings. Cole Stapler (Nicholls State) got the win in relief, striking out six in three innings. Nick Sprengel (San Diego) gave up two runs in the top of the ninth but got out of a bases-loaded jam with the lead intact. Willie Burger (Penn State) led Falmouth with two hits and an RBI. Both teams are now 5-2.

Bourne 9, Orleans 5

The Braves raced to an 8-0 lead in the first two innings and stayed in front throughout as they improved to 6-1. They’ve also scored the most runs in the league with 49 in seven games. Connor McVey (Cincinnati) and Evan Mendoza (NC State) had two-run doubles to lead the charge in the first inning. McVey, Justin Yurchak (Binghamton) and David MacKinnon (Hartford) all had RBI in the four-run second inning. On the night, McVey and Yurchak finished with three hits each. Willy Yahn (Connecticut) and Connor Wong (Houston) had two apiece. Keith Weisenberg (Stanford) earned the win in relief for the Braves. James Ziemba (Duke) and Conner O’Neil (Cal State Northridge) combined for 3.2 scoreless innings after Weisenberg departed. Zach Kirtley (St. Mary’s) was a bright spot for Orleans with a grand slam in the third inning.

Y-D 3, Cotuit 2

Fresh off its first victory, Y-D made it two in a row in dramatic fashion. With the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Matthew Whatley (Oral Roberts) drew a one-out walk, took second on a wild pitch and scored the winning run on a walk-off single by Brendan Skidmore (Binghamton). Y-D, 0-5 just two days ago, is now 2-5 and only one game out of fourth place in the East. Cotuit fell to 1-6. The late heroics were part of a big day for Skidmore, who went 3-for-5 with a home run and drove in all three Y-D runs. Nolan Brown (TCU) – whose college team is in Omaha in a redshirt year for him – also had three hits for the Red Sox. Nathan Kuchta (San Diego) got the relief win for the Red Sox after Will Gaddis (Furman) allowed just an unearned run in seven innings. For Cotuit, Hagen Owenby (East Tennessee State) and Jordan Pearce (Nevada) knocked in runs.

What to Watch

Update: Apologies – was looking at the Sunday schedule somehow, so no Cotuit-Hyannis tonight.

June 14, 2016June 14, 2016

Anything you can do…

Hunter Williams delivered a strong start on opening night, the first of many for the Mariners so far

It’s tough to say which unit has been the most impressive for the undefeated Harwich Mariners. Is it the starting rotation, with five guys delivering strong debuts? Or is it the bullpen and its two runs allowed in five games?

The Mariners don’t have to choose – it’s all working just fine together.

Harwich improved to 5-0 Tuesday with a 5-2 victory over Orleans, and pitching again set the stage. Ryan McAuliffe (St. John’s) allowed one run and struck out five in six innings of work. Brad Bass (Notre Dame), Teddy Rodliff (Stony Brook) and Zach Schellenger (Seton Hall) went the final three innings, with Rodliff allowing the only other run.

McAuliffe became the fifth consecutive Harwich starter to earn a win. As little as wins matter as a statistic, they do reflect in this case that Harwich’s starters are pitching well and pitching deep into games – something that doesn’t always happen in the Cape League, especially at this point in the year.

Hunter Williams (North Carolina) and Packy Naughton (Virginia Tech) each went five innings. McAuliffe, Shane McCarthy (Seton Hall) and B.J. Myers (West Virginia) went at least six innings in their first start.

The four runs Naughton allowed in his start are the most surrendered by a Harwich starter.

And when the starters have passed the baton on to the bullpen, the numbers have been even better. In 15 innings, Harwich relievers have allowed a total of two runs. Bass, Schellenger, Matthew Minnick (Mercyhurst), Peter Solomon (Notre Dame) and Spencer Stockton (Jacksonville) are all proud owners of 0.00 ERAs.

Of course, there’s also been plenty of support for the Harwich arms. The Mariners lead the league in runs scored (in one extra game than eight of the league’s teams). Tuesday, the Mariners made the most of seven hits and capitalized on four Orleans errors. Trey Harris (Missouri) and Ryan Brown (College of Charleston) knocked in a run apiece. Tyler Kirkpatrick (Marist) scored two runs.

At 5-0, the Mariners are a quarter of the way to last season’s win total, when they missed the playoffs.

Bourne 7, Cotuit 5

Bourne is also unbeaten, moving to 4-0 with a victory over still-winless Cotuit. The Kettleers scored five runs in the seventh in rallying from a 4-0 deficit, but the Braves responded with a run in the eighth and two in the ninth. A sacrifice fly by Luis Alvarado (Nebraska) tied the game in the eighth. Willy Yahn (Connecticut) tripled in Connor Wong (Houston) in the ninth and scored on a David MacKinnon (Hartford) sac fly. The rally made a winner out of reliever Keith Weisenberg (Stanford), with Conner O’Neil (Cal State Northridge) notching the save. Bourne starter Brady Miller (Western Oregon), who struck out 89 in the D-II ranks this spring, had a big Cape debut with six shutout innings and seven strikeouts. For Cotuit, the five-run seventh inning was a good sign for a team that had scored only four runs coming into the game. Hagen Owenby (East Tennessee State) had two hits and two RBI to lead the Kettleers.

Falmouth 5, Hyannis 0

The Commodores authored the third shutout of the Cape League season and improved to 3-1 while dropping Hyannis to 0-5. Jacob Godfrey (Arizona State) went five innings for the win, scattering five hits and striking out two. Four relievers went an inning each to finish off the shutout. At the plate, Falmouth got two-hit games from Kevin Merrell (South Florida), Michael Gigliotti (Lipscomb), Trevor Larnach (Oregon State) and Michael Cantu (Texas). Merrell is hitting .529 with at least one hit in every game.

Chatham 4, Y-D 3

Defending champ Y-D also is still in search of its first victory after a lead Chatham built in the sixth held up for a 4-3 win. Patrick Mathis (Texas) did all the damage in the key inning for the Anglers, smacking a three-run homer to put the Anglers ahead 4-1. Y-D answered with two in the bottom of the sixth but would get no closer. Chatham starter Tom Cosgrove (Manhattan) gave up one run in five innings before getting charged with the two in the sixth. Matt Pidich (Pittsburgh) ended the threat with a pair of strikeouts. His college teammate Isaac Mattson went the final two innings for the save. Y-D was led by Brendan Skidmore (Binghamton), who knocked in two.

Wareham 3, Brewster 2

The Gatemen managed only three hits but turned them into three runs as they improved to 3-1 with a victory over Brewster. Gavin Sheets (Wake Forest) and Jonathan Engelmann (Michigan) drove in runs for the Gatemen on a groundout and a fielder’s choice. Robert Metz (George Washington) scored what proved to be the winning run on a wild pitch. Anthony Herron, Jr. (Jefferson College), a 34th-round draft pick last week and a Missouri State commit, started and went four shutout innings in his Cape debut. Ryan Selmer (Maryland) earned the win in relief and Ryan Wilson (Pepperdine) recorded a three-inning save. For Brewster, Ryan Feltner (Ohio State) allowed two earned runs in 5.1 innings but took the loss. Jacob Wloczewski (Binghamton) struck out three in 2.2 scoreless innings of relief.

What to Watch

Four makeup games from Saturday’s rainouts are on tap. Keep an eye on the proceedings at Doran Park, where Bourne will start another D-II standout after Brady Miller’s strong performance Tuesday. Ty Cohen struck out 98 in 90.1 innings for Florida Tech and gets the ball against Chatham.

June 14, 2016June 14, 2016

A different year

Last seen in a well-played, three-game Cape League championship series, Hyannis and Yarmouth-Dennis are still looking for their first victories of the 2016 season. The Harbor Hawks fell to 0-4 with a 6-1 loss to Orleans Monday, while defending champion Y-D dropped to 0-3 with a 9-1 defeat at the hands of Harwich.

Hyannis has had two close games mixed in with the winless start, falling 3-2 to Bourne on opening night and 5-4 to the Braves again two days later. Y-D has struggled a little more, with a league-worst 8.64 ERA setting the stage for some tough endings. The Red Sox actually lead the league in home runs with five but still haven’t had enough offense.

Both teams will have some reinforcements arriving as we get deeper into the season – particularly Y-D’s pitching staff – but there was no help on the way Monday.

Orleans raced to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first against Hyannis and never looked back. A two-run double by Chris Triano (Keystone College) was the big blow. Riley Adams (San Diego) also knocked in a run with a double.

Jason Morgan (North Carolina) ran with the early lead, allowing one run on two hits in five innings, while fanning five. A fourth-inning home run by Zach Rutherford (Old Dominion) provided Hyannis with its only offense. Charlie Barnes (Clemson) struck out seven in four innings for the Harbor Hawks but was touched up for the early runs.

For Orleans, Riley Mahan (Kentucky) and Adam Haseley (Virginia) each had three hits. Triano, who hit .405 with 13 homers for D-III Keystone, is off to a 5-for-7 start with the Firebirds.

In Harwich, Y-D ran into the team that’s off to the hottest start this summer. Harwich raced to a 4-0 lead in the first two innings and cruised to its fourth straight win.

Austin Filiere (MIT) hit his second home run of the summer and drove in four. Pavin Smith (Virginia) also went deep for the Mariners. Anthony Critelli (Holy Cross) added two RBI.

Harwich starter B.J. Myers (West Virginia) delivered one of the best starts of the young Cape League season with seven strong innings. He allowed one run and struck out four. Y-D managed just five hits against Myers and the Harwich bullpen.

Bourne 10, Cotuit 1

Cotuit also remained winless while Bourne ran its record to 3-0 with a 10-1 win at Doran Park. The Braves smacked 16 hits, with Willy Yahn’s (Connecticut) 3-for-5 day leading the charge. Former Wareham Gateman David MacKinnon (Hartford) had two hits, as did Connor McVey (Cincinnati) and Tyler Friis (Indiana State). Nine of Bourne’s 16 hits went for extra bases. Joshua Shapiro (Marshall), who had an ERA over five this spring, shined in his Cape debut, pitching six shutout innings for the win.

Falmouth 5, Wareham 4

The Commodores held off a late charge for a win over Wareham, as both teams went to 2-1 on the year. Willie Burger (Penn State) went 3-for-4 with three RBI to lead the Falmouth attack. Kevin Merrell (South Florida) added two hits and two runs scored. Jeffrey Passantino (Lipscomb) went 6.1 strong innings, while Tyler Jones (Wichita State) got the win in relief. Brac Warren (Oregon) went two innings for the save. Robert Metz (George Washington) had two hits for the Gatemen and Colton Shaver (BYU) continued his hot start with a double and an RBI.

Brewster 14, Chatham 6

The Whitecaps scored double-digit runs for the second straight game but took an unusual route. Trailing 5-4, they scored 10 runs in the seventh inning to blow the game open. Sixteen men came to the plate in the big inning and several of them reached more than once. Seven hits, four walks, two hit-batsmen and two errors accounted for the offense. Colby Maiola (UMass Lowell) drew a bases-loaded walk for the go-ahead run and the lead grew from there. Eight different Whitecaps finished with at least one RBI in the game. Matt Davis (VCU) drove in three runs. Nick Dunn (Maryland) had four hits. Jacob Westphal (Tennessee) was the beneficiary of the big inning and got the win in relief. Chatham got three hits from Patrick Mathis (Texas).

What to Watch

Harwich will try to get to 5-0 as it visits Orleans. Ryan McAuliffe (St. John’s), who’s coming off a pretty good spring in the Red Storm rotation, is slated to start for the Mariners. Colton Hatchcock (Memphis) is set for his Orleans debut.

June 13, 2016June 13, 2016

Shut down

Zach Schellenger, pictured last summer, struck out four batters in one inning in his 2016 debut as Harwich shut out Falmouth.

The first shutouts of the 2016 Cape League season were authored by a pair of teams that stayed perfect in the process.

Three Wareham pitchers combined to hold down Cotuit in an 8-0 win Sunday while three Harwich pitchers did the same against Falmouth in a 3-0 win. The Gatemen improved to 2-0, while Harwich is the only 3-0 team in the league.

The Gatemen shutout was the more impressive of the two. Cotuit got an infield single from Jake Bivens (Michigan) in the second inning and literally nothing else. Bivens was caught stealing and Wareham pitchers retired 23 in a row from there – no hits, no walks, no errors. And because Bivens was caught stealing, Gatemen pitchers faced the minimum for the full nine innings.

Jake Walters (Alabama), the best starter for the Crimson Tide this spring, went three innings with a strikeout. Reliever Cole Stapler (Nicholls State) fanned three in five perfect innings and Nick Sprengel (San Diego) tossed a perfect ninth to finish it off.

Wareham’s hitters provided plenty of backing, with Colton Shaver (BYU) leading the way. Coming off a big spring, he homered for the second time in as many games and went 4-for-4 with four RBI. Joey Bartosic (George Washington) knocked in two and Trevor Ezell (Southeast Missouri State) had three hits and two runs scored.

Cotuit’s Matt Ladrech (California) allowed only one earned run in six innings, but the Gatemen tallied two unearned then broke the game open with four runs against the Kettleer bullpen.

Over in Falmouth, Harwich pitchers scattered seven hits but didn’t let a runner come home. Shane McCarthy (Seton Hall) went six innings and struck out five. Teddy Rodliff (Stony Brook) struck out three in two innings, and Zach Schellenger (Seton Hall) out-did even his big K-rate from the spring by fanning four in one inning (the first batter of the ninth reached on a dropped third strike).

Harwich had only four hits, but three unearned runs in the sixth inning were plenty. Trey Harris (Missouri) had an RBI single and two other runs scored on an error.

Bourne 5, Hyannis 4

The Braves have had a flair for the dramatic so far this season. After a walk-off win on opening night, they edged Hyannis with a run in the top of the 10th Sunday. Toby Handley (Stony Brook) had an RBI single to plate the 10th-inning go-ahead run and Conner O’Neil (Cal State Northridge) pitched around a double in the bottom half to close out the win. Handley was one of four Braves to notch a multi-hit game. Conner McVey (Cincinnati) went 3-for-5 with an RBI while Willy Yahn (Connecticut) and Connor Wong (Houston) had two hits apiece. Starter A.J. Moore (Kennesaw State) struck out seven in five innings for Bourne. Hyannis was let by Carl Stajduhar (New Mexico). The Mountain West Conference Player of the Year went 2-for-4 with three RBI and his first Cape home run. The blast tied the game in the eighth. Bourne improved to 2-0. Hyannis is 0-3.

Chatham 3, Orleans 2

The Anglers broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the eighth and held off Orleans in the ninth for a 3-2 win at Veterans Field. Patrick Mathis (Texas) delivered the big hit in the eighth, a two-run triple that snapped the tie. Orleans loaded the bases with nobody out in the ninth, but Chatham sacrificed a run for a double play then got a groundout to end the game. Isaac Mattson (Pittsburgh) was credited with the win in relief and Michael Fitzgerald (Northeastern) the save. Joseph Freiday (Virginia Tech) had the other RBI for the Anglers. Chris Triano (Keystone College) led Orleans with three hits. Both teams are 1-1.

Brewster 11, Y-D 6

The Whitecaps scored all their runs in the first five innings and coasted to their first victory of the season. Ryan Noda (Cincinnati) – who hit three home runs for Y-D last summer – hurt his former team with his second blast of the 2016 campaign. Logan Warmoth (North Carolina) added two hits and three RBI, while Nick Dunn (Maryland) had two hits and three runs scored. Aaron Soto (Tennessee) surrendered three earned runs in five innings for the win. Y-D was led by Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Deon Stafford (St. Joseph’s), who hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning.

What to Watch

A full slate of games is on tap for your Monday. Harwich will try to go to 4-0 as it hosts Y-D at Whitehouse Field, with West Virginia’s B.J. Myers on the hill.

June 7, 2016June 7, 2016

Braves looking to stay in contention

Bourne is riding a nine-year playoff streak and has the makings of a club that can make it 10 – and contend from there.

FIVE TO WATCH

1. Brendan McKay
2. Joe Davis
3. Corey Julks
4. Jake Mangum
5. Drew Carlton

NOTABLE

Louisville’s Brendan McKay made a good impression in his time with Bourne last summer. He’s on the roster for this year, but has a Team USA spot and could be headed to Omaha with the Cardinals in the meantime. Whatever happens, he’s perhaps the best two-way player in the country.

If McKay doesn’t make it to Bourne, fellow Card Devin Hairston will be a pretty good representative of the national No. 2 seed. Hairston is hitting .360 with three homers. He’s been a key to Louisville’s offense, along with 2015 Brave Nick Solak.

Patrick Raby had a strong debut for Vanderbilt and can lean on a couple of high school teammates for some Cape League advice. He played with Tennessee’s Nick Senzel and Kyle Serrano, who starred on the Cape last summer.

Connor Wong was a contributor for Y-D last summer. He’ll make the move to Bourne this year, where he’ll join Houston teammates Corey Julks and Joe Davis. Wong is listed as a catcher by the Braves, but didn’t play there much this spring.

The Cougars lost in the AAC conference championship, just missing out on the NCAA Tournament. That means the trio of Wong, Julks and Davis should be good to go from day one for the Braves, and they’ll provide a big boost. Julks, set for his second year with the Braves, had a great sophomore season. Davis was one of the top freshman sluggers in the nation, finishing with 14 home runs and AAC Freshman of the Year honors.

Drew Carlton hasn’t put up fantastic numbers, but when you’re the Friday starter for Florida State, you’re doing something right.

Washington made some noise in the Nashville regional and Noah Bremer had a hand in it. In the opener – which ended up as a 14-inning loss to eventual regional champ UC Santa Barbara, Bremer allowed just one run on four hits in nine innings of work.

Mississippi State catcher Elih Marrero is the son of former Major Leaguer Eli, who played with the Cardinals and several other clubs in a 10-year career. The younger Marrero was mentioned as a potential early-round pick last year but had a strong commitment to the Bulldogs.

Marrero’s teammate Jake Mangum wasn’t a regular starter for Mississippi State until April. Given a full-time spot, he never stopped hitting and finished ranked third in the nation with a .429 batting average.

East Carolina closer Joe Ingle struck out 69 in 47.2 innings. He pitched 1.2 scoreless innings as the Pirates upset Virginia on their way to the Super Regionals.

PITCHERS

Noah Bremer – SO – Washington – Standout weekend starter for Huskies has 2.98 ERA, team-best 66 strikeouts
Drew Carlton – SO – Florida State – Friday starter for powerhouse Noles is 7-3, 4.36 ERA with 71 strikeouts
Chris Holba – FR – East Carolina – ERA over five but a busy reliever for Pirates with 23 appearances
Joe Ingle – SO – East Carolina – Star reliever for Super Regional-bound club has 12 saves, 69 Ks in 47.2 innings
Sean Leland – SO – Louisville – Has 3.24 ERA in limited relief innings for Cards’ deep pitching staff
Brendon Little – FR – North Carolina – Top 100 player nationally out of high school made only four appearances this spring
Brendan McKay – SO – Louisville – Two-way star avoided sophomore slump, hitting .336 with 5HR and 12-3, 2.12 ERA, 119 Ks
Chris Morris – SO – Seton Hall – Posted 3.76 ERA in Pirates’ bullpen, notched two saves and struck out better than a batter per inning
Doug Norman – SO – LSU – Solid reliever for Tigers has 3.26 ERA in 21 appearances
Patrick Raby – FR – Vanderbilt – Started third-most games on team and went 7-1 with 2.61 ERA, 63 Ks in 58.2 innings
Ronnie Rosoomando – FR – Connecticut – A 28th-round pick last year, saw action as a starter and reliever and finished with 3.93 ERA
Zach Spangler – SO – Kent State – Picked up one save in 17 appearances out of pen, with 3.18 ERA
Keith Weisenberg – SO – Stanford – Posted 3.45 ERA in nine appearances for Cardinal

CATCHERS

Elih Marrero – FR – Mississippi State – Son of former Major League catcher Eli hit .238 in debut season with Bulldogs
Garrett Wolforth – FR – Dallas Baptist – Hitting .259 in part-time duty behind the plate for DBU
Connor Wong – SO – Houston – Hit .232 and won title with Y-D last summer then batted .304 with 5 HR as a sophomore

INFIELDERS

Joe Davis – FR – Houston – 16th-round pick last year burst onto scene and won AAC Rookie of the Year with .331 AVG, 14 HR, 58 RBI
Devin Hairston – SO – Louisville – Hit .212 as frosh but now having breakout sophomore season – .360, 3 HR, 19 XBH
Isaiah Pasteur – SO – Indiana – Big 10 all-freshman last year but struggled this year, finishing with average below .200
L.T. Tolbert – FR – South Carolina – South Carolina high school star hitting .229 with three homers, 27 RBI in debut season
Willy Yahn – SO – Connecticut – Followed big freshman year with continued success, hitting .319 with 27 extra-base hits
Justin Yurchak – SO – Binghamton – Wake Forest transfer sat out this season per NCAA rules after hitting .312 with Deacons

OUTFIELDERS

Luis Alvarado – SO – Nebraska – Batted .251 with seven extra-base hits for Huskers
Brennan Breaux – FR – LSU – Hitting .152 in limited action as a Tiger freshman
Corey Julks – SO – Houston – Returning Brave had breakout sophomore year, hitting .333 with 3 HR, 10 SBs
Jake Mangum – SO – Mississippi State – True freshman forced his way into lineup and is scorching with .424 batting average, third in nation
Danny Reyes – FR – Florida – Making most of limited opportunities with .282 average and a home run in 20 games