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Still Battling

Eddie Muhl pitched 2.2 scoreless innings of relief in Monday's win.
Eddie Muhl pitched 2.2 scoreless innings of relief in Monday’s win.

 
Brewster and Hyannis are on the verge of the playoffs, but they’ve been there for a while now and haven’t been able to take the leap. That’s due to their own struggles and late pushes by the teams behind them.

With a win and a Brewster loss, Chatham moved within one point of the Whitecaps for the final playoff spots in the East. Meanwhile, Cotuit topped Hyannis – the sixth straight loss for the Harbor Hawks – to get within three points of the last spot in the West. With two games remaining for everybody, any of those four teams could still make the postseason.

Chatham knocked off West-leading Falmouth for its key win Monday. Caleb Gilbert (LSU), who hadn’t gone more than four innings in any outing, went seven strong, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out seven. Falmouth used four pitchers as it preps for the playoffs and Chatham did damage against all of them, even ace Brady Puckett (Lipscomb). Jeremy Vasquez (Florida) went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI. D.J. Artis (Liberty) continued his late-season surge with three hits, two runs and an RBI. Kyle Adams (Richmond) and Gunnar Troutwine (Wichita State) drove in one run each.

Chatham improved to 16-25-1. Both of its remaining games are against Orleans. Brewster takes on first-place Harwich in its last two.

In Hyannis, Cotuiti made up ground in the fastest way possible for the second time in the last four games, topping the Harbor Hawks. Hyannis hasn’t won since the day after the All-Star Game.

Jason Bilous (Coastal Carolina), who struggled in his first start July 18, delivered a second consecutive strong performance, going five innings and allowing one run. Eddie Muhl (George Washington) followed with 2.2 scoreless frames and Alec Byrd (Florida State) finished the job for the save.

A two-run single by A.J. Balta (Oregon) powered a three-run third inning that put the Kettleers in control. Balta finished 2-for-5 with three RBI. Ryan Hagan (Mercer) added two hits and two RBI. Greyson Jenista (Wichita State) also had two hits and Jordan Pearce (Nevada) scored two runs.

Despite the six straight losses, Hyannis still has a leg up on the Kettleers and can clinch a playoff spot with a victory. Cotuit needs to win out and have Hyannis lose both of its last two. Hyannis has Falmouth and Y-D to finish up and Cotuit gets Y-D and Wareham.

 

Bourne 3, Harwich 2

Bourne walked off on Harwich, with David MacKinnon (Hartford) coming around on a wild pitch and a throwing error in the bottom of the ninth. The big finish capped a rally from a 2-0 hole by the Braves, who tied the game in the seventh on a two-run single by Jeremy Eierman (Missouri State). Zach Spangler (Kent State) got the win with two scoreless innings of relief. Zach Schellenger (Seton Hall) struck out four of the seven batters he faced but was tagged with the loss on the unearned run in the ninth. MacKinnon scored two runs for the Braves. Johnny Adams (Boston College) had an RBI for Harwich. The Mariners remain three points in front of Y-D in the East and can clinch the division title and the top seed with one victory.

Wareham 5, Orleans 4

The Gatemen scored two in the eighth and held off a Firebird rally in the ninth for a 5-4 win. A two-run double by Adrian Tovalin (Azusa Pacific) broke a 3-3 tie in the eighth. Orleans got an RBI fielder’s choice from Brian Miller (North Carolina) in the ninth, but Christian Taugner (Brown) came on and stranded Miller at first to end the game. Dalton Horton (TCU) got the win in relief for the Gatemen. Joey Bart (Georgia Tech) went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. Cole Freeman (LSU) had two hits and scored two runs, pushing his average to .378 as he remains in position for the batting title.

Y-D, Brewster 4

A run in the eighth and two in the ninth pushed Y-D past Brewster. Will Toffey (Vanderbilt) scored in the eighth on a dribbler by Brendan Skidmore (Binghamton). In the ninth, Dillon Persinger (Cal State Fullerton) plated the tying run with an RBI double and Toffey gave the Red Sox the lead with a run-scoring base hit. Calvin Faucher (UC Irvine) then worked around a walk and an error in the bottom of the ninth to seal the win for Y-D. J.J. Muno (UC Santa Barbara) had two hits and scored two runs for the Red Sox. Persinger added two hits. For Brewster, Kekai Rios (Hawaii) had two hits and two runs scored.

 

What to Watch

The playoff chase continues for Cotuit and Chatham. The Kettleers visit Y-D at 4:30 p.m. Chatham hosts Orleans at 7.
 

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No hits and a historic pace

Peter Solomon pitched the first five innings of Wednesday's no-hitter.
Peter Solomon pitched the first five innings of Wednesday’s no-hitter.

 
The best pitching staff on the Cape hit its highest note yet Wednesday night – and it may have been just the beginning of a run to history.

Four Harwich pitchers combined on the first no-hitter of the Cape League season in a 10-0 win at Chatham. It was fitting – and not surprising – that the Mariners were the team to do it. They own nine shutouts this season and lead the league in ERA by a wide margin.

The staff is also on a stunning pace. With 83 runs allowed in 38 games, the Mariners are on track to allow just 96 runs in the 44-game season. That would be the fewest allowed by any team since at least 2000, which is as far back as the league’s online records go (and the Cape League online record book for some reason lists the runs allowed mark as a record for the most, rather than the least).

Regardless, you’re looking at one of the best pitching staffs on the Cape in decades. The previous low in runs was 116 by Orleans in 2002, so even if the Mariners fall off their ridiculous pace a bit over the final six games, they’ve got a cushion for beating that number.

And on the road to the potential big finish, the Mariners got their signature moment Wednesday.

Power arm Peter Solomon (Notre Dame) wasn’t at his absolute best – walking five and striking out three – but when he departed after five innings, there was a zero in the hit column for Chatham.

Exactly two weeks before, Solomon had pitched four no-hit innings against Chatham, but the innings came in relief, when the Anglers had already notched two hits.

This time, Chatham remained hitless through the sixth and seventh innings, with Zach Schellenger (Seton Hall) righting the ship after a tough outing in the All-Star Game by striking out five in his two innings. Tommy DeJuneas (NC State) walked two in the eighth but didn’t allow a hit. Nick Brown (William & Mary) then struck out two in the ninth and when he got Donovan Casey (Boston College) to ground in to the final out, the Mariners had themselves a combined no-hitter.

It’s the league’s first no-hitter since last June, when the Mariners themselves were shut down by Hyannis’ Devin Smeltzer.

The Mariners also had plenty of offense, with Austin Filiere (MIT) leading the way. Coming in, his average had dipped to .211 but he went 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBI. He’s now tied for the league lead in home runs with seven and is one back of the league lead in RBI.

Pavin Smith (Virginia) added a home run and Nick Dalesandro (Purdue) drove in two runs, but the story of this night – and most nights for Harwich – was the pitching.

With Y-D losing, it led the Mariners back to first place in the East. It authored the league’s top performance of the summer.

And it kept up the pace for a historic season.

 

Wareham 5, Hyannis 0

The Gatemen won their eighth consecutive game with a 5-0 shutout of Hyannis. Gunner Leger (Louisiana-Lafayette) – who hasn’t pitched as much as some fellow stars but has had kind of an incredible summer – started the shutout with four scoreless innings and six strikeouts. Leger now has a 0.42 ERA and 29 strikeouts against just one walk in 21 innings of work as a starter and reliever. Nick Sprengel (San Diego) finished the shutout with five strong innings. He fanned four. Joey Bart (Georgia Tech) led the Wareham offense with a triple and three RBI. Joey Bartosic (George Washington) added three hits, Nico Giarratano (San Francisco) had two and Cole Freeman (LSU) scored two runs. Wareham is now 21-14-3.

Brewster 3, Bourne 0

The Whitecaps made it three shutouts on the day and gained a bit of breathing room on Chatham for the final playoff spot in the East. The Whitecaps now have a three-point edge. Hunter Martin (Tennessee) set the table for the win with eight shutout innings. He allowed three hits and struck out three while improving to 4-1 on the year. Wyatt Burns (Samford) allowed one hit in the ninth but finished out the win. Brent Rooker (Mississippi State) homered and drove in two for the Whitecaps, while Zack Gahagan (North Carolina) and Julian Infante (Vanderbilt) chipped in two hits each.

Orleans 5, Cotuit 4

Cotuit rallied from 2-0 and 4-2 deficits to force extra innings but Orleans walked off in the bottom of the 11th for a dramatic win. Brian Miller (North Carolina) walked and stole second to create a threat in the 11th and Payton Squier (UNLV) brought him in with a base hit. The heroics made a winner out of Will Stokes (Ole Miss), who had pitched a scoreless top of the 11th. Before that, Brandon Bielak (Notre Dame) went 3.1 scoreless frames. And long before that, Orleans starter Kevin Smith (Georgia) struck out eight in five innings. Cotuit’s Alec Byrd (Florida State) also shined as the game headed to extras, pitching four scoreless innings with five strikeouts. Riley Adams (San Diego) had a huge day to lead the Orleans offense, going 4-for-5 with his first home run of the summer. The standout catcher is on a seven-game hitting streak in which his average has risen from .316 to .372. Squier added two hits. A.J. Balta (Oregon) added two hits for the Kettleers.

Falmouth 8, Y-D 5

If Wareham weren’t on an eight-game streak, the team the Gatemen are chasing in the West would be the league’s hottest. The Commodores won their third straight and their eighth in the last 10 games, improving to a league-best 25-13. Deacon Liput (Florida) hit his second homer of the summer and drove in three runs to pace a solid offensive showing. Michael Gigliotti (Lipscomb) added two hits and two runs scored, while J.J. Matijevic (Arizona), Joshua Watson (TCU) and Tyler Lawrence (Murray State) drove in one run apiece. Starting pitcher Brendan King (Holy Cross) was touched up for three runs in four innings – the first runs he had allowed since June 24 – but the Falmouth bullpen kept Y-D at bay. Thomas Ponticelli (San Francisco) earned the win in relief and Seth Elledge (Dallas Baptist) picked up the save. Y-D got a home run from Deon Stafford (St. Joseph’s), his fourth.

 

What to Watch

One last league-wide off-day today before a sprint to the finish line. When action resumes Friday, there will be a couple of intriguing games in the West. Cotuit, still not mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, gets a chance to make up some ground as it hosts fourth-place Hyannis in the penultimate Barnstable Patriot Cup game. In Falmouth, the first-place Commodores will try to stop second-place Wareham’s eight-game winning streak.
 

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All-Stars, Stretch Run, etc.

Zach Rutherford earned All-Star Game West MVP honors.
Zach Rutherford earned All-Star Game West MVP honors.

 
The last big trip for the Summer Nine book project kept me from posting the last few days. With the Cape League All-Star Game in the books and the stretch run looming, time to play some catch-up.

  • A year after a 1-0 score in the All-Star Game, pitching dominated again – but only for one side as the West won 8-0 in Chatham. While the East didn’t have an extra-base hit, three West players hit home runs and two of the same also doubled. Falmouth’s Tyler Lawrence went 3-for-4 with two RBI and Zach Rutherford of Hyannis went 3-for-3 with two RBI.

  • The West did its damage against two pitchers you wouldn’t have pegged for tough innings. Joe Ryan, who gave up three in the third, has a 0.92 ERA for Orleans and came in having allowed three runs all summer. Harwich’s Zach Schellenger, who was also tagged for three runs, has one of the league’s biggest arms.

  • The most impressive inning of the day belonged to Garrett Cave of Hyannis. The hard-throwing closer struck out the side in the eighth on 17 pitches. D1Baseball.com says Cave was the top pitcher on display.

  • Rutherford earned West MVP honors with his 3-for-3 day. The Old Dominion infielder has been terrific all summer, and there’s a chance the All-Star Game MVP award won’t be his only such trophy. Hitting .299 with a .460 slugging percentage and a league-best 11 doubles, Rutherford is a league MVP candidate in a year without a clear-cut choice.

  • In the return to regular-season play Sunday, Hyannis followed its big showing in the All-Star Game with a trip back to Veterans Field and a 3-0 victory over Chatham. Andrew Gonzalez (Michigan State) went 6.1 scoreless innings and Cave notched his 10th save with another strike-out-the-side inning.

  • Y-D also notched a shutout in a battle for first place with Harwich and now has a one-game lead on the Mariners in the East. The Red Sox are playing .742 baseball — a 23-8 record — since starting the year 0-5.

  • Bourne beat Orleans for its second straight win and is tied with Hyannis for third place in the West. More importantly, both the Braves and Harbor Hawks now have a nine-point edge on Cotuit for the final playoff spot in the West.

  • After an off-day around the league today, teams will play their final eight games in nine days to close out the regular season. The playoffs begin Aug. 5.

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    New Beginnings

    Tim Susnara's RBI single broke a scoreless tie in the 11th as Cotuit topped Harwich.
    Tim Susnara’s RBI single broke a scoreless tie in the 11th as Cotuit topped Harwich.

     
    Cotuit is the hottest team in the league and its win Friday over Harwich means another hot team has knocked the Mariners from their perch at the top of the league.

    The Kettleers beat Harwich 2-0 in 11 innings for their fourth straight win. They’re now 9-3-1 since their 2-14 start.

    Friday’s win was their second this week over Harwich. The Mariners – with the league’s best record since a hot start – are still playing pretty well, with a 5-3-2 mark in their last 10. But Y-D has won three in a row, and Friday’s 8-4 victory over Falmouth means the Red Sox now have the best record in the league at 18-11. Y-D and Harwich are still tied atop the East, thanks to two ties for the Mariners.

    Cotuit and Harwich were locked in a scoreless tie for 10 innings before a somewhat unlikely rally for the Kettleers, given who they were facing. But Quinn Brodey (Stanford) greeted standout Harwich closer Zach Schellenger (Seton Hall) with a single and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and a groundout. Tim Susnara (Oregon), who had come on as a pinch-hitter earlier in the game, lined a base hit up the middle to score Brodey with the first run of the game.

    Jason Delay (Vanderbilt) followed with a double and Patrick Dorrian (Herkimer) knocked in a run with a single.

    Cotuit reliever Ryan Rigby (Mississippi State) kept Harwich off the board for one more inning, sealing the shutout win. Taylor Lehman (Penn State) had gone 2.2 scoreless innings in relief of starter Colton Hock (Stanford), a power arm who had his best start of the summer with six shutout frames.

    Hunter Williams (North Carolina) went seven scoreless innings for Harwich but didn’t factor in the decision.

    Meanwhile, Y-D’s win in a 5 p.m. game was already in the books. The Red Sox pounded 14 hits and used a five-run sixth inning – with four of the runs unearned – to blow the game open. Dillon Persinger (Cal State Fullerton) homered while Deon Stafford (St. Joseph’s) had two hits and two RBI. Michael Baumann (Jacksonville) earned the win in relief and Sam Delaplane (Michigan State) tossed 2.2 scoreless innings for the save.

    Y-D has won three straight and is 18-6 since opening the season 0-5.

     

    Brewster 9, Hyannis 7

    League home run leader Matt Davis (VCU) parlayed his time on the Cape into a pro contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. Without him, Brewster kept slugging, getting 15 hits to edge past Hyannis. Bryce Jordan (LSU) went 4-for-5 in the leadoff spot and is hitting .420. Ryan Gridley (Mississippi State) homered and drove in two while Brent Rooker (Mississippi State) had two hits and two RBI. Hunter Martin (Tennessee) allowed three runs in 6.1 innings for the win. Hyannis rallied for four runs in the ninth, but Jacob Wloczewski (Binghamton) and Max Herrmann (Rutgers) got out of trouble to seal the victory.

    Wareham 6, Bourne 3

    On a seven-game winless streak since a July 4 win over Bourne – a string that included two ties – the Gatemen beat Bourne again to snap the skid. Joey Bart (Georgia Tech) went 2-for-4 with three RBI, Robert Metz (George Washington) drove in two runs and Cole Freeman (LSU) had two hits and two runs scored. Nico Giarratano (San Francisco) added a home run. Hogan Harris (Louisiana-Lafayette) earned the win in relief before Ryan Wilson (Pepperdine) and Jake Matthys (Angelo State) combined for 2.2 scoreless innings to finish it off. Wareham improved to 13-13-3. Bourne, which got a home run from Connor Wong (Houston), fell to 13-15-1.

    Orleans 5, Chatham 3

    Orleans built a 5-0 lead and held off a late run by Chatham for a 5-3 win. Ethan Paul (Vanderbilt) went 4-for-4 and scored two runs to lead the Firebirds offense, while Drew Lugbauer (Michigan) hit his second homer of the summer. Riley Adams (San Diego) added two hits and two RBI and now has 11 hits in his last eight games. Six different pitchers carried the load for the Firebirds, with Chandler Day (Vanderbilt) and Kevin Smith (Georgia) tossing three innings apiece of one-hit, shutout ball. Chatham rallied on a Stuart Fairchild (Wake Forest) two-run double in the ninth, but Brandon Bielak (Notre Dame) came on to get the final out with the tying run at the plate.

     

    What to Watch

    Good pitching matchup in Falmouth where Brady Singer (Florida) goes for the Commodores against Charlie Barnes (Clemson) of Hyannis. Singer has gone six and five scoreless innings in his two Cape League starts. Barnes went five scoreless in his last outing.
     

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    Home Run Hitter

    Matt Davis hit his league-best seventh home run Saturday.
    Matt Davis hit his league-best seventh home run Saturday.

     
    Six current Cape Leaguers hit 14 home runs or more for their college teams this spring. Harwich’s Nick Feight (UNC Wilmington) finished tied for second in the nation with 21. Two more had 18, two had 17 and one had 14. Three players took a break from their time on the Cape to head to Omaha for the TD Ameritrade College Home Run Derby, and Chatham’s Hagen Owenby (East Tennessee State) came back with the crown.

    That’s all to say that there is no shortage of sluggers in Cape League uniforms this summer.

    But the guy leading the pack isn’t among that group.

    Brewster’s Matt Davis (VCU) hit his league-best seventh home run in Saturday’s win over Cotuit. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound infielder — coming off a spring in which he hit six home runs — now has two more blasts than any of his Cape League mates.

    A rising senior at VCU who’s been the anchor of the Rams’ offense the last two seasons, Davis is also hitting .314 this summer, leads the league in slugging percentage and ranks second in RBI with 18. He’s been the top performer for the top-performing offensive team on the Cape and has done it all while playing out of position. An infielder at VCU, he’s been slotting in mostly in left field for the Whitecaps.

    His homer Saturday was a solo shot in a 5-0 burst for the Whitecaps over the first four innings. Davis finished 2-for-3. Nick Dunn (Maryland), Kel Johnson (Georgia Tech) and Kekai Rios (Hawaii) added hits.

    The offense was more than enough for starter Konnor Pilkington (Mississippi State), who struck out five in seven shutout innings. Hanson Butler (North Carolina) and Tyler Zuber (Arkansas State) finished off the win.

     

    Falmouth 4, Chatham 2

    Falmouth is the hottest team in the league, topping Chatham for its fifth straight win. Brady Singer (Florida) made his second start and delivered another scoreless outing, allowing three hits in five innings after six shutout innings in his debut. Three relievers kept Falmouth in front before Seth Elledge (Dallas Baptist) worked a scoreless ninth for his second save. Singer’s Florida teammate Deacon Liput went 1-for-4 with an RBI in his second Cape game. Ryan Chandler (Rice) also knocked in a run. With the win, Falmouth improved to 15-10 and has a three-point lead on Wareham for first place in the West. Chatham fell to 11-14, which leaves them in a fourth-place tie with Brewster.

    Wareham 3, Harwich 3

    Wareham played to a tie for the second night in a row after 12 innings failed to yield a winner against Harwich at Whitehouse Field. The Gatemen were likely happier with the tie than the Mariners. Harwich led 3-0 into the eighth inning before Wareham rallied. The Gatemen got an RBI single by Austen Wade (TCU) in the eighth and tied it in the ninth on a Joey Bart (Georgia Tech) RBI triple and a Robert Metz (George Washington) bunt single. Both runs were unearned due to a one-out error. The runs came off Harwich closer Zach Schellenger (Seton Hall), who had yet to blow a save chance. Wareham kept Harwich off the board the rest of the way thanks to four scoreless innings from Jake Matthys (Angelo State). Brad Bass (Notre Dame) and Teddy Rodliff (Notre Dame) were also lights out for Harwich. Both teams left two runners on base in the 11th. Bart and Metz led the Wareham offense with three hits each. Ernie Clement (Virginia) had four hits for Harwich and leads the league with a .394 batting average. Before the Harwich bullpen lost the lead, Packy Naughton (Virginia Tech) went seven shutout innings, striking out four and allowing just two hits.

    Y-D 3, Bourne 1

    The Red Sox won their fourth straight and handed Bourne its sixth loss in a row. Oliver Jaskie (Michigan) allowed just an unearned run in six innings for the Red Sox, Nathan Kuchta (San Diego) tossed two scoreless frames and Bryan Pall (Michigan) picked up his sixth save, which is tied for the league lead. Pall has saved three games in Y-D’s four-game streak. J.J. Muno (UC Santa Barbara) paced the offense with two hits, a run scored and an RBI. Deon Stafford (St. Joseph’s) had a hit and a run scored and Will Toffey (Vanderbilt) had two hits. Y-D moved to 15-10 while Bourne fell to 11-13-1.

    Orleans 7, Hyannis 1

    Orleans stopped a four-game losing streak with a home win over Hyannis. Joe Ryan (Cal State Northridge) struck out seven and gave up just two hits in five scoreless innings, his second straight scoreless start. Kevin Smith (Maryland) gave up one run in three innings of relief and Calvin LeBrun (Gonzaga) worked the ninth to finish off the win. Leadoff man Brian Miller (North Carolina) had three hits, an RBI and a run scored, while Will Golsan (Ole Miss) and Zach Kirtley (St. Mary’s) had two hits each. Seven different Firebirds drove in a run. Hyannis got two hits from Cody Henry (Alabama).

     

    What to Watch

    The top two teams in the West, Falmouth and Wareham, square off a Spillane Field at 7 p.m. Brendan King (Holy Cross), who has pitched as a starter and reliever with a 3.70 ERA, goes for the Commodores against Zachary Pop (Kentucky), who allowed one run in five innings his last time out.
     

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    Walk-off Welcome

    chatham
     

    He hit .379, earned first-team all-conference honors and helped lead his team to Omaha, so Tanner Gardner (Texas Tech) was already a welcome addition for the Chatham Anglers.

    Then came his debut.

    Gardner made his first appearance on the Cape Wednesday and hit a walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the 11th inning as Chatham beat Wareham 6-5.

    The Anglers had fallen behind 5-3 in the top of the 11th but put two men on and watched Gardner go to work. I don’t recall a Cape League debut with such an emphatic opening statement. The sophomore outfielder was down 1-2 in the count when he launched the game-winner over the fence in right field.

    The dramatic win improved Chatham’s record to 11-12. With Orleans dropping its third straight, the Anglers are only one game out of third place in the East.

    Gardner finished 2-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. Gunnar Troutwine (Wichita State) – who singled ahead of Gardner’s walk-off – went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Hagen Owenby (East Tennessee State) added two hits and an RBI.

    Connor Moore (Seattle), who stranded two runners on in the top of the 11th, earned the win. Long before the rally, college teammate Nick Meservey went three scoreless innings in his second start of the summer.

    Wareham got four hits from Joey Bart (Georgia Tech), who bumped his average from .276 to .353.

    The loss was costly for the Gatemen, who fell into second place as Falmouth jumped into first.

     

    Falmouth 13, Brewster 8

    Falmouth’s leap into first place came via a slugfest win over sliding Brewster. The Commodores had 14 hits and reached a season-high in runs in improving to 13-10 on the year. Matt McLaughlin (Kansas) hit a grand slam to power the big third inning and finished 2-for-3 with five RBI. Cadyn Grenier (Oregon State) went 3-for-3, scored four runs and drove in two. Michael Gigliotti (Lipscomb) added two hits and two RBI. Brett Gilchrist (Dallas Baptist) nabbed the win in relief of starter Jake Bird (UCLA), who was touched up for four runs in 3.1 innings after a dominant start last time out. Brewster lost for the sixth straight time and fell to 9-14 and last place in the East. The Whitecaps still lead the league in runs scored, but have also allowed the most. Brent Rooker (Mississippi State) had two hits and now leads the league with a .386 average. Zack Gahagan (North Carolina) added two hits and two RBI and Logan Warmoth (North Carolina) hit his fourth home run.

    Y-D 7, Orleans 3

    Y-D scored a key win to move ahead of Orleans for second place in the East. The Red Sox – not too far removed from an 0-5 start to the season – are 13-5 since and are tied with Falmouth for the second-best record in the league. Wednesday, Y-D was out-hit 12-7 but capitalized on miscues and scored five unearned runs. J.J. Schwarz (Florida) hit his first Cape League home run, a three-run shot in the fourth inning that broke the game open. Red-hot Will Toffey (Vanderbilt) saw his four-game hit streak end but picked up an RBI. Brendan Skidmore (Binghamton), Kevin Smith (Maryland) and Corey Dempster (USC) drove in one run each. On the mound, Bryan Sammons (Western Carolina) allowed nine hits in 3.2 innings but limited the damage. William Montgomerie (Connecticut) followed with 4.1 scoreless innings for the win. Orleans, which lost its third straight, got four hits from Riley Mahan (Kentucky).

    Harwich 1, Bourne 0

    It’s hard to win a pitcher’s duel with Harwich, as the Bourne Braves found out. The Mariners got 11 shutout innings from four pitchers – allowing just four hits along the way – and broke through for the lone run of the game in the top of the 11th. Ernie Clement (Virginia) scored on a groundout to shortstop off the bat of Joseph Dunand (NC State). Zach Schellenger (Seton Hall) followed with a scoreless bottom of the 11th to finish off the win, picking up where three of his fellow pitchers left off. Making his second start of the summer, power arm Peter Solomon (Notre Dame) allowed one hit in seven innings and struck out six. Notre Dame teammate Brad Bass and LSU’s Austin Bain kept the Braves off the board. Bourne starter Brady Miller (Western Oregon) went six scoreless innings.

    Cotuit 5, Hyannis 1

    The Kettleers won for the fifth time in seven games and notched their first victory over rival Hyannis. Quinn Brodey (Stanford), who came into the game hitting .196, went 3-for-3 with a home run and drove in all five of Cotuit’s runs. Clay Fisher (UC Santa Barbara) added two hits and two runs scored. Rio Gomez (Arizona), who pitched in limited action for CWS runner-up Arizona, made his second appearance for Cotuit and struck out seven of the 12 batters he faced in 3.2 innings. Eddie Muhl (George Washington) got the win in relief and Jared Padgett (Mississippi State) pitched three hitless innings for the save. Hyannis got a home run from Zach Rutherford (Old Dominion), his third of the summer.

    What to Watch

    It’s a league-wide off day Thursday as teams head to Fenway Park for a workout. Friday, there’s plenty of good pitching to choose from, with Brady Puckett (Lipscomb) and his 1.71 ERA going for Falmouth, Erich Uelmen (Cal Poly) looking for his third consecutive scoreless start for Y-D and Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year Tyler Wilson (Rhode Island) making his third start for Harwich.
     

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    Staying for the Summer

    Connor Simmons picked up the win in Saturday's game.
    Connor Simmons picked up the win in Saturday’s game.

     
    Humming since opening day, the Cape League’s busy transactions page will slow down now. Sunday was the deadline for signing players on temporary contracts to full contracts, the biggest step in solidifying rosters for the rest of the summer. Some changes will still pop up, but the merry-go-round of the early part of the season is over.

    Cotuit was among the busiest teams yesterday, signing 10 temps to full contracts. Then the Kettleers went out and celebrated.

    Four players hit home runs and six pitchers held on to the lead as the Kettleers beat Falmouth 9-4 at Lowell Park.

    Clay Fisher (UC Santa Barbara), a late arrival after the Gauchos’ trip to Omaha, had about as good a Cape League debut as you could draw up, going 3-for-4 with a grand slam. The slam came in the fourth inning and made it an 8-0 lead.

    Greyson Jenista (Wichita State) and A.J. Balta (Oregon) added their first home runs of the summer and Cory Voss (New Mexico) hit his second. Jackson Klein (Stanford), Cal Stevenson (Arizona) and Alonzo Jones (Vanderbilt) added hits to the big offensive day.

    On the mound, one of those freshly signed temps, Ross Achter (Toledo) started and allowed one run in three innings. Another one, Connor Simmons (Georgia Southern) went 3.2 scoreless innings and was credited with the win.

    The victory was the third in four games for the Kettleers, who are 5-15 and making up a bit of ground in the West. They’re three games back of fourth-place Hyannis.

     

    Wareham 5, Bourne 2

    The Gatemen topped Bourne and moved into a first-place tie with the Braves in the West. Adrian Tovalin (Azusa Pacific) homered, while Alex Destino (South Carolina), Colton Shaver (BYU) and Luke Bonfield (Arkansas) drove in one run each. Brett Conine (Cal State Fullerton) allowed two runs in four innings ahead of a dominant effort by the Gatemen bullpen. Robert Garcia (UC Davis) and and Jake Matthys (Angelo State) combined for five scoreless innings of relief. Wareham has now won two straight.

    Orleans 5, Chatham 0

    The Firebirds pushed their win streak to five with a shutout of Chatham and now own the second-best record in the league. Making his fourth start, Jason Morgan (North Carolina) delivered his best start with five two-hit innings and six strikeouts. Kevin Smith (Georgia), Chandler Day (Vanderbilt) and Kit Scheetz (Virginia Tech) finished off the shutout. At the plate, the top of the Orleans order led the charge. Leadoff man Brian Miller (North Carolina) went 2-for-5 with two RBI. No. 2 hitter Zach Kirtley (St. Mary’s) homered and also drove in two runs. Justin Jones (Georgia State) went 2-for-4 and scored a pair of runs.

    Harwich 2, Brewster 1

    With Orleans winning, Harwich could have lost its grip on first place in the East but remained a game ahead of the Firebirds thanks to a typical pitching performance. Shane McCarthy (Seton Hall) came up with his fourth quality start in as many tries, allowing one run on six hits in six innings. He struck out five and didn’t walk a batter. Reliever Austin Bain (LSU) struck out five of the eight batters he faced in two scoreless frames and Zach Schellenger (Seton Hall) tossed a scoreless ninth for his fifth save as the Mariners hung on to the one-run edge. Brewster starter Kade McClure (Louisville) was strong in his own right, striking out nine in seven innings, but after carrying a shutout into the seventh, he gave up a two-run homer to Johnny Adams (Boston College) that proved to be the difference.

    Y-D 8, Hyannis 7

    One team had a player with two home runs and six RBI – and lost. Hyannis’ Jordan Rodgers (Tennessee) hit a grand slam in the third inning and a two-run homer in the fifth, but Y-D won a slugfest 8-7 on a ninth-inning walk-off squeeze bunt by Nolan Brown (TCU) to score J.J. Muno (UC Santa Barbara). Y-D had also rallied from a 7-5 hole with two runs in the sixth inning on an RBI single by Brendan Skidmore (Binghamton) and a balk that allowed a run to score. Will Toffey (Vanderbilt) homered and drove in two runs for the Red Sox and Tyler Houston (Butler) also had two RBI. Dillon Persinger (Cal State Fullerton) went 4-for-5 in the leadoff spot. For Hyannis, Ford Proctor (Rice) chipped in two hits and Brett Netzer (Charlotte) homered.

    What to Watch

    Fourth of July Baseball from Wareham to Chatham tonight. At Spillane Field, it’ll be a battle for first place between the Gatemen and the Braves.
     

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    Close Calls

    Willy Yahn scored a run as Bourne edged Cotuit.
    Willy Yahn scored a run as Bourne edged Cotuit.

     
    The best team batting average and second-best on-base percentage in the league have helped the Bourne Braves race to the top of the West with a 10-5-1 record. Their knack for winning close games has helped, too.

    With a 5-4 win over Cotuit Tuesday, the Braves went to 6-1-1 in games decided by two runs or less. That means half the team’s games have been close, and the Braves have won all but one of them.

    There have been late heroics, like a walk-off on opening night and a victory in 10 innings the next night. There have also been games like Tuesday, where the bullpen finishes strong and holds up an early lead.

    The Braves jumped on Cotuit with five runs in the top of the first inning. They wouldn’t score again and Cotuit got within a run, but the last three pitchers to take the mound pitched a hitless inning each to preserve the slim lead.

    The first run of the game came home on a wild pitch. David MacKinnon (Hartford) then knocked a two-run single, Evan Mendoza (NC State) plated a run with a base hit and MacKinnon raced in on a passed ball. Just like that, it was 5-0.

    Bourne starter Tony Dibrell (Kennesaw State) – making his first appearance since hooking on with the Braves after being released by Chatham – allowed one run in four innings before the Kettleers scored two in the fifth. Greyson Jenista (Wichita State) had a pair of RBI to lead the comeback effort.

    Reliever Chad Luensmann (Nebraska) gave up one run in 1.2 innings before giving way to the big finish. Sean Leland (Louisville), Ronnie Rossomando (Connecticut) and Andrew Wantz (UNC Greensboro) combined for three near-perfect innings. The only base runner reached on a walk and was later erased on a double play. Wantz earned his second save and struck out two in the ninth, giving him 15 Ks in 10.1 innings.

    With the win, the Braves have a one-game lead on Wareham for first place in the West. Bourne has won three in a row.
     

    Wareham 1, Chatham 0

    The Gatemen kept pace with Bourne thanks to a shutout of Chatham. Jeff Bain (California) went four innings to start the scoreless string. Nick Sprengel (San Diego) then delivered the most dominant stint, striking out seven in three perfect innings of relief on his way to earning the win. Ryan Selmer (Maryland) and Christian Taugner (Brown) tossed one inning each to finish off the shutout. Four Chatham pitchers were almost as good, with starter Andrew Karp (Florida State) striking out five in four innings to lead the way. But Wareham’s one run in the sixth inning was enough. Harrison Wenson (Michigan) led off the inning with a double. With two outs, Cole Freeman (LSU) brought him home with a base hit for the only run the Gatemen would need. Wareham improved to 9-6-1 while Chatham is one of three East teams sitting at 8-8.

    Harwich 5, Brewster 1

    B.J. Myers (West Virginia) picked up his league-best third win by shutting down the Cape’s highest scoring offense as Harwich topped Brewster. Myers struck out six and scattered five hits in seven shutout innings. He’s now 3-0 with a 0.42 ERA and has gone at least seven innings in each of his three starts. The only run he’s allowed was in his first start. Nick Brown (William & Mary) and Zach Schellenger (Seton Hall) finished off the win for the Mariners. Pavin Smith (Virginia) went 3-for-4 with a run scored to lead the Harwich offense, and Cal Raleigh (Florida State) had two RBI. Harwich improved to a league-best 12-4. Brewster got a home run from Ryan Noda (Cincinnati) – his fourth – plus two hits by Nick Dunn (Maryland). Tyler Zuber (Arkansas State) pitched six solid innings of relief for the Whitecaps and struck out six, putting him into a tie for the league lead with 21 Ks.

    Hyannis 6, Falmouth 3

    The Harbor Hawks handled Falmouth for their seventh win in nine games since their 0-7 start. Andrew Gonzalez (Michigan State) got the start and was hit for three runs in 4.1 innings, but five Hyannis relievers teamed up for a dominant showing, allowing only two hits over the final 4.2 innings. Matthew Naylor (North Florida) was credited with the win and Tyler Stevens (New Mexico) picked up the save. The bullpen efforts set the stage for a rally and the Harbor Hawk offense obliged with three runs in the third and three more in the fifth. A two-run home run by Cody Henry (Alabama) was the biggest blow. Zach Rutherford (Old Dominion) added three hits and an RBI, with Brett Netzer (Charlotte) and Jordan Rodgers (Tennessee) also driving in runs. For Falmouth, Michael Gigliotti (Lipscomb) had three hits.

    Orleans 5, Y-D 3

    The Firebirds snapped a four-game slide with a victory over Y-D. Kirk McCarty (Southern Mississippi) struck out seven and allowed two runs in 5.1 innings for the win. Brandon Bielak (Notre Dame) earned the save. Keegan McGovern (Georgia) homered and drove in two to pace the offensive attack for Orleans, while Brian Miller (North Carolina) and Riley Mahan (Kentucky) drove in one run each. Justin Jones (Georgia State) scored a pair of runs. Orleans went to 8-8. Kevin Smith (Maryland) had three hits for Y-D, which dropped to 7-9.

    What to Watch

    Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year Tyler Wilson (Rhode Island) makes his second start of the summer when Harwich visits Orleans.
     

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    Powered Up

    Matt Davis and Brewster have had the league's top offense thus far.
    Matt Davis and Brewster have had the league’s top offense thus far.

     
    (Note: Apologies for the lack of Daily Fog Monday and the late post today. I’m in Alaska for the Summer Nine book project, which you can read more about here, and I have no idea what time it is!)

    Brewster’s Matt Davis (VCU) earned Cape League Player of the Week honors for his fast start, and it’s a good bet he won’t be the last Whitecap hitter to get some recognition.

    Brewster won its fourth straight game Monday, 11-6 over Falmouth, and offense has set the stage for the success. The Whitecaps lead the league in runs scored, averaging about seven per game, and rank second in batting average. In extra-base hits – always a good measuring stick of which team truly has the best offense – the Whitecaps lead the league by a wide margin, with 20 doubles, 10 home runs and four triples. They lead two of those three individual categories and are second in doubles.

    And Monday, they did damage against a team with the second-best ERA in the league and a starting pitcher who went five scoreless innings in his first start. The Whitecaps touched up Jacob Godfrey (Arizona State) for nine runs – seven earned – in the first three innings of the game and cruised from there, finishing with 13 hits.

    Kel Johnson (Georgia Tech) – in his third game of his second summer with the Whitecaps – hit a first-inning grand slam and Brewster was off-and-running. Johnson added one more RBI and finished 2-for-5. Brent Rooker (Mississippi State) had his best day as a Cape Leaguer, going 3-for-5 with three runs scored. Nicholas Dunn (Maryland) went 4-for-6 with two runs scored. Julian Infante (Vanderbilt) went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. Zack Gahagan (North Carolina) also homered.

    Staked to the big early lead, Brewster used seven pitchers and remained in control throughout.

     

    Harwich 3, Y-D 0

    Harwich Mariner pitching continues to be the story of the early part of the Cape League season. The Mariners ran their record to a league-best 8-2 with a 3-0 victory over Yarmouth-Dennis Monday. They’ve won three of their last four games, with all the wins coming by shutout. The Mariners have allowed 14 runs in 10 games, by far the lowest number in the league. It was B.J. Myers’ (West Virginia) turn Monday. Coming off seven innings of one-run ball against Y-D in his first start, he struck out three, walked one and gave up four hits in 7.1 scoreless innings. Zach Schellenger (Seton Hall) did the rest, continuing his dominant start to the season with 1.2 scoreless frames for his fourth save. At the plate, Ernie Clement (Virginia) went 4-for-5 and scored two runs from the leadoff spot. Johnny Adams (Boston College) and Joseph Dunand (NC State) each had two hits and an RBI.

    Hyannis 5, Bourne 2

    Winless through seven games, Hyannis has suddenly won three in a row. Five pitchers combined to hold Bourne to two runs on seven hits in Monday’s win. Matthew Naylor (North Florida) earned the win in relief with Garrett Cave (Florida International) picking up a save. Cody Henry (Alabama) went 3-for-4 with two RBI and has now driven in five runs in the three-game win streak. Jordan Rodgers (Tennessee) added two hits and two RBI, Trey Truitt (Mercer) had two hits for his second consecutive multi-hit game and Zach Rutherford (Old Dominion) scored two runs. Bourne got two hits from Jake Mangum, who is picking up where he left off after hitting over .400 at Mississippi State this spring. He’s 5-for-13 since arriving on the Cape.

    Chatham 7, Wareham 1

    Two pitchers who had tremendous springs combined for 6.2 strong innings as Chatham beat Wareham. NEC Pitcher of the Year James Karinchak (Bryant) struck out six in three innings of one-hit ball and WAC Pitcher of the Year Nick Meservey (Seattle) gave up just an unearned run on two hits in 3.2 innings. Matt Pidich (Pittsburgh) and Moises Ceja (UCLA) picked up where they left off with 2.1 scoreless frames, as Wareham finished the day with just three hits. The Anglers needed the shut-down performances because the game was close throughout. But with a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth, the Anglers scored five runs to blow the game open. Jake Palomaki (Boston College) had two hits and two RBI. Sean Bouchard (UCLA), D.J. Artis (Liberty) and Hunter Lee (High Point) also knocked in runs. With the win, Chatham moved back to .500 at 5-5.

    Orleans 10, Cotuit 4

    The Firebirds improved to 6-4 and handed Cotuit its fifth straight loss. Zach Kirtley (St. Mary’s) led the big offensive day, going 3-for-3 and driving in five runs as he continued his hot start. Kirtley – who hit .323 with seven homers this spring – has four multi-hit games in five starts for the Firebirds. Brian Miller (North Carolina) added two hits, three runs scored and an RBI, and Riley Mahan (Kentucky) had a run and an RBI. Kirk McCarty (Southern Mississippi) went five scoreless innings in his first start for Orleans. Eli Morgan (Gonzaga), who struggled mightily in his last outing, struck out five in two scoreless innings of relief. For Cotuit, Vanderbilt star Jeren Kendall made his second appearance as he gets some time on the Cape before heading to Team USA.

    What to Watch

    League-wide off day today. When the action resumes, Harwich’s pitching may get another boost as Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year Tyler Wilson (Rhode Island) makes his debut at Cotuit.
     

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    So far, yet so close

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