HYANNIS – Four out of five away teams went home with victories on Wednesday night to kick off the Cape Cod Baseball League summer season.
Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox 4 Harwich Mariners 2 F 10
W: Troy Terzi L: Cole Aker S: Riley McCauley
Y-D, led by strong performances from their starting pitcher, Tim Brennan (St. Joseph’s), lead-off batter Kyle Isabel (UNLV), and their bullpen, outlasted the Mariners in 10 innings 4-2. Brennan had his out pitch working early and often, notching 7 Ks in a no decision on Wednesday night. The St. Joe’s junior surrendered two earned runs on 5 hits and a pair of walks. Isabel introduced the Harwich crowd to its first “CRACK” of the bat on the second pitch of the game, sending a screaming line-drive into right center field for a triple. He also singled in the go ahead run in the top of the 10th to cap off his 3 for 5 night with 2 runs batted in and 2 stolen bases. Both bullpens had solid showings, but in the end Y-D’s brought the better stuff and started their four-peat campaign with a win.
Chatham Anglers 8 Falmouth Commodores 7
W: Justin Lasko L: Thomas Ponticelli S: Eli Nabholz
The Chatham Anglers jumped all over returning pitcher Thomas Ponticelli to the tune of 4 runs in the first and Ponticelli was chased after only 2 innings of work. Justin Lasko earned the victory after 5 innings of 2 run ball and 5 strikeouts. Chatham was in control for the large portion of the game, but Commodore bats came to life in the bottom of the 7th scoring 5 runs and narrowing the Angler lead to just one. With the game slipping from their grasp, the Anglers handed the ball to 6 foot 6 250 pound righty from Millersville University, Eli Nabholz. Nabholz hurled two shutout innings while striking out 4 and did not allow an opposing player on base, sending the Falmouth faithful home with a loss to start the season.
Wareham Gatemen 0 Hyannis Harbor Hawks 3
W: Michael Brettell L: Mason Feole S: Christian Tripp
Hyannis used 4 pitchers to secure the shutout and first win of the season against the Gatemen of Wareham. Wright State’s Ryan Weiss pitched 4 strong innings only allowing 2 hits during his stint. The Harbor Hawk bullpen scattered 3 hits and 2 walks in 5 innings to shut the door on Wareham. Hyannis did all of their damage in the bottom of the 2nd inning. After a walk and a base hit, 2nd baseman Ford Proctor (Rice) sent a run home and immediately after, shortstop Tyler Frank (FAU) smashed a 2 RBI double. The score would remain 3-0 as Gatemen relievers and Massachusetts native sons, Andrew Ryan (UMass-Lowell) and Noah Zavolas (Harvard) pitched 7 shutout innings in the lone bright spot for Wareham.
Cotuit Kettleers 5 Bourne Braves 3
W: Jayce Vancena L: Zach Mort S: Clark Cota
In 2016, the Bourne Braves won all 6 games against the Kettleers, and what better way to start the season for Cotuit then to break the skid, winning 5-3 on the Braves’ home turf. Bourne held an early advantage scoring on a wild pitch in the bottom of the second and held a 2-1 lead going into the top of the 6th. Then Duke Blue Devil Griffin Conine stepped to the plate. With a runner on first he crushed a ball into right center field for a triple and would score on a single from Brett Kinneman (NC State). He wasn’t finished. In the next inning with two runners on, he fired a single up the middle to give the Kettleers the 5-3 edge. The combination of Jayce Vancena (Michigan) and Clark Cota (UNC Wilmington) in the final three innings would send the Braves to a 0-1 record.
Brewster Whitecaps 6 Orleans Firebirds 1
W: Connor Higgins L: Kevin Smith
A Bulldog and Sun Devil led the way to a Whitecaps victory to start the 2017 season. Connor Higgins (Arizona State) chucked 5 innings of shutout baseball, while surrendering only two hits, a walk, and striking out 6 Firebirds. In the top of the 5th, the Whitecaps found themselves on top 2-0 with a runner on 1st and Michael Gasper stepping into the batter’s box. After taking ball 1, Gasper saw himself a tasty offering from Firdbird pitcher, Kevin Smith, and deposited it over the fence for the lone home run in the Cape Cod League Wednesday night. From there, Brewster scored two more insurance runs in the top of the 8th and stifled an Orleans comeback in the bottom of the 9th to take home the W.
All teams are back in action Thursday night. Matchups and probables are listed below:
Falmouth Commodores (0-1) @ Cotuit Kettleers (1-0) | Lowell Park | 5:00 PM
James McArthur (Ole Miss) Dylan King (Belmont U)
Orleans Firebirds (0-1) @ Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox (1-0) | Red Wilson Field | 5:00 PM
Joey Murray (Kent State) Josh McMinn (Oral Roberts)
Chatham Anglers (1-0) @ Bourne Braves (0-1) | Doran Park | 6:00 PM
Taylor Luciani (ASA) Christopher Holba (East Carolina)
Brewster Whitecaps (1-0) @ Hyannis Harbor Hawks (1-0) | McKeon Park | 6:00 PM
J.R. McDermott (Col. Mesa) Kevin Coulter (Mercer)
Wareham Gatemen (0-1) @ Harwich Mariners (0-1) | Whitehouse Field | 6:30 PM
Justin Montgomery (Cal Baptist) Noah Song (Navy)
By MATT ST. JEAN, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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