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Week 6

07/23/2006 9:04 AM

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THIS WEEK IN THE CAPE LEAGUE
(16 July – 22 July 2006)
Playoff Races Begin to Heat Up 

Coca Cola Pitcher and Player of the Week

COCA COLA PITCHER OF THE WEEK
    
Terry Doyle (Boston College) had as close to a perfect week as you can ask for to earn the Coca-Cola Pitcher of the Week. Doyle went 2-0 this week, including a no-hitter against the Chatham A’s. A single walk was the only mistake he made all game to keep him from throwing a perfect game. He also went five innings to earn his second win of the week against Hyannis. He struck out 16 batters on the week, 12 against Chatham, and had an ERA of 0.64. Doyle’s efforts on the mound helped propel the red-hot Y-D Red Sox into first place in the Eastern Division. He now leads the league in strikeouts on the season with 43.

COCA COLA PLAYER OF THE WEEK
    
Y-D Both awards were earned by Y-D players this week, as Michael Taylor (Stanford University) was named the Coca-Cola Player of the Week. Playing in seven games this week, Taylor had plenty of opportunities at the plate and took full advantage of them. He drove in six runs, hit two homers, and had a batting average of .368 and an even more impressive on-base percentage of .478. Taylor even managed to steal a base, helping his team remain dominant in the Eastern Division with a 5-2 record this week.
    
By Kevin Wolfe, CCBL Intern [email protected]

 

WEST DIVISION

Braves Find Cash Valuable
    
BOURNE, Mass. – Making it through for the first week this summer, the Braves were able to complete all their games as scheduled, including one make-up game. Unfortunately for the Braves, by week’s end they were only able to post one win over six games.
     In spite of the number of losses the Bourne Braves have had this season, they still manage to draw a strong crowd at all their home games. The relief pitching continues to present the biggest problem despite the recent changes. Beginning the week by traveling to Wareham, the Braves saw starter Tom Farmer (Akron) pitch well over six shutout innings, allowing just two hits. The Braves took an early lead coming off the bat of Mitch Mooreland (Mississippi State), who doubled in Brett Bartles (Duke), followed by a Cat Everett (Tulane) sacrifice fly in the fifth. The Braves’ relief pitching could not hold the small lead, giving up a five-run seventh in the loss. 
     Stranding 12 runners on 10 hits in the loss to Cotuit, the team with the best record in the Cape League, was detrimental to the late-hitting bats of Bourne. Offensively, the Braves showed success led by Bartles, who went 3-for-5, and Ty Wright (Oklahoma State), who went 2-for-4 and scored the only Braves run on a sac fly in the fifth. Austin Krum (Dallas Baptist), David Cash (Florida) and Wright all had two hits for the Braves in the loss. 
     The Braves have seen great success at Hyannis this summer and continued their path with another win at McKeon Park. Bourne posted a three-run rally in the eighth to pick up their fifth win of the season. Bartles and Cash both had two hits in the win, while timely hitting by Krum tied the game in the eighth with an RBI single. Andrew Carignan (UNC) earned his second save, throwing two scoreless innings of relief to give the Braves a 4-3 victory. 
     With an umpire appeal closing the door on a late-inning rally for Bourne in the ninth, the Braves were unable to come back from a 1-0 deficit to the Brewster Whitecaps. Trailing 1-0 in the ninth, Krum was called out for missing the first base bag en route to second in what appeared to be a leadoff double. Krum has been his own highlight reel for the Braves this summer with a batting average that flirts around .300 and performing strong plays defensively. Meanwhile, Cash is the spark for the Braves in the leadoff spot. With his .310 batting average, the outfielder has performed well for Bourne this summer.
    
By Daniel Scalia, CCBL Intern [email protected]

Smoak Blazing Quite a Trail
    
COTUIT, Mass. – The Cape League is one full of young talent whose players go on to become the stars of tomorrow. Justin Smoak is just one of these young stars. After being thrown into the mix as a freshman at one of the nation’s finest baseball programs at the University of South Carolina, Smoak immediately demonstrated his talents. 
     Out of Goose Creek High School in South Carolina, Smoak, along with Gamecock and Kettleer teammate Reese Havens, was named Co-Mr. Baseball in South Carolina. Drafted in the 16th round by the Oakland Athletics in 2005, he spurned the draft for his chance at a College World Series title. 
     One look at this first baseman reveals his talent. At 6-foot-3 and an even 200 pounds, Smoak carries an intimidating presence similar to that of a grizzled major league veteran. 
     After having an unbelievable year for the Gamecocks in which he set USC freshman records with 17 home runs and 63 RBIs, Justin was named to the Baseball America Freshman All-American squad. Not only were these numbers good enough to set freshman records, but they also were team highs. 
     After South Carolina was ousted in the College World Series, the young first basemen did what any natural competitor would do, shrugging it off and continuing to improve as a ball player. Smoak didn’t waste much time, recording two hits in his first game for Cotuit and not looking back since. Although his average has dipped below .300 as of late, by no means is this slugger slowing down. With five home runs good for second in the league, he has helped set the tone for some big innings this season. 
     Coach Roberts has Smoak in the two-hole, a place where Justin has been very comfortable. With a great pitching staff that has recorded seven shutouts this season, Justin and his fellow position players feel less pressure to put up big numbers. This fits nicely with the Kettleers’ small-ball style of play, in which laying down a bunt or executing a hit-and-run is commonplace. 
     With the home run contest a week away, Smoak is likely to be one of the competitors. Look for this power hitter to put on a show in his coming-out party to the national audience that now follows the Cape League. 
    
By Nicholas Mucci, CCBL Intern [email protected]

Kopp Looking For a Summer of Improvement
    
FALMOUTH, Mass. – Falmouth boasts a lineup that is leading the league in hits, home runs and, unfortunately, strikeouts. The Commodores have been putting up some crooked numbers all season, but this offensive success hasn’t turned into as many victories as hoped. At 14-15-1, Falmouth is miles away from the frontrunners in the West, Cotuit, but it is not too late for the team to turn things around and make a playoff push. 
     Falmouth has simply been unlucky this season, with a few breaks seeming always to go in favor of the opposition. Their pitching staff is full of talent from top to bottom and can’t be blamed for the early season problems. David Kopp is one of the many young arms Falmouth fans have been able to enjoy watching this season. 
     A member of the Clemson Tigers, the sophomore played a key role in their run to the College World Series. Along with his three teammates, Brad Chalk, Stan Widmann and Taylor Harbin, Kopp is hoping to improve this summer and help Clemson make another championship run in 2007. The spring of 2006 was magical for the Tigers, and Kopp and the boys felt as though they should have been crowned champions, but that is why they play the games. 
     “It was an amazing run, full of comeback victories, big home runs and just plain emotion, something I will not soon forget, but you hate to lose and always think about ‘what if,’” said Kopp.
For Clemson fans and players the loss was hard to swallow, as this team was one that brought so much energy to the park every day and one that took their fans on an amazing ride. No opponent’s lead was ever safe, and fans would seldom leave Doug Kingsmore Stadium. 
     Despite the difficult loss in Omaha, the Clemson boys have kept their head high even though it seemed impossible to do. Kopp, a Florida native, has enjoyed his stay on the Cape and feels honored to be a part of the league. 
     “This scenery has been amazing and the caliber of athletes among us is hard to compare to,” said the 6-foot-3 righty. 
     Kopp showed signs of improvement as a sophomore and there is no doubt in his mind, nor in that of his coach Jack Leggett, that he may very well become a dominant pitcher for the Tigers next season. Kopp knows as well as anyone there is no better place to hone your skills than the Cape, where he will face the best of the best day in and day out. 
     Things have gone well so far for Kopp, who has started three games and has two wins to show and a 0.77 ERA. He started the summer in relief in order to build back his arm strength and was able to record a save and come up with some big innings for the Commodores. 
     With the will and work ethic Kopp has shown in his two years in Tigertown, Kopp has the ability to be a star. Improving his velocity and mixing up his pitches are two things he needs to improve on, and with the guidance of the knowledgeable Jeff Trundy and the coaching staff in Falmouth, fans may see Kopp develop into a star right under their own eyes. 
    
By Nicholas Mucci, CCBL Intern [email protected]
     

Pack Your Bags, We’re Heading to J-Town
    
HYANNIS, Mass. – Jon Townsend (Florida) is not your typical Cape Leaguer. The Hyannis Mets second baseman is a far cry from the prototypes fans would expect to be playing on the Cape this summer. Townsend, a London, Ky. native, arrived to Hyannis this year out of Saddleback Community College, a college with a style of play much different than the fast-paced world of the Cape Cod Baseball League. But he was ready for the challenge, and has definitely risen to the occasion.
     Townsend, who came to the Cape confident in his defensive skills as a shortstop, has excelled for the Mets as second baseman. He credits the talent of other players in the league for helping him improve upon his own game, noting, “Although it’s only mid-season, I have noticed a large improvement in my offensive game. The Cape League has been extremely beneficial to me, in that the fast pace and strong pitching will help me in my college career this year when I transfer to Florida. It will be similar to what I will face next spring and now I have an idea of what to expect out there.”
     At the start of the season, he struggled offensively, as most players often do when switching from the aluminum bats to the wooden bats of the CCBL. But at Tuesday’s game against the Bourne Braves, Townsend proved to coaches and fans alike that he had officially arrived. In the sixth inning he hit his first home run of the season, allowing Jared McGuire (Boston College) to advance home as well and the Mets to take the 3-1 lead. 
     However, the Braves would re-capture the lead in the eighth to beat the Mets with a final score of 4-3. Starter Josh Collementer (Central Michigan) provided a strong 5 1/3 innings for Hyannis, fanning four and keeping Bourne hitless the first time through the lineup. Other standouts for the Mets offense were Matt Mangini (Oklahoma) and Jared McGuire (Boston College) who both went 2-for-3 on the night. In addition, Ben Jeffers (Georgia) pitched a perfect ninth inning.
     Clearly Townsend’s homer proved to be the highlight of the game for Mets fans. As far as his time spent on the Cape League, he is just thankful to be here. “It’s always been a dream of mine to play here. Baseball is extremely important to me, but also, being given the opportunity to play in such a great league, I want to take in everything the Cape has to offer, including those things outside of baseball.”
     As far as a favorite moment on the Cape, he notes that although his home run is definitely high on the list, he has enjoyed being surrounded by so many great people and bonding with his teammates, who will now be his lifelong friends. In addition, he credits his host family, the Conti’s, with helping him to adjust to life on the Cape and showing so much kindness in taking him into their home as family.
     Townsend and the Mets look forward to the coming weeks and hope to have a shot at the championship: “We’re very optimistic about making the playoffs. We have strong hitting and pitching and we just need to put it all together. I think in the coming weeks we will move up in the standings.” So although he is not your typical Cape Leaguer, Townsend clearly has mastered the role to a tee.
    
By Courtney Reilly, CCBL Intern [email protected]

Gatemen Stay Steady in the West
    
WAREHAM, Mass. – After posting a five-game losing streak last week, the Wareham Gatemen returned this week with a promising record of 3-2. Following a two-game road, trip the Gatemen began the week at home when they faced the Bourne Braves.
     Struggling to find any production down offensively until the seventh inning, Riley Boening (Texas) held the Braves to two runs (one earned) over nine innings. Allowing just three hits and striking out nine, the Gatemen came around in the seventh to produce five runs on five hits, giving Boening the win. Wareham received their offense from Jason Ogata (LSU) and Ryan Gotcher (Arkansas-Little Rock), who both had RBI singles, followed by a patient at-bat by Steffan Wilson (Harvard) that resulted in driving in the game-winning run. 
     The Gatemen tested their bullpen Monday night when they traveled to Orleans for an extra-inning battle. Wareham was able to score in the top of the 14th, with Tim Matthews working four scoreless innings for the win.
     Heading into the off-day with a three-game winning streak, the Gatemen were anxious to continue their success against the recently hot bats of the Hyannis Mets. Wareham sent Travis Banwart (Wichita State) to the hill to continue the winning streak. In an impressive performance Banwart lasted six scoreless innings, allowing just seven hits while striking out four. Currently, Banwart leads the team with a 0.90 ERA over 20 innings pitched. The right-hander has shown nothing but excellence on the mound for the Gatemen this season. The Gatemen witnessed an impressive performance at the plate by San Diego State’s Brandon Glover, who had three hits in five plate appearances while stealing two bases. 
     Despite his strong performance, Luke Putkonen (UNC) received a hard loss after throwing the complete game against Y-D. After five shutout innings and the first two outs of the sixth, the Gatemen saw the first runs cross the plate on back-to-back singles by the Red Sox. Wareham cut the lead to 3-2 in the eighth on a Seth Henry (Tulane) two-out, two-run double to left center. In the ninth, the Gatemen viewed men on second and third with one out after a single by Bradley Suttle (Texas) and a double by Joel Collins (South Alabama), but they were unable to generate any more runs. 
     Through Friday, the Gatemen continue to hold the second-place spot in the Western Division.
    
By Daniel Scalia, CCBL Intern [email protected]

 

EAST DIVISION

The Race Is On
    
BREWSTER, Mass. – The Whitecaps have moved into second place this week behind the red hot Y-D Red Sox. No worries, though, as Brewster is putting up some big wins too and keeping the race for first place very tight. A major reason the Whitecaps have kept up their winning ways is their pitching staff.
     Perhaps the most overlooked pitching talent in the CCBL, Shaun Seibert (Arkansas) had another great outing Wednesday against the Bourne Braves, going six scoreless innings. 
Seibert remains the top pitcher in the league and has been able to keep his ERA at 0.00 after 34 2/3 innings of work. He is leading the league with a 4-0 record and can take on any hitter that comes to the plate.
     Whitecaps head coach Bob Macaluso said Seibert has “been outstanding ... Shaun is pitching smart and not giving into hitters.”
     The Illinois native thinks he’s been “under the radar” when it comes to scouting, which is really hard to imagine considering his performance so far this year. He ended his sophomore year at Arkansas with a familiar 4-0 record and a 2.79 ERA. 
     Now, if for some strange reason the scouts don’t come knocking, Shaun has other plans. He is studying teaching and would like to one day join his brother in the field, though he would prefer to have a long career in professional baseball first.
     In contrast to Seibert, there has been a lot of talk about pitcher Scott Maine (Miami). Scott has endured a lot of pain and maybe some bad luck over the last couple years. After having Tommy John surgery in 2004, he was injured in an automobile accident last summer. Scott made it back for the spring and ended this season with a 12-3 record.
     This summer, Scott is one of the Whitecaps’ best starters, proving he has what it takes to make it to the big leagues. He got his third win Thursday over the league-leading Cotuit Kettleers. Scott went 7 1/3 innings, gave up one run and struck out six, leaving him with a 1.80 ERA. 
Relief pitcher Adam McDaniel (Georgia) is yet another name that has been tossed around. Adam has appeared in 11 games thus far and has struck out 14; and most importantly, he has not given up an earned run. 
     Adam played his first two years at Georgia as an infielder. This year was his first season as a pitcher for the Bulldogs. After a rough start, he turned it around and was a big factor in getting Georgia to the College World Series. 
     Not only is Brewster’s pitching fantastic, but at the plate the Whitecaps scored 23 runs this week. Helping out with that was Matt Cusick (USC), who went 4-for-4 with his first home run of the season against the Falmouth Commodores on Saturday. Also going 4-for-4 was David Cooper (Cal State Fullerton) on Thursday against Cotuit. David’s Titans teammate, Jared Clark, was among the home run hitters this week, hitting his third of the season. And the ever-reliable Colt Sedbrook (Arizona) has continued to get on base and score runs. 
     It is hard not to mention everyone because it really is a team effort; all of the guys are working extremely well together and doing their jobs. So, stay tuned to see what the Whitecaps have up their sleeves this week to keep them in the race for the playoffs. 
    
By Johnna DeChristoforo, CCBL Intern [email protected]

Chatham Goes on Midweek Run
    
CHATHAM, Mass. – Chatham’s offense was shut out twice the previous week and showed signs of an ominous event unfolding for the Chatham A’s hitters. In the world of baseball, this event is known as the no-hitter, and on Sunday, July 17, the Chatham A’s suffered through the frustrating ordeal of the no-hitter. Yarmouth-Dennis’s Terry Doyle (Boston College) was masterful on Sunday and yielded only one base-runner all night. Doyle commented, “When you have everything going for you, it’s just a good feeling.” The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox cruised to a 2-0 win and left the A’s with a long bus ride back to Chatham. However, the game may have served as a wake-up call for the A’s. Instead of festering on the loss, the team warmed up their bats and went on a mid-week run that put them back in the hunt for a playoff spot. 
     Baseball is often noted for having its own language. In baseball terms, the word “stopper” is used to describe a starting pitcher who stops a team from going on losing streaks. Robert Woodard (North Carolina) has been the Chatham A’s “stopper” this season, and he proved this again on Monday night. Woodard pitched seven effective innings to get the win for Chatham and the offense finally woke up by smacking 12 hits and eight runs. Reid Fronk (North Carolina) led the offense with three hits and two RBIs. In contrast to Sunday night’s performance, eight of the nine Chatham batters recorded at least one hit. 
     After a day off on Tuesday, Chatham took on the Orleans Cardinals at Veterans Field. Chatham was looking to reverse their 0-3 record against the Cardinals and would have to do so from behind. Joe Dunigan (Oklahoma) hit a three-run homer in the top of the third that put the A’s down 3-0. However, the A’s battled back and took a 5-3 lead when a lazy fly ball from Allan Dykstra (Wake Forest) found a way to drop into shallow left field. The play netted two runs for the A’s and gave them a lead they would never surrender. The game ended in dramatic fashion when Paul Koss (USC) struck out Mark Hallberg (Chicago-Illinois) with the bases loaded to preserve a 6-5 Chatham win. 
     Chatham continued their streak of strong play with a pair of wins in a doubleheader on Thursday. Against the Hyannis Mets, Chatham won 3-1 behind a Matt Rizzotti (Manhattan) home run. The second game featured a different opponent in the form of the Bourne Braves. Adrian Ortiz (Pepperdine) had a Ricky Henderson-type day from the leadoff spot, starting the game with a homer and leading the offense with four hits and three RBIs. Eliot Cribby (Washington) got the win for the A’s with seven strong innings of work as they cruised to a 6-1 win over the Braves. 
     Through Friday, Chatham sits in fourth place of the Eastern Division with 29 points, nine behind the second-place Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, who control the last playoff spot. The A’s hope to use Woodard in the stopper’s role again on Sunday night, when he faces the Brewster Whitecaps. The game will be played at Veterans Field at 7 p.m.
    
By Jonathan French, CCBL Intern [email protected]
 

A Summer Philosophy
    
HARWICH, Mass. - There are only two weeks before the playoffs and the Harwich Mariners find themselves in last place of the Eastern Division. Unfortunately, it has been many years since Harwich has seen a divisional playoff game and decades since they captured a championship. 
The Mariners have so much talent, but with players coming and going it is hard to keep a rhythm and it’s difficult to know which team is going to show up on a daily basis. Some days the Mariners are doing everything right, but on their off days they can really do a lot of damage. 
     In last Saturday’s game against the West-leading Cotuit Kettleers, the Mariners had eight errors, four in the third inning alone. Obviously this was a rare occasion, but it shows that the Mariners’ struggles can be contagious at times. 
     It is true that head coach Steve Englert is not particularly thrilled about some of their recent performances, but on the flip side, winning is not the most important thing to him. 
     “The most important things about this league are showcasing talent and getting the kids better,” Englert said. Of course the M’s would like to win games and bring a championship home to Harwich, but the first priority is to prepare these players for the next level without compromising them physically. 
     The Mariners’ philosophy is different from what one may follow in the spring, so during the summer Englert is willing to “sacrifice things to accomplish the goal.” And there is plenty of evidence that Harwich has consistently allowed players to showcase their talents and improve their skills. That proof is in the draft stats. 
     Harwich has a history of recruiting top players and having those players drafted. Since the 2000 season, Harwich has had many first-round draft picks and have continued to recruit the top players in the nation. Former Mariners who have ascended to the ranks of MLB include Adam Stern of the Boston Red Sox, Kelly Shoppach of the Cleveland Indians, Jason Bartlett of the Minnesota Twins, and most recently Craig Hansen of the Boston Red Sox. 
     The current Mariners team is not without its own up-and-coming prospects. One can’t help but notice Josh Donaldson (Auburn), who hit his fourth homer of the season on Friday night, adding two more RBIs to give him 19 on the season. He is still leading the league with nine doubles; he is also second in slugging with a .524 and third in batting average with a .320 and hits with 33.
     Antone DeJesus (Kentucky) has been a steady presence for the Mariners, both by getting on base and by fielding. DeJesus is sixth in the league with a .411 on-base percentage. And his performance in center field has saved the Mariners from a lot of scored runs.
     Pitcher Tony Watson (Nebraska) is 4-1, good for a tie for first place in wins. Teammates Dan Merklinger and Dan McDonald (both of Seton Hall) are also both proving to be standouts on the team. Friday night, the veteran Merklinger became the No. 3 pitcher in the league with a win over Falmouth. He is tied for third in the league with 38 strikeouts and has a perfect 3-0 record with a 1.04 ERA. McDonald has a 2-0 record and also has himself a 1.04 ERA. 
     The list of players could go on, but what it comes down to is that these guys are taking the opportunity of playing in the CCBL and trying to perform at their best while having fun at the same time. The Mariners might not have the best record, but one could argue that they have the best philosophy. 
    
By Johnna DeChristoforo, CCBL Intern [email protected]

Dunigan Steps Up for Cardinals
    
ORLEANS, Mass. – The Orleans Cardinals were extremely happy to see Danny Valencia (Miami) fulfill his wish of signing a professional contract with the Minnesota Twins, but his departure left a hole in Cardinals lineup. Valencia provided protection for Matt Wieters (Georgia Tech) in the middle of the lineup. Orleans needed somebody to step up and provide protection for Wieters or risk having their star catcher receive the Barry Bonds treatment. No, not perjury indictments, but instead being pitched around and receiving a disproportional number of walks. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Joe Dunigan (Oklahoma) has provided sacrifice bunts, steals, walks, and a great arm for the Cardinals, but this week he stepped into the role of cleanup hitter. 
     Saturday, July 15 saw the Orleans Cardinals travel to Bourne, where they took on the Bourne Braves. Joe Mahoney (Richmond) provided the offense for the Cardinals with three hits and an RBI. Brett Cecil (Maryland) was extremely impressive as he closed the game with a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth. Cecil has been one of the league’s top closers with a 1.59 ERA and seven saves.
     Sunday night was a pitchers’ duel between Orleans’ Clayton Shunick (Georgia Tech) and Harwich’s Tony Watson (Nebraska). Shunick’s only mistake came when Josh Horton (North Carolina) hit a two-out RBI double in the first inning. The run was all Watson needed in 1-0 Harwich win. After a 5-4 loss against the Wareham Gatemen on Monday night, the Cardinals traveled to Chatham to take on the A’s, against whom they were undefeated on the season. After a Wieters walk in the top of the third, Joe Dunigan hit a three-run homer to put the Cardinals on top 3-0. However, the A’s battled back and took a 5-4 lead heading into the top of the ninth. The Cardinals were able to load the bases, but they ultimately came up short and suffered their first defeat of the season to their rivals from Chatham. 
     The Cardinals were in the midst of a three-game losing streak when they traveled to Red Wilson Field to take on one of the hottest teams in the league. The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox had won nine of their last 10 games and were currently sitting on the top of the Eastern Division. But they finally made the mistake of allowing Matt Wieters to have a chance to swing the bat, and he made them pay by smacking a pair of homers. Wieters had spent most of the week being pitched around while accumulating eight walks, thus elevating his league-leading on-base percentage to .455. In top of the ninth, Wieters received an intentional walk, but Joe Dunigan once again proved why he deserved the cleanup spot with a three-run blast that propelled his team to an 8-5 win. The game featured four lead changes and another strong performance from Brett Cecil in the bottom of the ninth. 
     The Orleans Cardinals currently sit in third place of the Eastern Division and hope to make a late-season surge towards a playoff berth. The combo of Matt Wieters and Joe Dunigan once again provides a great 1-2 punch in the heart of the order. 
    
By Jonathan French, CCBL Intern [email protected]

Y-D Has Its Eyes on the Prize
    
SOUTH YARMOUTH, Mass. – Y-D Red Sox pitcher Donnie Hume (Long Beach State) tallied another win for his record (3-0) against the Hyannis Mets on Saturday, July 15. Two of his three wins are credited to his strong pitching against Hyannis. Week 2’s Coca-Cola Pitcher of the Week went eight innings and struck out four batters as Y-D beat Hyannis 4-1.
     Although he has exhibited tremendous talent in his first season on the Cape, Hume remains humble, stating that every time he plays, his main goal is to “give my chance a team to win and get one win closer to that championship trophy.” As far as personal goals, Donnie hopes to be pitching at his home field, Merrill “Red” Wilson Field, at the All-Star Game on July 29.
     Hume feels that he has improved on his game by simply sticking to his routine: “I just keep working hard day in and day out and it seems to fall together for me. I’ve been very fortunate.” Along with his Y-D teammate Terry Doyle (Boston College), Hume is a CCBL category leader for shutouts, with one thus far in the season (against the Mets on June 20). Hume realizes that at this point, another shutout may be hard to come by, as most batters have adjusted to hitting with wood.
     Although his pitching was a determining factor in Y-D’s victory, the offense proved to be stronger than Hyannis could handle in the ninth inning. The Red Sox, down 1-0 in the sixth, tied the game on a Danny Lehmann (Rice) hit to left center which allowed Buster Posey (Florida State) to score. 
     he Sox offense remained quiet and the score tied until the top of the ninth inning, when they took advantage of two throwing errors on the same play by Hyannis. Alden Carrithers (UC Santa Barbara) advanced to second on one throwing error and quickly to third on another, which allowed Mike Bianucci (Auburn) to score. A Luke Sommer (San Francisco) single to center filed drove home Carrithers. Finally a Brad Emaus (Tulane) single sealed the deal as Sommer scored the third run of the ninth, resulting in the final 4-1 score.
     Hume and his teammates, now in first place in the Eastern Division, started the year struggling and, for a short time, were in last place in the standings. Hume feels that the turn around came from simply “coming together and having some fun, which will hopefully take us all the way to a championship trophy.” 
     The Sox will continue “having fun” on Sunday in an afternoon game at Bourne. 
    
By Courtney Reilly, CCBL Intern [email protected]
 

 

Around the Cape League Horn

       The Stars Will Come Out: Selections for the 44th annual Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game will be announced Tuesday, July 25 by CCBL Commissioner Paul Galop. Forty-six of the top players in the Cape League, including 23 on both the East and West Divisions, will comprise the two rosters. The mid-summer classic will be played Saturday, June 29 at 4 p.m. and broadcasted live on WCAI (90.1 FM), WNAN (91.1 FM) and WZAI (94.3 FM), The Cape and Islands NPR Stations, and streamed at www.capeandislands.org. The CCBL All-Star Game will also be streamed on www.capecodbaseball.org, along with all 10 Cape League team Web sites, on the Cape Cod Baseball League Network powered by Cape.Com. Listeners will also be able to hear to the broadcast by going to one of the five designated local phone numbers available at the league Web site.

      Schiffner wins No. 300: Chatham A’s head coach John Schiffner won his 300th career Cape League game on Monday, July 10 when the A’s defeated the Hyannis Mets 1-0 at Veterans Field. Schiffner, who became head coach of the A’s in the 1993 season, joins CCBL Hall of Famers Eddie Lyons and Don Reed as Cape League skippers who have amassed 300 victories in their Cape coaching careers.

      Leading Banks of Cape Cod: For the fourth straight year, the CCBL All-Star Game will be presented by the leading banks of Cape Cod: Bank of America, TD Banknorth, Cape Cod Five Charitable Foundation and Sovereign Bank. Also sponsoring the game are Cape Cod Cooperative Bank, The Community Bank and Citizens Bank. Don’t miss the autograph sessions at 12:30 p.m. and the popular Baseball Factory Home Run Hitting Contest at 2:30 p.m. The gates open at 11 a.m. 
     The All-Star Game will also feature the Eye Health Services-sponsored Field of Dreams whale from the Cape Cod Whale Trail. The whale will be visiting from its summer home at Heritage Museum and Gardens. For the second straight All-Star Game, the national anthem will feature Hyannis Sound, a renowned group of 10 collegiate men singing a cappella.

      The Baseball Express: For the second consecutive season, the Baseball Factory and Team One are teaming up to host the Baseball Express Cape Cod High School Classic. The top high school players in the country will compete in this All-Star Game on Friday, July 28 at noon at Spillane Field, home of the Wareham Gatemen. The home run hitting contest starts at 8:30 a.m. Seventeen players from last year's game were drafted by the major leagues in June. 

      Eye for An Eye: Eye Health Services, which had a booth at McKeon Park last weekend featuring a Board-Certified Ophthalmologist, will be doing the same on July 25 at Red Wilson Field in South Yarmouth. The physicians will show fans the new Nike eye wear that is available exclusively at EHS. July 25 is also Yarmouth Area Chamber of Commerce Night at Red Wilson Field. Eye Health Services is very active with the CCBL, sponsoring foul balls and feeding teams after the games. CEO Randy Shepard hosted a delicious meal at the Riverway Lobster House after Terry Doyle's no-hitter last weekend.

      Singing a Song: The 99 Restaurant Night in Cotuit on Sunday will feature VP of Marketing Brad Schiff singing the national anthem. Schiff has sung at Fenway Park and Chatham A's and Brewster Whitecaps games. The 99 Restaurant Night will be July 31 at Falmouth and will again feature Schiff singing the national anthem. There will also be a cookout out for all the 99 employees. This traditionally attracts 100 employees and their families.

      Bank of America Night: The Cotuit Kettleers will host the Bank of America corporate night on Sunday, July 30 at 5 p.m. when they play Brewster. The event will feature a first pitch ceremony and national anthem sung by a bank employee. The Hood Ice Cream truck will also be in attendance, giving away samples of New England Creamery ice cream cups. Bank of America, one of the largest sponsors in the Cape League, is the official bank of the CCBL, as well as Major League Baseball.

      KeySpan Weekly Award Winner: This week’s KeySpan Community Service Award recipient is Max Rosen from Harwich High School.

      More Make-up Games: Two more games on July 20 were postponed due to inclement weather. The Falmouth at Orleans game will be made up Monday, July 24 at 7 p.m., while the Hyannis at Harwich contest will be played Tuesday, Aug. 1 at 3 p.m. as the first game of a doubleheader at Whitehouse Field.

      MLB Scout Days in July: The Cape League will schedule pre-game player workouts for the major league scouts during a six-day period known as Scouts Days. They will take place at the following upcoming games: Y-D at Bourne, July 23; Wareham at Y-D, July 25; Falmouth at Cotuit, July 26; Brewster at Harwich, July 27; and Orleans at Chatham, July 28. Workout drills include batting practice, fielding practice, and short-distance sprints.

      Who’s Hot … And Who’s Not: The current leader for the Thurman Munson Award for the league’s top batting average is Eric Farris (Loyola Marymount) of Cotuit, who at .348 holds a healthy 24-point advantage over Matt Wieters (Georgia Tech) of Orleans … Falmouth outfielder Warren McFadden (Tulane) still leads the CCBL with six homers and 22 runs scored, while Matt Rizzotti (Manhattan) of Chatham is the league leader with 21 RBIs … Cotuit’s Justin Smoak (South Carolina) is the top slugger at .520 … Buster Posey (Florida State) of Y-D has contributed the most hits in the CCBL with 37 and Kody Kaiser (Oklahoma) of Orleans has stolen 14 bases … Josh Donaldson (Auburn) of Harwich leads with nine doubles … Enjoying a spectacular season on the mound is RHP Shaun Seibert (Arkansas) of Brewster, who is 4-0 with a perfect 0.00 ERA. LHP Tony Watson (Nebraska) has also produced four wins for Harwich … Flame-throwing Joshua Fields (Georgia) has saved nine games for Y-D, while Red Sox teammate Terry Doyle (Boston College), who threw a no-hitter last week, is the league leader with 39 strikeouts … West Division leader Cotuit leads the CCBL in team batting average (.264) and team ERA (2.31), while the Bourne Braves bring up the rear at .207 and 4.30, respectively.

 

John Garner, Jr.
Director of Public Relations & Broadcasting
(508) 790-0394 [email protected] 

Will Bussiere
Web Editor
[email protected]

 Interns:  Johnna DeChristoforo, Jonathan French, Lauren B. Malone
Adam McGillen, Courtney Reilly, Daniel Scalia