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Cape League Weekly Preview - Week Seven

07/25/2022 8:35 AM

Article By: Ethan Kagno

With the All-Star Game in the rearview mirror, the shift focuses on the playoff races. One team has punched its ticket into the postseason as the other teams look to make up ground. Here is what you need to know for Week 7, presented by Legacy Athletics.

Headlines:

Hyannis Clinches A Playoff Spot
Stop me if you’ve heard this before – the Hawks are hot. Hyannis soared into first place thanks to a 7-2-1 streak in their last 10 games. They now own the best record on the Cape at 20-10-6 (46 points). They own the best run differential in the league and carry a four-game winning streak into Week 7.

Last Place Teams
The Chatham Anglers are on a roll. They are 5-4-1 in their last 10 games and trail Orleans (13-19-4) by one point in the East for the final playoff spot. They have had terrific production from Guy Garibay Jr. (Rice) and Roc Riggio (Oklahoma State) offensively, as well as Wyatt Evans (Tennessee) and Roman Kimball (Notre Dame) on the hill. The two pitchers combined for 10.1 IP, 5 H, 0 R, and 15 K last week in their two outings. Meanwhile, the Wareham Gatemen are winless in their last 10 games (0-7-3) and face an uphill battle for the last playoff spot in the West.

Players To Watch:

Enrique Bradfield Jr. (Cotuit/Vanderbilt)
The Cotuit newcomer from Vandy stole 45 bags this season, but what was most impressive was his 100% success rate. Through two seasons with Vanderbilt, Bradfield Jr. has swiped 91 bases and has only been caught six times; good for a 93.4% success rate. He will bring more speed to an already aggressive base-running Mike Roberts-coached squad. Considering the Kettleers lost speedster Chandler Simpson (Georgia Tech) to the MLB Draft, Bradfield Jr. is poised to wreak havoc on the basepaths for his new club.

Juaron Watts-Brown (Falmouth/Long Beach State)
Watts-Brown has bounced back nicely in his last three starts going 1-0 with a 0.64 ERA and 17 strikeouts. He has helped propel the Falmouth Commodores into the playoff race and sit comfortably ahead of Wareham by seven points and only trail Bourne by three points in the West.

Marquee Matchups:

July 25th: Bourne Braves vs Wareham Gatemen (6:45 pm @ Polar Park, Worcester, MA)
After a successful first outing away from the Cape at Dunkin’ Donuts Park last week, Cape League action returns, this time at the wonderful Polar Park in Worcester, Massachusetts. In a rematch of Thursday’s NESN game at Doran Park, the Braves and Gatemen face each other once again. Wareham looks to win its first game in 10 contests, as Bourne attempts to pull away from fourth-place Falmouth.

July 31st: Hyannis Harbor Hawks vs Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox (4:30 pm @ Red Wilson Field)
Two of the best teams in the league go at it for the fourth time this season. Hyannis carries a 2-0-1 record out to South-Yarmouth to face the best in the East. The Harbor Hawks have outscored the Red Sox by nine runs in their three meetings so far in what could potentially be a championship matchup come early August.