Where the Stars of Tomorrow Shine Tonight!

Article By: Kayla Gregoire

The first day of the Cape Cod Baseball League playoffs was an eventful one. Games were high scoring but were kept very close. Offense was on display throughout all eight teams on Thursday.

Hyannis defeats Cotuit 9-4 - (Hyannis Leads Series 1-0)

The first game of the playoffs was played at Lowell Park with the Cotuit Kettleers hosting the Hyannis Harbor Hawks. The first two innings won the Harbor Hawks the game by putting up six runs in just those innings.

The highest scoring inning for the Hawks came in the second inning where five of those six runs were scored. The biggest star of that inning was Rikuu Nishida who hit a single to get on the bases. Nishida then advances to second on a stolen base, and on the same play Mike Sirota scores. When the next batter comes up, Nishida steals third base. To add on top of that, Nishida stole home to extend Hyannis’ lead.

Unlike the Harbor Hawks, Cotuit was attempting to chip away at the lead inning by inning. Cotuit was put on the board due to a Ryan Ignoffo home run in the third inning. With Enrique Bradfield Jr. already on the bases, two runners scored to make it a 6-2 ball game.

With how much offense Hyannis put up in the first two innings, the Kettleers could not come back, allowing Hyannis to take the first game with a score of 9-4.

Orleans Firebirds (0-0) vs Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox (0-0)

The Orleans Firebirds came out ready for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in the first inning. Orleans was all over Y-D starting pitcher, Bryce Robinson, taking advantage of him not being able to command the zone. Robinson lasted one inning due to Orleans putting up six runs in just the first inning.

Y-D after battling to win games towards the end of the regular season knew they needed this first playoff win, so they immediately battled back. They chipped away in the first by adding two runs to make a 6-2 game but stranded two men on base to end the inning.

The inning that put the Red Sox back in the game was the fifth inning. Grant Taylor pitched a scoreless inning to start it off and the Y-D offense backed him up. Jonny Long then hit a 366 ft grand slam to make it a 10-7 game.

After Long’s hit, Caden Connor and Fernando Gonzalez hit back-to-back singles to cut Orleans' lead down more by making the game 10-8. The Red Sox took the lead after Cole Carrigg drove two runners’ home and Woody Hadeen doubled to score two runners in the sixth inning. After a scoreless inning from Y-D pitcher Luke Jewett in the eighth and Y-D also going scoreless, the game was suspended due to darkness.

The ninth inning will be played at Red Wilson Field on Friday, August 5th at 12:00 p.m.

Brewster defeats Harwich 9-7 - (Brewster Leads Series 1-0)

Through two innings both the Harwich Mariners and Brewster Whitecaps could not put a run on the board. A game that felt like a pitcher’s duel through two innings turned into a battle of offense in the third.

Harwich put up five runs in just one inning. The inning started out with Kalae Harrison taking a four pitch walk and continued with Brock Wilken hitting a home run, allowing the Mariners to take a 5-0 lead against the Whitecaps.

The Whitecaps did not allow that inning to get to their heads, slowly chipping away at the Mariners. The Whitecaps took a lead in the seventh inning, putting up a total of four runs. A pickoff attempt at first base turned into two runners scoring in the inning and putting Brewster up 7-5. The Mariners continued to not be discouraged and tied the Whitecaps the next inning. On the mound was one of Brewster’s best pitchers, Brennan Oxford, but Harwich found a way to create offense.

In the ninth, a Whitecaps home run by Dylan Goldstein allowed Brewster to run away with the first game of the series with a score of 9-7.

Bourne defeats Falmouth 6-5 - (Bourne Leads Series 1-0)

The last game of the night continued to be a close game throughout all nine innings. The Commodores put up two runs in the second inning, but the Braves answered with putting up three to give them a 3-2 lead.

To add onto that lead, Bourne added on another run on a stolen base from Mac Horvath.

Falmouth the inning after, tied the game from an Anthony Mackenzie double, scoring Josiah Cromwick and Jacob Walsh. The Braves answered the next inning after an error by the Falmouth catcher allowed Ryan Enos to score. Then, on a Joshua Kuroda-Grauer sacrifice fly, another runner scored to put the Braves up 6-4.

Despite putting up one other runner, Falmouth could not battle back, giving Bourne the first game of the series with a score of 6-5.