| |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
|
Gatemen finally begin to stir By Tim Weisberg Correspondent The Wareham Gatemen showed signs of life this past week, and as the squad heads into the Independence Day holiday, it looks as if they’re poised to break out of the Cape Cod Baseball League basement. Things didn’t start off so promising, however, when the Gatemen fell 6-1 in Harwich last Wednesday night. Left fielder Brian Kemp led the Mariners’ hit parade, going 4-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. J.J. Hoover tossed six innings of one-run ball, backed by three innings of scoreless relief from the Harwich staff. Wareham managed to bang out nine hits, led by two apiece from center fielder Connor Rowe (Texas), third baseman Raynor Campbell (Baylor) and left fielder Steve Liddle (Vanderbilt). They also got one hit each from first baseman Aaron Baker (Oklahoma), catcher Cole Leonida (Georgia Tech) and DH Kipp Schutz (Indiana). Second baseman Ryan Pineda (Cal St. Northridge) had the lone Gatemen RBI in the top of the fifth. On the mound, Wareham starter Robby Broach (Tulane) allowed just two runs on four hits in his five innings of work, but the relief trio of Zach Brewster (Georgia Tech), Josh Slaats (Hawaii) and Chris Hicks (Georgia Tech) allowed four more Harwich runs. The next night, it was right back to Whitehouse Field, as the Gatemen again fell to Harwich, 6-5. With the game tied 5-5 in the bottom of the ninth, Gatemen reliever Matt Bashore (Indiana) had two outs on the mound, but a hit batsman and a passed ball allowed D.J. Belfonte to reach base, and he was singled home by Tommy Medica for the game-winner. A solid start by lefty Dallas Keuchel (Arkansas) was spoiled in the bottom of the fourth. With Wareham up 5-1, miscues and a couple of hits allowed the Mariners to score four runs off four hits. Brandt Walker (Stanford) added a scoreless inning of relief for the Gatemen. Pineda homered for the second straight game, as part of a 2-for-5 performance. Right fielder Brett Eibner (Arkansas) and Schutz (two RBIs, run scored) each had two hits, while catcher Buddy Munroe (Florida), second baseman Jake Lemmerman (Duke) and Baker each added a hit. Perhaps fed up with losing six straight, especially after coming so close on Thursday, the Gatemen took out their frustrations on Friday with a 9-3 win in Chatham. Matt Way (Washington State) worked five innings, striking out eight and allowing three runs off five hits. Jimmy Saris (Georgetown) and Slaats each added two scoreless innings in relief. Offensively, Wareham had 11 hits, led by two each from Campbell (RBI, run), Baker (two RBI) and Leonida (three RBI, two-run homer), Pineda, Eibner (two RBI), Schutz (home run), Rowe and Liddle added a hit apiece. Shortstop Grant Green and center fielder Cory Olson each had three hits to lead the A’s. With their confidence restored, it was time for the Gatemen to once again face the Eastern Division-leading Mariners, this time in the friendly confines of Spillane Field. Wareham exacted their revenge for Thursday’s close loss, with a 3-2 victory over Harwich on Saturday. With the score knotted at two apiece in the bottom of the 10th and two outs, Pineda singled to left field to score Munroe and give Wareham the win. Pineda had homered in the sixth to knot the score. Eibner also added two hits and a run scored, with a hit apiece from Schutz (RBI), Liddle and Munroe. Starter Max Perlman (Harvard) allowed just two runs on five hits in six innings of work, backed by shutdown performances from Walker and Brewster, the latter going three and two-thirds to close out the game. On Sunday, the Gatemen looked to keep things rolling but got left in the dark, as their game with Brewster was called after nine innings due to darkness with the score tied at nine apiece. After trailing through the first seven frames, Liddle hit a bases-loaded triple in the top of the eight to put Wareham up 5-4. Liddle finished with two triples on the night, and four RBI. But the Whitecaps scored in the bottom of the ninth to knot the score. Pineda, Eibner and Rowe (RBI) each had two hits, while Campbell, Baker and shortstop Shea Vucinich (Washington State) each added one hit. Brandon Workman (Texas) allowed four runs on nine hits to go with seven strikeouts in his 7 1/3 innings on the mound. Despite heading in the right direction, the Gatemen suffered a brief setback on Tuesday, as they fell 13-4 at home to Bourne. The Braves held a 3-0 lead up until the sixth inning, before a 40-plus-minute delay as the light towers blew a fuse. Once the lights came back on, it was Bourne that was lights-out, knocking out 10 more runs. Eibner homered to lead the Gatemen. THIS WEEK’S GAMES All games 7 p.m. start unless otherwise noted. All home games played at Spillane Field. Thursday, July 3, at Orleans Friday, July 4, at Bourne, 2 p.m. Saturday, July 5, vs. Cotuit Sunday, July 6, at Y-D, 5 p.m. Monday, July 7, vs. Brewster Wednesday, July 9, vs. Harwich
|
| |||||||||||||||||
Site Designed and Hosted by MadCatPro.com | |||||||||||||||||||
