BOURNE, Mass. — When Whitecaps manager Jamie Shevchik assembles his roster before each season, he’s only interested in one type of player.

To make his lineup, Shevchik says a player has to be an “energy guy.” He doesn’t want someone in his dugout who’s going to put him to sleep, or in his words, “make you feel like I’m playing in a funeral home.”

Shevchik didn’t realize it until it was too late last season, but Brewster’s lineup was doomed to fail because it lacked that energy from the beginning. The result? A league-worst 13-25-2 record that included a 17-day long losing streak. The team was infested with “energy suckers” — players Shevchik says literally sucked the energy out of the dugout. There was just no fight.

But fast forward to 2025, and the difference is night and day. With this year’s Whitecaps team, there’s yet to be a dull moment. Between comeback victories, roars of encouragement from the dugout and belly bump celebrations, it’s easy to tell that there aren’t any passengers this time around.

“I like a team that you’ve got to tell to shut up once in a while,” Shevchik said. “I’d rather do that than have to tell the kids that you’ve got to get fired up a little bit and be a little vocal.”

In their second matchup in four days against the Bourne Braves (1-4-1, 1-0), the Whitecaps (6-0, 1-0) were more fired up than ever. In its most complete performance of the season thus far, Brewster treated the Braves to a 14-0 seven-inning bludgeoning at Doran Field Friday night. Seven different Whitecaps recorded at least a hit and RBI as their 14 runs tied the most by any team in a game this season.

Following a tough day on the bump last time out that saw him allow five earned runs across just two innings, Bourne gave starting arm Josh Gunther (Wake Forest) a shot at redemption against the Whitecaps. But instead of rebounding, the righty only floundered further and endured a similarly forgettable performance.

Faced with leadoff hitters Josiah Ragsdale (Boston College) and Blake Cyr (Florida), Gunther quickly found out why the duo entered the contest tied for the Cape Cod Baseball League’s best batting average (.400). On the second pitch he faced, Ragsdale lofted a double into right field and a Cyr walk slotted two runners on base. After each runner stole a base, Daniel Cuvet’s (Miami) line drive single quickly made it 2-0 Brewster — it’s earliest lead of the campaign.

“(Ragsdale’s) a little bit of a surprise. It’s not like he hit 20 home runs and hit .400 at Boston College, but we knew he was talented,” Shevchik said. “He might be gone at the (MLB) Draft, but while he’s here (we will) let him keep doing what he’s doing because he’s winning us ball games.”

The Whitecaps’ fast start, while significant, only foreshadowed a much greater offensive onslaught. For the next five out of six innings, Brewster’s bats mercilessly padded its lead as the Braves’ defense shuffled frantically through its bullpen looking for answers.

With runners at first and second, Ragsdale again got the best of Gunther and ripped a single that was bobbled by the Bourne second baseman, bringing a run home. Three straight hits to start off the next inning spelled the end of Gunther’s day on the mountain. Helped by consecutive errors by Braves catcher Jimmy Keenan (Wake Forest), the Whitecaps saw their lead extend to 6-0 just three innings into play. But they still weren’t satisfied.

Following a walk, Ragsdale — who came into Friday tied for the CCBL’s most steals (5) — notched his third steal of the day before sliding across home plate off another Bourne fielding error. A three-pitch strikeout to end the inning temporarily calmed the waters for the Braves. However, the feeling didn’t last long.

While they were now ahead seven runs to start the fifth, the Whitecaps still played as though they were trailing by 10. A six-run offensive clinic by Brewster all but settled the contest. Pitted against two of the Braves’ bullpen staples in Landon White (Bryant) and Derrick Smith (NC State), the Whitecaps racked up three singles, four walks and were hit by three pitches as they ballooned their advantage up to an insurmountable 13-0 cushion.

“When we have chances to score, we’ve been doing just enough, but we’ve missed out on some runs, too,” Shevchik said. “I think today we really capitalized on just about everything.”

Just as Brewster’s offense dominated, its defense turned in an equally lights out performance. With the help of occasional acrobatic catches and stellar throwing from his supporting cast, starter Jacob Dudan (NC State) silenced the Braves’ bats through five innings of work.

Although the Whitecaps’ didn’t need him to be as brilliant as his first start, he backed up Brewster’s offense by allowing just four hits, zero runs and notching a pair of strikeouts. His start on June 25th is set to be his last with Brewster before joining Team USA for the remainder of the season.

“Not being very fastball heavy in college, but then coming here and being very fastball heavy and seeing it generate whiffs, I feel like that really helps my confidence,” Dudan said.

Already on pace for a mercy rule, Shevchik dedicated the final two innings of the contest to giving members of his bullpen confidence-building innings. Each tasked with an inning of work, Douglas Bauer (Ohio State) and Nate Brittain (Wake Forest) combined to preserve Brewster’s shutout, each logging a strikeout in the process.

Still riding the wave of its best start in franchise history, Brewster now finds itself at least four points ahead of every other team in the CCBL standings. But why stop at a four-point gap? Why settle? Past Whitecaps teams may have done so, but this one exudes a different type of energy than most.

For them, reaching 6-0 is just the beginning. They're still hungry for more.

“This year, we’ve got different types of guys. We’ve got gritty guys who like to win,” Shevchik said. “I want these guys to play for more than just their statistics. I want them to play for their host families and the people that are in this organization, because those people really care about this thing.”

“If we can continue that message, then these guys are going to be engaged for a long time,” Shevchik added.

Title photo credit: Casey Bayne.