The 2022 Falmouth Commodores were a memorable group that brought the club back to the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) Playoffs for the first time in three years.

Falmouth recorded a 19–21–4 record during the regular season, finishing fourth in the West Division. This provided the Commodores with their first trip to the postseason since 2019, as the league returned to its traditional playoff format, in which the top-four teams in each division qualify.

It was a great summer for baseball in Falmouth, as the club didn’t have a single rainout during the season. The ’Dores were the only team in the league that didn’t have a game rescheduled due to inclement weather.

A total of 63 players appeared in games for the Commodores during the season, helping contribute to the team making the playoffs. Infielder Peyton Stovall (Arkansas) said he was grateful for the opportunity to spend the summer competing against and alongside some of the most talented college baseball players in the country.

“I’m just super blessed and super thankful to [have been] a part of this team, and to play under coach Trundy,” Stovall said after the team’s final game of the summer. “It means the world to me.”

It was evident that there was camaraderie among the team from the beginning of the season. During each game, players were at the top step of the dugout encouraging each other until the final out. Relief pitcher Josh Stewart (Texas A&M transfer) said he believes the group’s positive energy was a strength of the 2022 Commodores.

“We’ve come together as a team really well,” Stewart said. “So, whether it’s in the locker room or in the dugout, we mesh really well.”

The club had six All-Stars in 2022 – outfielder Andrew Pinckney (Alabama), third baseman Colby Halter (Florida), shortstop Alex Mooney (Duke) and pitchers Philip Abner (Florida), Joey Ryan (Boston College) and Levi Wells (Texas State). These players competed in the league’s first All-Star Game since 2019, as the game did not take place for the previous two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The midsummer classic was held at Wareham’s Spillane Field.

Halter was one of the most impactful players in the Commodores’ lineup, leading the team with a .307 batting average and seven home runs. The third baseman’s seven long balls were also tied for the CCBL lead in homers.

One of the club’s most memorable moments of the season was manager Jeff Trundy reaching 500 career wins, including regular season and postseason victories. The manager recorded the milestone when the Commodores defeated the Bourne Braves 6–4 on July 2 at Doran Park.

This was also the final season for a longtime member of the organization, as Chuck Sturtevant retired from his roles as the president of the Commodores and the CCBL. Sturtevant held many positions with the team during his 36 years in the league, including being the team’s treasurer and vice president. His retirement also marked the end of his second stint as team president.

The league returned to its annual tradition of holding a workout day at Fenway Park, providing players with the chance to play at “America’s Most Beloved Ballpark.” Outfielder Luke Boyers (TCU) hit a home run during the practice.

Falmouth also had two players from its 2022 roster selected in the MLB draft. Left-handed pitcher Drew Sommers was drafted in the 11th round by the Tampa Bay Rays. Hurler Ike Buxton was also selected in the 15th round by the Miami Marlins.

The Commodores made an addition to their coaching staff during the season, as assistant coach Ryan Ihle left the team after its game on July 22 to become the head coach for the Dothan Governors at Wallace Community College. Brian Tomasini then joined the staff to take over for Ihle.

The ’Dores took on the Braves in the first round of the playoffs, but the club ultimately fell 2–1 in the series. This was the 13th time Trundy reached the postseason in his 23-year career at the helm. The manager said he was proud of how the team competed throughout the season, and he was grateful to have coached the group.

“The ’Dore family is a very big family and it’s an extended group that reaches far and wide and this group became part of it,” Trundy said after the team fell in game three of the postseason against Bourne. “They became part of it in grand style because they were just such a group of competitors, and [the] kids really wanted to win for each other.”

Note: Featured image by Falmouth Commodores.

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Click here for the 2022 Falmouth Commodores schedule.

Tommy Mumau can be reached at tmumau@ithaca.edu. Follow him on Twitter @tommymumau13.