WAREHAM, Mass. — The Hyannis Harbor Hawks defeated the Wareham Gatemen in a high-scoring 15-8 game Monday night at Spillane Field. After a few games of struggling to put up big numbers offensively, Hyannis (20-13-1) really got things going against the Gatemen (20-14-1) early and often.
In the top of the second inning, the Hawks offense exploded for a five-spot, tallying four baserunners before recording an out. Eddy Pelc (Grand Canyon) led off the inning with a single into left field, followed up by a Mason White (Arizona) walk.
With two runners on, Eddie Saldivar (Fresno State) laid a picture-perfect bunt down the third base line, loading the bases in the process. This brought up Dalton Bargo (Tennessee) in the big moment, making the most of his opportunity with a single into right to score Pelc.
Jaxson West (Florida State) strolled in with the bases juiced, as well, reaching base with a walk and tacking on an RBI. Michael Dattalo (Dallas Baptist) then decided that moving runners one base at a time wasn’t good enough, smashing a double 99 mph off the bat and 390 feet into center field over the outfielder’s head to clear the bases and give Hyannis a 5-0 lead.
After switching the order of the lineup again on Monday, it was to the delight of head coach Mitch Karraker that his reorganization paid off.
“We’re just trying to figure out what mix of guys hitting behind each other is going to produce the most runs,” Karraker said. “[Monday], for whatever reason, it worked out. We’re gonna put a lineup together that hopefully scores as many runs as we did [Monday].”
Pelc also led off a rally in the fifth inning, reaching base with a walk. White moved him over to third with a double into left field, setting up Saldivar to load the bases again with a walk of his own.
Bargo yet again came through in the big moment, hitting a fly ball single down the left field line to score the first of the inning for the Hawks. A Josh Tate (Georgia Southern) RBI sacrifice fly set up West to drive run No. 3 in with a single up the middle into center field.
Dattalo’s fourth RBI of the night came on a sac fly of his own, deep again into center. With nine runs on the board for Hyannis, West got aggressive on the basepaths. A delayed steal forced an errant throw into center field that was bobbled in the outfield, allowing him to score from first base, making it the second five-run inning of the night for the Hawks.
Eric Snow (Auburn) and Pelc each singled to begin the top of the seventh, with Saldivar setting up Bargo with his third bases-loaded at-bat of the contest. Bargo and Tate each walked to plate a run apiece, setting up Dattalo to drive in his fifth and sixth runs of the ballgame with a single into center.
The Hawks weren’t done in the top of the eighth, with White smoking a line drive down the right field line for a ground-rule double. Saldivar followed that up with a double of his own into left field, scoring Hyannis’ 15th run of the night.
“It felt good to continue to pour on runs,” Karraker said. “We’ve had a tendency to score and then kind of sit on it, so to extend, and continue to extend and punch back, that was a good sign for our offense.”
Alizaeh Gutierrez (Angelo State) got the start on the mound for the Harbor Hawks, continuing his success after a solid first outing eight days prior, with 3 2/3 innings pitched on Monday. The southpaw surrendered one earned run on two hits and two walks, adding on one strikeout in the process.
“[Gutierrez] wiggled out of some trouble that he caused himself with a few walks, but settled in his last two innings really well,” Karraker said. “[He did] a great job getting us out of some jams and giving us a chance to get the lead.”
Kade Brown (Sacramento State) and Josh Och (Southern Miss) each also had a huge impact on Monday night’s game on the rubber, with the pair combining for three scoreless innings of work, surrendering just one hit and striking out three.
Wareham’s offensive production came in just two innings, plating five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning despite having two outs without a runner on base. Two singles, two doubles and two hit-by-pitches allowed the Gatemen to tie the game at 5-5 at the time.
The other three runs for Wareham came in the bottom of the sixth, coming off a pair of home runs, with one featuring a runner on base. The runs came as little surprise, as Spillane Field has been the host of 57 total runs scored between the two teams through the three games played there this season.
With the victory, Hyannis moved into second place in the West for the first time in a while, hoping to hold on to a spot that will pay off with home-field advantage in the playoffs with just six games left in the regular season. The Harbor Hawks will look to continue their momentum when they take on the Falmouth Commodores at home on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
“To get a win against a playoff team, in my opinion, is good for our confidence,” Karraker said. “Now we need to hold on to that second spot and continue to win and see what happens down the stretch. Hopefully we’re home for the first game [of the playoffs].”
Mike Maynard can be reached at mikemay62@gmail.com and followed on Twitter/X @mikecmaynard.
