The Cape League's hottest team walked into Red Wilson Field Saturday night—and left one game behind Y-D in the standings.
Y-D's bats stayed cold in a 5-1 loss to the Whitecaps. Brewster now sits just one game back in the East and has won eight of its last nine games. Blaine Brown (Tennessee) struck out five of the first six Y-D batters he faced, and the two Whitecaps relievers who followed were just as dominant. Y-D managed only two hits, both coming in the fourth inning, and never found an offensive rhythm.
"Sometimes you just gotta tip your cap to the other team," Y-D assistant coach Craig Gianinno said. "Last night, Chatham pitched really well against us, and it was no different here with Brewster. Honestly, I told the guys earlier that it's not about talent and skill at this point of the season, it's about will. They've showed up, but we definitely need to play better baseball."
Although there weren't many positives to take away, Brock Ketelsen (Stanford) continued to shine after moving into Y-D's starting rotation. His cutter and slider had sharp movement, helping him strike out seven while tossing five scoreless innings.
Ketelsen has developed into an ace alongside Cade O'Leary (Florida State). The Stanford sophomore has thrown 16 2/3 innings for Y-D this summer, posting a 1.08 ERA with 23 strikeouts and just three walks.
"When he's under control, his stuff plays better. At the beginning of the summer he was trying to be too nasty," pitching coach Eric Beattie said. "He's figured it out now, and his pitch execution tonight was as good as it's been all year."
Beattie also knows what it'll take for Ketelsen to continue developing into an elite Power Four arm.
"Put on weight, and learn from every outing," Beattie said. "That's it. His body and arm work real nice together."
Y-D scored the game's first run when Jayce Tharnish (Kentucky) singled home Phoenix Call (UCLA). Call's single to open the inning and Tharnish's RBI knock accounted for the Red Sox's only two hits of the night.
After Ketelsen exited, John Lobs (Western Carolina) couldn't hold the lead. The right-hander struggled with his command, walking three and allowing five runs over 2 1/3 innings. Only two runs were earned after an eighth-inning error by Ryder Robinson erased what would have been the second out.
Y-D will look to avoid its first three-game losing streak of the season when it visits Falmouth on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
