One year can change everything.
Exactly 365 days ago, the Brewster Whitecaps ended their season with a 15-run blowout loss—capping a year with just 13 wins and no playoff berth, one of only two teams left out. Fast forward to now? Their season closed with a thunderous comeback: a walk-off double to snap Orleans' seven-game win streak, clinch a Cape League–leading 22nd win, and punch their ticket to the playoffs.
First stop: the Harwich Mariners.
Brewster’s 22 wins came with plenty of highs—but also 17 losses, including three against Harwich. The Whitecaps managed just one win and a rain-shortened tie in four meetings, as the Mariners largely controlled the series from July 4th through August 2nd. Despite constant lineup turnover, one thing’s been steady: Harwich has been a major obstacle in Brewster’s path through the East.
Rather than diving into Harwich’s full-season resume, it’s more telling to look at how they’ve played lately. From July 17th–27th, the Mariners were red-hot, going 8-1—including six straight wins—and looking like one of the Cape’s most dangerous teams.
In the last 15 days, they’ve been tied for the most runs scored in the league, and Brewster has seen that offensive firepower up close—surrendering nine runs on July 26th and seven more on August 2nd. Niko Brini (Wofford) and Aiden Robbins (Seton Hall) have led the charge. Brini, a spark plug at the top of the lineup, hit .306 over that stretch with four doubles, seven stolen bases, and 12 runs scored. Robbins has brought the pop with two homers, three doubles, and eight RBIs—though his rising strikeout rate could give Brewster an opening.
Harwich’s offensive identity is built on pressure. Over the last 15 days, they’ve posted the second-highest on-base percentage in the Cape, drawn the most walks, and stolen a league-high 36 bases—13 more than the next closest team—while being caught just four times. Combine that with a Cape-best total in doubles, and you get a lineup that thrives on creating traffic and chaos.
And the dominance hasn’t stopped with the bats. Harwich’s staff has posted a 3.09 ERA and 113 strikeouts in that same 15-day stretch, both second-best in the league. Since July 17th, they’ve allowed more than four runs just once—and it was Brewster that broke through, scoring eight in a back-and-forth game they narrowly lost.
Still, Brewster has seen the full spectrum of Harwich’s potential. On August 2nd, the Mariners took a no-hitter into the ninth. Pierce Friedman (Maine), in his Cape League debut, shut down the ‘Caps into the seventh and will likely be back on the mound in this series. Carson Tinney (Texas) finally broke up the no-no with a solo homer in the ninth, but by then, the tone had been set.
If Brewster wants to flip the script, they’ll need to figure out Harwich’s arms. Four of the Mariners’ top five pitchers in innings pitched over the past 15 days boast ERAs under 1.65. Even the “worst” of the group, Josh Donegan (Long Beach State), holds a solid 2.70 ERA.
Gianni Gambardella (Maine) and Troy Dressler (Wake Forest) are two names to watch as likely starters. In their last four combined outings, they’ve totaled 21 innings, allowed just three earned runs, and struck out 20. Dressler generates more swing-and-miss with 14 Ks, while Gambardella has limited damage better, giving up just one run in his last two starts.
That said, for all of Harwich’s dominance, the Cape League is a “what have you done lately” league. And over the last seven days, the Mariners have cooled off—fast.
They’ve lost four of their last six, including a three-game skid to end July and a regular-season finale defeat to last-place Chatham. While Brewster celebrated a walk-off and a playoff berth, Harwich limped to the finish. In that span, they rank 7th in runs scored (21), 8th in OPS (.587), last in extra-base hits (5), and lead the league in strikeouts at the plate. On the mound, they’ve dropped to sixth in ERA (3.69) and last in strikeouts (43).
And yet—just days ago—they looked like their mid-July selves in a dominant showing against Brewster. That’s the Cape in a nutshell: matchups matter. And Harwich has had Brewster’s number all season. That near no-hitter still lingers in the back of the Whitecaps’ minds.
Momentum might be on Brewster’s side, but Harwich looms as a serious threat. In a league built on streaks, the Mariners have gone from scorching to ice-cold in a matter of days. Brewster just has to catch them at the right time.
Both rosters are loaded with championship-level talent. But for Brewster to advance, it won’t be enough to lean on potential—they’ll need execution, consistency, and the belief that this year really can be different.
Title photo credit: Casey Bayne.
