Dominant pitching has become the norm for Y-D.

Connor Hamilton (Vanderbilt), Zach Russell (Mississippi State), Ethan Sutton and Rhett Vaughn (Florida State) combined to blank the Wareham Gatemen on Saturday evening in a 5-0 win that improved Y-D to 11-1. The win also marks Y-D’s first shutout of the season.

Y-D’s pitching staff is a must-watch group right now. Virtually any pitcher that manager Scott Pickler puts on the mound on any given day is bound to excel. Through 12 games, Y-D owns the league's best earned run average (ERA) and walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP), while issuing the fewest walks in the league. Its bullpen has logged 70 1/3 innings — 10 more than any other team — and allowed just 14 runs.

“The pitching coaches are doing a great job with them,” Pickler said. “They build off each other. I think that's a big thing. Every team in the league is going to see changes, so we're trying to get off to a good start and see what happens. When a guy goes out and does a good job [pitching], the guy's gonna pick him up. The chemistry on the team is good.”

Hamilton got the nod from Pickler against the Gatemen on Saturday, and while his first two appearances of the season were solid, Saturday featured Hamilton's sharpest performance yet. The Tennessee native went a season-long 3 2/3 innings while striking out three batters and allowing just one hit. His ERA is now down to 1.93, and Hamilton pitched exclusively from the stretch on Saturday.

“I made adjustments on my mechanics this week. I’m trying to be more athletic,” Hamilton said. “I had better movement out of the stretch so I’m probably going to stick with that from here on out. I’m just trying to throw it forward and let the ball go to work.”

The Vanderbilt flamethrower was relieved by SEC foe Russell, who is now up to eight scoreless innings with Y-D. Russell got himself into a jam in the sixth inning, falling behind 2-0 in the count with the bases loaded, but fought back to strike out Coen Niclai. Russell finished his night with 2 1/3 innings pitched and five strikeouts and was part of Y-D’s ability to strand 11 Gatemen on base.

“I just kept trying to pound the zone with fastballs,” Russell said. “The team here is great. Our pitching staff is from both big and small schools, and everyone has been pounding the zone really well.”

Sutton followed by throwing scoreless seventh and eighth innings without allowing a hit. Sutton is in the transfer portal, and the former USF reliever has received major attention at the Power Four level.

“I loved how my fastball was working today,” Sutton said. “Anytime I can get my fastball inside, it's going to be a good day. It's also a good day when you can pitch up five runs.”

Vaughn needed 25 pitches to retire the side in the ninth but came away clean and finished off the Gatemen. Saturday's shutout only reinforced what opponents have already learned through the season's first 12 games: beating Y-D starts with solving the Cape League's deepest pitching staff. Y-D’s next challenge is against Bourne on Sunday at 6 p.m.