Tonight, Opening Day, starts a new beginning for all ten Cape Cod Baseball League teams. It is the 102nd summer of Cape Cod baseball, and each team looks to enshrine itself as the best.
The Wareham Gatemen especially have a lot to look forward to. A very successful season last summer, making the playoffs for the first time in five seasons, a newly renovated field, and a new team eager to win have made this summer very exciting for Gatemen fans.
The Gatemen ended last season with a 22-17-1 record under the leadership of Field Manager Ryan Smyth, which secured a playoff birth not seen since 2019. Unfortunately, the Gatemen lost their sole playoff game on the road to the Cotuit Kettleers 7-4, but that loss has fueled the organization to climb to greater heights.
Tonight, the Gatemen start their 2025 campaign against the Hyannis Harbor Hawks, who, last season, finished in first place in the West Division standings with a 24-14-2 record before bowing out in the first round to the runner-up Bourne Braves.
The Gatemen had a tough time against Hyannis last season, going 1-4 in their season series, yet they had a favorable home record, going 12-8 at Spillane Field in 2024. It is a new season, however, and the Gatemen aim to start it with a win.
Starting Pitchers
On the mound for the Gatemen tonight is sophomore right-handed pitcher Daniel Powell (Kennesaw State).
The 6’3 195 lb righty from Roswell, GA had a great season with the Owls, earning a 7-2 record with a save, 61 strikeouts, 42 hits, 33 runs (28 earned), 29 walks, and a 4.50 ERA in 56 innings pitched.
He did not throw during the Gatemen’s joint scrimmage with Bourne and Falmouth on Thursday, being saved for tonight. He looks to give the Gatemen a great start to their summer in his first Cape League start.
On the rubber for the Harbor Hawks is Left-handed pitcher Wil Libbert (Transfer Portal). Libbert, the redshirt freshman from St. Thomas, MO, finished this past spring with the Mizzou Tigers.
Libbert ended the spring with a 3-4 record, striking out 55 batters and giving up 55 hits, 41 runs (36 earned), 33 walks, and an ERA of 6.04 in 53 and ⅔ innings pitched.
Players to Watch
With tonight being the start of the Gatemen’s season, it is tough to say who will be the player to watch, however, there is plenty of talent that had great college seasons who seem to have continued where they left off.
Starting with infielder Jared Davis (Virginia Tech), who had a great spring for the Hokies, batting .283 with 58 hits, nine of them being homers, and 44 RBI. His efforts earned him the 38th-best second baseman in America by D1 Baseball.
He had a great few at-bats in the joint scrimmage against Bourne and Falmouth on Thursday, grabbing an opposite-field hit on a pitch high and in. He is not only a great player, but someone with great energy who can fire up the Gatemen dugout, so keep an eye on Davis tonight.
Another name to keep an eye out for is Kollin Ritchie (Oklahoma State). The sophomore finished his spring with the Cowboys hitting .291 with 41 hits, 38 RBI, and 14 home runs. He had a two-run homer during the joint scrimmage on Thursday and had great plate appearances, so do not forget about his bat; it could make a big impact tonight.
The Gatemen face the Harbor Hawks at 6:00 p.m. tonight at Spillane Field. You can come to the field and watch the game for free, or you can tune into the Gatemen’s broadcast on the Gatemen Baseball Network on Cape League TV by clicking HERE.
