Wareham, Mass. — In a mid-week evening, the Wareham Gatemen came back to Spillane Field, red-hot off five consecutive wins. The winning streak, their longest this season, made them the hottest team in the Cape Cod Baseball League.
Their last win, on Tuesday, was a tightly contested match against the Brewster Whitecaps, where the Gatemen scored a clutch go-ahead run in the top of the ninth to secure a 4-3 win. They started the month of July 0-5 but have won six of their last seven games since then.
On Wednesday, the Gatemen hosted the Harwich Mariners for the last time this season with a six-game winning streak on the line, and the Gatemen delivered again.
The Gatemen (13-13) defeated the Mariners (11-11-3) by a score of 13-7 after a high-scoring game.
The game started shaky for the Gatemen as they allowed two runs in the first inning. However, the Gatemen were quick to move on and battle back with their bats.
In the bottom of the first, Catcher Hunter Carns (Florida State) walked to give the Gatemen their first baserunner. First Baseman Chris McHugh (NC State) then blasted a double to center field, scoring Carns and putting the Gatemen on the board.
McHugh then started a rally in the bottom of the second inning after hitting a sacrifice fly that scored Shortstop Chris Ramirez (California Baptist) to tie the game. Then, Designated Hitter Caden McDonald (Florida) blasted a three-run home run to left field to put the Gatemen up 5-2.
McHugh and McDonald found themselves in the heart of the Gatemen lineup and delivered, both going 3 for 4 with 7 combined RBIs. The duo did damage and lifted the Gatemen offense ahead of Harwich
“Having someone who protects me in the lineup, like McDonald, it's just very confidence-building,” said McHugh about McDonald batting behind him in the lineup. “Knowing the pitcher probably won't want to walk me, so he doesn't have to face McDonald with another runner on base, you know you’re going to have something to hit.”
“McDonald, right now, is tearing the cover off the baseball. He's probably one of the hottest hitters in our dugout right now, and throwing him in the middle with some guys, like McHugh, that are getting on base in front of him, it makes his job a little bit easier,” said Gatemen Field Manager Ryan Smyth.
Harwich did battle back in the middle innings, scoring five total runs across the third, fourth, and fifth to take a 7-5 lead. Yet, the Gatemen were quick again to respond.
In the bottom of the fifth, Right Fielder Easton Breyfogle (Arizona) singled to the left side to score McDonald and Left Fielder Kollin Ritchie (Oklahoma State). Then, Ramirez broke the tie with a single to score Breyfogle and give the Gatemen an 8-7 lead.
Ritchie was also in the heart of the order and broke the game wide open for the Gatemen in the bottom of the sixth. He crushed a three-run home run to score Carns and McDonald to give the Gatemen an 11-7 lead.
The homerun was Ritchie’s fourth in the last six games, showing his dominance at the plate.
“Richie is another hitter who has been hitting the baseball really well. It's back-to-back nights with homers for him, that’s huge for us,” said Smyth.
McHugh then joined the home run club in the bottom of the seventh. He shot a two-run laser 105 mph off the bat and 411 feet to left center field to score Ramirez and give the Gatemen a commanding 13-7 lead.
“It was a pretty good day for me today, so I was just building off that. Got a 3-1 count, I knew he didn't want to face McDonald's because he was 3 for 3. I knew I was probably gonna get something to hit, and I made a really good swing. Probably my best so far this summer,” said McHugh about his home run.
From there, the Gatemen were in the driver’s seat and shut the game down with dominant relief pitching. Pitcher Hudson Rowan (Louisiana Tech) was lights out during his 4.0 innings pitched. He only allowed 3 hits, 1 earned run that came in the top of the ninth, 3 walks, and struck out 4 batters, which earned him the win.
“Some good pitching in the middle there, Rowan threw phenomenally and really gave our guys a chance to keep pouring it on throughout the night. I felt like today was one of those games where we were going to have to outslug them, and we were able to do that with the help of Rowan’s pitching,” said Smyth.
The Gatemen secured a 13-8 victory dominantly and extended their winning streak to six consecutive games. The team has found its rhythm, and every player has gelled with one another.
“Just trying to stay hot and keep the momentum moving. We got everything going our way right now, but at the same time, we can't lose focus,” said McHugh.
“We're just having fun playing baseball out here. I told these guys at some point, when we were up and down and not playing consistent baseball. I just said to them, we're going to go on a run at some point here, you guys got to believe it. You're too good of baseball players not to believe in that. Then, they believed, and we started playing good baseball,” said Smyth.
The Gatemen look to continue the momentum as they hit the road to face another team heating up, the Cotuit Kettleers. First pitch for that game will be Thursday at 5:00 p.m. at Lowell Park in Cotuit.
