A day off full of relaxation, beaches and sunshine sets the Wareham Gatemen up to be well-rested and energized for their Thursday road trip to face the Brewster Whitecaps. Wareham is looking to extend its win streak to four games and earn its second road win, while Brewster will try to get back on track after losing its second straight game to Falmouth by a score of 13-5 Tuesday night.

Stony Brook Field will see a reunion of sorts, as Gatemen manager Ryan Smyth and Whitecaps manager Jamie Shevchik have an extensive history together. Smyth coached under Shevchik for the Whitecaps for six years, and the two continue to work together at Keystone College where Smyth is the team’s associate head coach under Shevchik.

Last season, as the two went head-to-head, Shevchik and his Whitecaps went 1-2-1 against Smyth and the Gatemen.

Starting Pitchers

Ethan Darden (Clemson) will start Thursday’s game for the Gatemen, coming off a 2024 season in which he threw 66.2 innings and posted a 5.13 ERA. The sophomore lefthander began the season as a long reliever, but moved to the weekend rotation in the middle of the season. He brought a level of stability to the Tigers’ pitching staff, striking out a total of 42 batters and walking 15.

Brewster will look to Michael Salina (St. Bonaventure) to set the tone early against a hot Gatemen offense. The sophomore righthander could certainly pose a threat on the bump, as he led the St. Bonaventure starting pitching staff with 64 strikeouts across 58.1 innings of work. Salina averaged nearly 10 strikeouts per nine innings and was consistently among the top 10 in the A-10 conference for strikeouts during the regular season.

Players to Watch

In Wareham’s 5-2 win over Orleans Tuesday, multiple Gatemen combined to put together a potent offense. Yohann Dessurault (Stetson) was one standout, going 2-for-4 at the plate and driving in two runs. The second baseman is 3-for-9 so far in his Cape League career. During his junior year season at Stetson, Dessurault started in all 63 games and slashed .293/.369/.489. He was named to the 2024 NCAA Tallahassee Regional All-Tournament Team, as he went 3-for-11 at the plate with two doubles.

Brendan Summerhill (Arizona) bounced back quickly after an 0-for-4 start with the Gatemen, coming into Tuesday night’s game focused and ready to play his game. With that mindset, Summerhill set the tone for the Gatemen offense in the leadoff spot, going 2-for-4 with one RBI, one walk and one stolen base. He also came around to score two of Wareham’s runs and legged out a triple, showcasing his speed on the bases.

Brewster isn’t short on talent, despite its 1-3 record, and multiple players have the potential to break out at any point. Nolan Schubart (Oklahoma State) is 3-15 at the dish through his first four games, but the sophomore has both the experience and talent to make a big difference quickly. The outfielder/first baseman is no stranger to Cape League baseball, as he played in 33 games for the Chatham Anglers in 2023, batting .216 and appearing in the All-Star Game. With the Cowboys in 2024, Schubart hit a whopping .370 with a .838 slugging percentage, and led the team in home runs with 23 and RBIs with 68.

First pitch is set for 5:00 p.m. from Stony Brook Field. The game’s broadcast can be found on Cape League TV.

Top Photo Credit: The Wareham Gatemen stand for the national anthem before Wareham's 5-2 win over the Cotuit Kettleers, June 18 2024, at Spillane Field. Photo by Kyler Armstrong.