“Baseball is a game of momentum,” said Gatemen first baseman Ty Dalley (Clemson) after Wareham defeated the Harwich Mariners, 5-2, Thursday.
With Thursday’s win, the Gatemen have now strung together two wins in a row after dropping their first three to open the season. Those two wins have impacted the team’s confidence positively, and the momentum they are building is starting to show.
They take that momentum with them into Hyannis on Friday, where they aim to avenge their Opening Day loss to the Harbor Hawks, who sit at 3-1-1.
Friday marks the second matchup of the season between Wareham and Hyannis. The last time these two faced off was during Wareham’s home opener on the newly renovated Spillane Field.
It was a tight contest through seven innings with both teams tied at 1-1; however, costly errors and walks from the Gatemen allowed the Harbor Hawks to score six runs in the eighth, putting the nail in the coffin of a 7-2 defeat.
Now, with the team more connected than ever, and momentum on their side, the Gatemen hope to even up the season series with their West Division rival.
Starting pitchers
Friday's starting pitchers look familiar; it may even be a case of deja vu. That is because both teams will be running the same starters they did during their Opening Day matchup.
The Gatemen return to the top of their rotation with the righty Daniel Powell (Kennesaw State). Powell had a decent start in his last appearance against the Harbor Hawks, pitching three innings, allowing one run, two hits, two walks and striking out two batters.
He had a short leash in that game, both because of the Gatemen wanting to test their bullpen and Powell mainly being a reliever with the Owls this spring. Expect him to be out there for longer on Friday.
The Harbor Hawks will throw lefty Wil Libbert (Ole Miss). Libbert grabbed the win for the Harbor Hawks on Opening Day after a great start. He pitched four innings, allowing four hits and a run, but delivered six punchouts to keep the Gatemen offense stagnant. Expect him to also be solid on the rubber Friday.
Players to watch
The Gatemen’s offense looked great against Harwich on Thursday, with six different batters getting hits. Ty Dalley was the only one with multiple hits, going 2-for-4, including an amazing double, narrowly avoiding being tagged.
The performance raised his batting average to .263, solidifying him as one of the team’s best hitters. Look for him to be in the heart of the lineup Friday.
Other players to watch are Kollin Ritchie (Oklahoma State), who drew three walks against Harwich, Vance Sheahan (Miami), who scored two runs in the game, building off the momentum of his home run on Tuesday, and Levi Clark (Tennessee), who scored a run during his Cape League debut and showed a lot of potential at the plate and as the catcher. Look for these players to continue to make an impact for the Gatemen.
For the Harbor Hawks, Ray Velazquez (Austin Peay State) and Matthew Muira (Hawaii) have been fantastic hitters. Each got a hit against the Gatemen on Opening Day, but since then, they have solidified themselves as key pieces to the Hawks’ lineup.
Muira went 3-for-4 with a run and two walks against the Bourne Braves on Thursday, improving his batting average to .375. Velazquez, also batting near .400, at .389, went 1-for-3 with a run and two walks. Look for both of them, as well as the top half of Hyannis’ lineup, to do some damage.
First pitch for Friday's game between the Gatemen and the Harbor Hawks is set for 6 p.m. at McKeon Park. You can attend the game live for free, or you can tune in to the Gatemen’s radio broadcast with Cory Miller, Josh Richardson and Rayna Maggelet on the call by clicking HERE.
