Orleans, Mass. — The Gatemen arrived at Eldredge Park a little later than planned on Wednesday. They were told by the Orleans Firebirds coaches that the weather in the area did not look promising and that they should delay their arrival by an hour.
When they did get to Orleans, they were greeted by an overcast sky followed by a short drizzle of rain. Later, a thick fog rolled in from right center field, which made visibility hazy.
The Gatemen, as of late, have had bad luck with bad weather. Last week, on July 3, the Gatemen were rained out of a potential 5-4 win over the Bourne Braves, but had to settle for a 4-3 loss when the score reverted to the score at the end of the fifth inning. Then, on Tuesday, the Gatemen lost their rhythm after an hour-long rain delay against the Brewster Whitecaps, when they recorded only one baserunner after the break.
However, the Gatemen (8-13) were on the right side of a shortened game this time as they defeated the Orleans Firebirds (8-11-2) by a score of 10-2 after six innings.
The Gatemen lineup started hot, putting Firebirds pitcher Kyle Johnson (Duke) to the test. Wareham scored 4 runs and went through 7 batters while Johnson was on the mound, the only out being a sacrifice fly to center from third baseman Colby Turner (Michigan) to score first baseman Chris McHugh (NC State) for the first run of the game.
McHugh found himself in the leadoff spot for the first time this season. After most of the season, the spot belonged to Brayden Randle (Ole Miss). Wareham Field Manager Ryan Smyth experimented with pitchers on Tuesday to test out their flexibility. He did the same on Wednesday with his lineup.
“We’re trying to find some consistency. We want to find a lineup that's going to be consistent with the best nine guys that will work together and put together productive at-bats and find ways to score runs. McHugh is a guy who doesn't strike out very often, puts the ball in play, can have one leave the yard at will, and has sneaky speed to him. So I thought putting him up in a lead-off spot might be unconventional, but could give us a little spark we need,” said Smyth.
After that, right fielder Chase Krewson (UCF) drilled a double to left field to score catcher Levi Clark (Tennessee) and left fielder Hunter Carns (Florida State) to make it 3-0. Immediately after that, shortstop Vance Sheahan (Miami) blasted a single into center to score Krewson and make it 4-0 Gatemen.
The Gatemen did not stop there after Johnson’s day was done in only 0.1 innings. They would pile on three more runs thanks to a 3-run shot from Kyuss Gargett (TCU), which made it 7-0 Wareham.
It was another hot start to the game for the Gatemen offense, which in the past three games combined put up 14 runs in the first inning alone. Players have begun to settle into hitting on the Cape, and hitting early and often has become contagious.
“The guys are really settling in, and hitting gets contagious. We've got a good one through nine. We've been talking about being a relentless offense. Relentless means we don't stop till the last out is made. And so I think coming out of the gate, just throwing that first punch is huge, and it helps the pitchers relax a bit and not feel like they have to be perfect,” said Gatemen Hitting Coach Mike Mobbs.
“I think we’re having really good team at-bats, you know, not throwing any bats away and just building off of each other,” said Clark.
Clark was one of many Gatemen with a great performance at the plate. He went 2 for 3 with a walk and scored 2 runs. One of those hits was his fourth home run of the summer, and his second at Eldredge Park. He was also paid a visit by a Tennessee Volunteers fan who drove up from Tennessee to Cape Cod to watch his favorite players play.
“I did not know who he was. But it’s just nice to see a Tennessee fan. I always love to see one out here. It means a lot,” said Clark.
Clark’s home run came in the fourth to make it 9-1 after Chase Krewson scored him in a sacrifice fly double play, which made it 8-1 at the time. The Gatemen were able to get one more run in thanks to another home run from designated hitter Kollin Ritchie (Oklahoma State) that made it 10-1.
The Gatemen also had a great night defensively. Starting pitcher Caden McDonald (Florida) pitched 5 innings, allowed 5 hits, 2 earned runs, a walk, and struck out 2 batters, earning him the win. The two runs he gave up were both home runs by Elijah Ickes in the bottom of the first, and a pinch-hit inside-the-park home run by Dawson Bryce (Charlotte) that was lost in the fog in the bottom of the fifth.
Speaking of that fog, by the end of the fifth inning, it grew worse as it rolled over the field. Routine pop flies and fly balls became a tough challenge with the hazy, grey sky.
Eventually, the umpires and managers met to discuss the conditions, which initially led to a continuation of the game in the sixth inning, but quickly led to a 30-minute fog delay. After the delay ended and the fog worsened, the game was officially called, and the Gatemen walked away with a 10-2 win.
“The guys had team at-bats, guys moved runners, guys hit sac flies, guys found the holes in the infield, it was just what I envisioned this offense being on an almost nightly basis. So, it's good to see that there. I'd love to be able to play a game tomorrow, but we're going to recharge, have fun at Water Wizz, and then get back after it again on Friday,” said Smyth.
The Gatemen once again have another day off on Thursday. That day, they will be heading to Water Wizz in Wareham for a day of fun. Their next game is on Friday, July 11, where they face the Bourne Braves. First pitch for that game will be 6:00 p.m. at Spillane Field in Wareham.
