No, it is not Deja Vu.
The Gatemen are once again playing against the Red Sox. Tonight will be their third matchup of the season and their second this week. On Tuesday, the Red Sox defeated the Gatemen 13-7 at Red Wilson Field on a sweltering 98-degree day.
The Red Sox have also been the hottest team in the league as of late. They have won seven consecutive games dating back to their last loss against the Wareham Gatemen at Spillane Field on June 17.
Tonight, the Gatemen look to build off their gritty 2-1 victory over the Brewster Whitecaps on Friday. Even though they posted 2 errors and only 5 hits, their pitching and defense came back strong after a rough couple of outings against the Red Sox and Firebirds.
It was a win they needed, and one that was extra sweet for Field Manager Ryan Smyth, who competed against his former team and his colleagues at Keystone College. Tonight, they aim to get back to .500 and close the gap between them and West Division-leading Hyannis.
Starting Pitchers
The Gatemen will hand the starting duties off to southpaw Chase Richter (Arkansas State). Richter has had a tremendous summer so far with Wareham, starting 2 games, allowing only 5 hits and 2 walks without giving up a single run.
In his last start against the Falmouth Commodores, he pitched 4.2 innings scoreless, allowing 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out 8 batters. Richter is currently tied seventh in the league in strikeouts with 14 this season. He is also one of five pitchers who still hold a perfect 0.00 ERA this season.
The Y-D Red Sox respond with right-hander Brady Hamilton (Wichita State). Hamilton has also started in 2 games, allowing only 4 hits, 2 walks, and has struck out 8. He is also one of the five pitchers who have a perfect 0.00 ERA.
Look for both of these pitchers to be dominant tonight. On paper, this could be another gritty defensive battle.
Players to Watch
On Friday, Designated Hitter Chris McHugh (NC State) had a great night, going 2 for 4 with a solo home run. The performance raised his batting average to .273 on the season, and it gave the Gatemen a good start to the game.
Another player to always look out for is Ty Dalley (Clemson). Dalley had a rough night against Brewster, going 0 for 3 with a walk, but has been consistent at the plate for the Gatemen. Look for him to bounce back tonight.
On the other side, AJ Soldra (Seton Hall) has been the Red Sox’s best hitter. He is batting .440 this summer and went 2 for 2 and scored a run as a pinch hitter against the Kettleers on Friday. He also hit a home run against the Gatemen on Tuesday.
Another hitter that has been great for the Red Sox lately is Chris Hacopian (Maryland), who is batting .250 on the season, but went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run against the Gatemen on Tuesday. Look for both of these hitters to do some damage tonight.
First pitch for tonight’s game is 6:00 p.m. at Spillane Field in Wareham. You can attend the game for free, or you can tune into the Gatemen’s broadcast with Cory Miller, Josh Richardson, and Rayna Maggelet on the call by clicking HERE.
