The Gatemen took care of business in Hyannis on Saturday, winning 3-2 in a tightly contested game. After falling behind 1-0, the Gatemen defense shut down the Harbor Hawks and kept the game within reach.
Then, in the seventh, a clutch two-run homer from Caden McDonald (Florida) put the Gatemen ahead 2-1, and they never looked back. They showed that they could defeat Hyannis in a high-scoring slug fest, like their 12-6 win on June 20, and in a defensive showcase like Saturday.
The win gave the Gatemen their third straight, allowing them to move up to third place in the West Division standings. Now, they face off against the Falmouth Commodores at home, looking to make it four straight wins.
The last time these two teams met was when the Gatemen were at their worst. The Commodores dominated at Guv Fuller Field, winning 11-4 while the Gatemen committed 7 errors in the game.
Since then, the Gatemen have won four of their last five and have become one of the hottest teams in the league. The Commodores, despite losing 4-1 to Y-D on Saturday, slipped into the top spot in the West with an 11-11-1 record, and the Gatemen see an opportunity to close the gap between their division rival.
Starting Pitchers
Tonight, the Gatemen will start lefty Cooper Consiglio (NC State). Consiglio has started 4 games for the Gatemen and posts a 4.02 ERA. He pitched 15.2 innings, allowed 13 hits, 10 runs (7 earned), 6 walks, and struck out 11.
He gave a competitive start in his last outing against the Cotuit Kettleers, where he pitched 4.2 innings, allowed 5 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 2 walks, and struck out a batter. The Gatemen will need him to deliver another steady outing to set the tone for their offense and defense to carry.
The ‘Dores with start Laif Palmer (Cal Poly). The right-hander will make his first start of the season tonight. He has only appeared in one game, pitched 2.0 innings, allowed 3 hits, 4 runs (2 earned), 1 walk, and struck out 3. Look to see how he adjusts to the start tonight.
Players to Watch
On Saturday, Caden McDonald came to the rescue for the Gatemen, delivering a clutch home run to put them in front and spark a three-run inning. Levi Clark (Tennessee) also had an RBI in that inning to give the Gatemen another insurance run. Be on the lookout for both of them tonight.
On Saturday, the Commodores' offense was stagnant, but they still have some formidable hitters. Carl Schmidt (California), who drove in the only run they would score against the Red Sox, is batting .296 in the summer. They also have Kent Schmidt (Georgia Tech), who had 2 hits in the game, batting .282. Look for both Schmidts tonight.
First pitch for tonight’s game will be at 6:00 p.m. at Spillane Field in Wareham. That is the same time as the MLB Draft, so be on the lookout for the Gatemen’s social media pages on Instagram and X to see Gatemen alumni get drafted to the pros.
You can attend tonight’s game for free, or you can watch the Gatemen’s broadcast with Cory Miller, Josh Richardson, and Rayna Maggelet on the call by clicking HERE.
