Wareham, MA – A cool, misty afternoon was the backdrop to Opening Day at Spillane Field, and the 2025 Gatemen took batting practice ahead of their first matchup of the season.
There was an excitement in the air, seen in both players and fans arriving through the gates. A new season on a newly renovated Spillane Field and a new team with a lot of talent made things very lively at the ballpark.
The Gatemen organization started the festivities by unveiling a plaque at the John Wylde press box in commemoration of the new field renovations. Patty Wylde, the wife of the late John Wylde, longtime president of the Gatemen from 1983 until his passing in 2009, was in attendance for the unveiling of the plaque.
Patty Wylde and the John Wylde trust fund were huge contributors to the new field renovations to Spillane Field. Without their participation in the project, the idea of a modernized field would not have been possible. The plaque that was unveiled highlighted the Wylde’s key participation in the project as well as their importance to the field and the organization.
Other pregame festivities included the welcoming back of four Gatemen alumni, Joe Flynn, Matt Walsh, Keith Bilodeau, and Chris Cabe, a first pitch from Jackson Dinnel, depot supervisor of Cape Cod Railroad, and the national anthem sung by Walter Correia Jr., Wareham’s chief of police.
Then, after the bat kids said “Play Ball,” the Gatemen took the field for the first time this summer. The game itself was close between both teams, but the Gatemen fell apart in the later innings and could not recover. The Wareham Gatemen (0-1) fell to the Hyannis Harbor Hawks (1-0) 7-2 in their home opener to start the 2025 season.
For the first seven innings of the game, it was a low-scoring pitching duel. The Gatemen got a great start from right-hander Daniel Powell (Kennesaw State) who pitched three innings, striking out two batters while giving up two hits, two walks, and one run in the third inning off an rbi-single from Hyannis first baseman Myles Bailey (Florida State) driving in Andrew Williamson (Central Florida).
The Gatemen quickly responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the third. After Gatemen center fielder Hayden Yost (Florida) reached second base on an error, first baseman Ty Dalley (Mercer), who recently committed to Clemson, doubled down the right field line, driving in the first Gatemen run of the season.
“It is really important to get that first RBI,” said Dalley. “I saw a pitch up in the zone that I could get the barrel to, so I just tried to put a good swing on it.”
There was a combined one hit from both teams over the next four innings. A big reason for that was the performance of Gatemen pitchers Jordan Stephens (Georgia) and Kaleb Applebey (Austin Peay State), who both gave up no hits against a talented Harbor Hawks lineup for 3 and ⅔ innings.
Unfortunately for the Gatemen, this success did not last long, as a few mistakes cost them in the eighth inning. After back-to-back walks to start the inning, Gatemen pitcher Kayden Campbell (Georgia Tech) threw a wild pitch to the backstop, then Gatemen catcher Mac Rose (Vanderbilt) attempted to throw a runner out at second when the throw sailed into center field, scoring Hyannis’ second run.
From there, it was a combination of hits, walks, and hit-by-pitches that allowed the Harbor Hawks to score six runs in the inning, putting the game out of reach for the Gatemen, despite a late RBI double to right field by Gatemen infielder Shamaar McDuffie (Kennesaw State) which scored Gatemen catcher Adam Agresti (St. John’s) in the bottom of the ninth.
“You can place blame in a lot of places, but at the end of the day, we gotta be able to come together as a team and make big pitches and make big plays,” said Catcher Mac Rose, who had the throwing error in the eighth.
Despite that mistake, Rose had a great night behind the dish, where he threw out two Harbor Hawks runners attempting to steal second base, both outs helping to end innings.
“It's something I've been working on. Applebey did a great job holding the runners and gave me a good shot to throw him out. And it works both ways,” said Rose.
The loss is a tough way to start the year, after a majority of the game was a tight contest that the Gatemen were controlling.
“Earlier in the game, we had some chances to put some runs up, and didn't cash in on that, said Gatemen Field Manager Ryan Smyth. “Baseball is a game of momentum, and we kind of let the momentum slide a little bit.”
The Gatemen, however, understand that the Cape League season is a long one. Tonight was one of forty games, and there is plenty of time to right the ship. Last year, the Gatemen were blown out by Chatham 10-1 in their home opener before having the best record in the league three weeks later.
“The good thing about this league is that you play baseball the next day, you don't have to sit on a loss for four or five days before your next game, we get right back after it in Cotuit tomorrow.”
Gatemen players did not dwell on the loss long as both Mac Rose and Ty Dalley were interacting with young fans, signing balls and mini bats for the kids, something that is deeply important to them.
“Anytime there are kids or people who want to talk, I'm going to do my best to try and get to everybody and make everybody welcome here at the ballpark,” said Rose.
“These kids come up here and watch us play, and I think we should give them their credit back and interact with them after the games, it's the least we can do. The fans are what make the Cape so special to all us players,” said Dalley.
Both Dalley and Rose are great examples of the Gatemen players’ next game mindset as well as their appreciation for the Wareham community. They hope to take that positivity to Cotuit Sunday to face off against the Kettleers who lost their opening game to Orleans.
First pitch is set for 5:00 p.m. at Lowell Park in Cotuit, MA.
