While the Gatemen’s three-game win streak may have ended after their home loss against the Kettleers on Thursday, they can gain all of that momentum ahead of the Cape League All-Star break: Wareham and the rest of the CCBL will have both Saturday and Sunday off.
Wareham fought back against Cotuit with a three-run rally in the eighth inning, but just couldn’t prevail after the Kettleers responded in the top of the ninth. Bourne was knotted at three with Chatham looking to go to extra innings, but the Anglers prevailed in the bottom of the ninth frame with a walk-off home run. Two tough endings on Thursday set up one final matchup ahead of the break.
The Gatemen visit Doran Park for the final time this summer and they face the Braves for the fourth of five regular season matchups. Can Wareham head into the weekend on a high note?
Starting Pitchers: Stephens vs. Scott
Wareham: Not only has Jordan Stephens (South Carolina) only allowed a single run over his last three starts, he has racked up 21 strikeouts and now hosts the third-most K’s on the Gatemen’s pitching staff. His swing-and-miss stuff is strong, but Stephens also stays efficient by pounding the strike zone and not allowing teams to reach off of the free pass: he carries a 3.50 strikeout-to-walk ratio into Bourne.
Bourne: While Noah Scott (Oregon State) received the loss in the Braves’ tight contest against the Red Sox last weekend, he held the CCBL’s run leaders to just two scores. He became Bourne’s 13th pitcher to reach double-digit strikeouts on the summer after totaling four K’s against the Red Sox. Can Wareham respond offensively after a sluggish start on Thursday and attack Scott and his 9.24 ERA?
Players To Watch
Gatemen: Connor Cuff (Southeastern Louisiana) certainly had a strong day at the plate in what was otherwise a defensive battle between Wareham and Cotuit: he led the Gatemen with three hits and was one of two Wareham hitters with multiple base knocks on the night. Cuff now has a hit in four of his last five games and reached base three times last time out against Bourne.
Braves: Burke-Lee Mabeus (Oregon) was the only Bourne hitter with multiple hits in its loss to Chatham last night. He has five hits over his first seven games in the Cape League and is reaching base at a .310 clip. Mabeus, a switch-hitter, has found immediate success in the Cape League and now brings his early hot streak into a crucial divisional game.
First pitch in Bourne is set for 6:00 p.m. Fans can attend for free or catch the action on Cape League TV.
