When it rains, it pours.
While the rain postponed games for the rest of the league, Spillane Field still hosted its contest between the Gatemen (15-8-1) and the Whitecaps (10-13) on Saturday evening. Yet, nothing could prevent the Whitecaps’ washout as Brewster routed West Division-leading Wareham, 11-0, in seven innings on Saturday. Despite the loss, the Gatemen still maintained their position over Cotuit in the division, but their lead narrowed to one game.
The Gatemen have lost three of their last four games for the first time this season, finding themselves in unfamiliar territory. However, Gatemen manager Ryan Smyth and his staff are looking to turn the page and get back to their winning ways against the Harwich Mariners at Whitehouse Field on Sunday.
The Gatemen are 2-0 against the Mariners in the 2024 season. They have a chance to start the week in the win column against a Mariners team that has struggled as of late, losing nine of its last 10 games.
Starting pitchers
Right-hander Griffin O’Connor (Georgetown) gets the start for the Gatemen. O’Connor posts a 1-0 record and a 1.59 ERA with the Gatemen this season. His one start came against the Y-D Red Sox on July 7, when he pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up three hits and one earned run while recording three punchouts.
The former Assumption Greyhound, now Georgetown Hoya, started nine games in the Northeast-10 Conference this past spring, recording 38 strikeouts in 48 1/3 innings.
The Mariners will run their right-handed arm in Olin Johnson (UNC). Johnson played two games and started one this season for Harwich. He has recorded a pair strikeouts and a 9.64 ERA in 4 2/3 innings pitched.
The 6-foot-6 rising sophomore from North Carolina played seven games for the Tar Heels in his freshman year, recording 10 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings as well.
Players to watch
In his sixth game with the Gatemen, Reese Chapman (Tennessee) has made himself comfortable in the cleanup spot. Ever since he left Omaha as a champion with the Volunteers, his bat has been electric for the Gatemen, cashing in eight RBI on eight hits, two of which were doubles, and a three-run blast during the Gatemen’s road win over Falmouth.
Look for Chapman to be a force in the heart of the order for the Gatemen in Harwich. Chapman had one of the lonesome four hits Wareham got in Saturday’s blowout loss to Brewster.
The Mariners, despite their struggles, have still found decent offensive production. Princeton center fielder Matt Scannell has been the most consistent for the Mariners' past two games. In their 7-6 loss to Chatham on Thursday, Scannell went 1-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.
In Harwich’s last game, the 16-8 loss to Cotuit, Scannell again scored a pair of runs despite going 1-for-5, making an impact for his team.
Friday is a chance for the Gatemen to reset and get back to their winning ways with the Mariners’ latest struggles. However, Harwich is hungry for a win at home. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m. at Whitehouse Field in Harwich.
Top photo caption: Nate Earley celebrates a double during Wareham's 8-2 win over the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox on July 7, 2024. Photo by Keegan Maloney
