In baseball, it is important to have more than one way to win a game. Some games will be a slug fest, where a high-powered offense is necessary to win. Other times, it will be a pitching duel, where one timely hit or defensive stop could be the difference.
The Gatemen proved they have a roster to do both in their 5-4 win over the Bourne Braves on Friday. The win, unlike their dominant 10-2 victory over Orleans on Wednesday, was a tight game from start to finish.
It was one where both the offense and defense were in tune. 5 runs on 10 hits, plus crucial defensive plays when Bourne was threatening, kept the Gatemen ahead for the entire game, helping them secure their second consecutive win.
Now they square off against another division opponent in the Hyannis Harbor Hawks. The Hawks fell to the Orleans Firebirds at home 6-2 on Friday, despite out-hitting them 12-6. It is another tough loss in a rough stretch for Hyannis, which has gone 2-6-2 in its last ten games.
With it being the second half of the season, and the West Division standings tightly packed, every division game is that much more important. The Gatemen, with momentum on their side, look to make it three in a row tonight and climb higher in the standings.
Starting Pitchers
The Gatemen will start right-hander Josh Butler (Arizona State). The Sun Devil has appeared in five games for the Gatemen this summer, primarily being a solid reliever out of the pen; however, he was given his first starting opportunity on July 5 against the Falmouth Commodores.
Butler gave Wareham 3.1 competitive innings, striking out 3 while allowing 2 earned runs in the game. Despite giving up 5 hits, he limited the damage and kept the Gatemen within reach early before the game got out of control and turned into an 11-4 loss.
If he can give the Gatemen a solid start, with the way their offense has started games as of late, Wareham will be in a good position to control the game.
The Harbor Hawks will start Carson Jasa (Nebraska). Jasa has appeared five times and started twice for Hyannis. He has a 1.50 ERA in 12 innings, where he allowed 4 hits, 2 earned runs, 12 walks, and struck out 17.
His last start against the Orleans Firebirds on July 5 was solid. He went 4 innings, allowed 2 hits, 1 earned run, 4 walks, and struck out 5. Hyannis will need him to have a solid start to slow down a red-hot Wareham lineup that has scored 16 combined runs in the first inning of each of their last four games.
Players to Watch
In Friday’s game against Bourne, both Caden McDonald (Florida) and Levi Clark (Tennessee) had stellar days at the plate. Clark went 3 for 5 with a run scored, while McDonald went 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs, including a crucial insurance run in the seventh that became the difference.
Another name to look out for is Hunter Carns (Florida State), who is having an amazing summer. He has slashed .433/.525/.667 and is now on a five-game hitting streak after he went 1 for 3 on Friday, drove in an RBI, and scored a run. Look for these three Gatemen’s bats to stay hot tonight.
For the Hawks, Jeff Lougee (Duke) has been a dominant hitter for the Harbor Hawks this season, slashing .333/.389/.455 for the summer. He went 3 for 3 with a walk and an RBI against Orleans on Friday. Devin Mitchell (Florence-Darlington Tech JC) also had a great Cape League debut as a pinch hitter. He went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored on Friday. Look for both of them to step up for Hyannis tonight.
First pitch for tonight’s game is at 6:00 p.m. at McKeon Park in Hyannis. You can attend the game for free, or you can tune in to the Gatemen’s radio broadcast with Cory Miller, Josh Richardson, and Rayna Maggelet on the call by clicking HERE.
