A 2024 season painted with comeback moments and successes came to a close Thursday night as the Harwich Mariners knocked the Y-D Red Sox out of the postseason to claim the East Division Championship. Despite the loss, Y-D has a spectacular summer to look back on—going 24-12-4 and finishing with the best record out of any team in the 40-game regular season.
Contributing to the success of this Y-D team were individual players who left it all out on the field. While faces came and went throughout the season, one constant remained—their ability to perform well night after night.
One of these players, Ethan Petry, embodied Y-D’s winning nature at the plate. The South Carolina slugger established himself as a power hitter since his Cape League debut, ending the season as a league leader in home runs (11), slugging percentage (.760), extra-base hits (18), and on-base percentage (.480). In addition, he received the league’s MVP and Pro Prospect awards.
Petry said he is thankful to have played in the Cape Cod League under the guidance of Manager Scott Pickler. He added that he was a part of a “great squad,” one that had a lot of chemistry on and off the field.
“Just meeting all these guys and getting coached by Coach Pick is something I want to take away from this experience,” Petry said. “I know the grind and what it takes to stay great and I am just grateful for this coaching staff. They've taught me a lot, and it’s been a great summer meeting everyone. Now I know I can compete with anyone and make friendships with anyone.”
On the mound, Sean Youngerman threw relief in game two of the East Division Championship and kept the fire lit for Y-D. The right-hander pitched 3.2 innings and collected an impressive eight strikeouts—his highest in a game this summer. He finished the regular season ranked third in the league for strikeouts (33) and fourth for earned run average (2.55).
Youngerman has been a part of the Y-D bullpen since Opening Day back in June. As the season progressed, his advancements could be seen in the numbers. In June, he allowed six runs in two games, but in July he allowed no runs in four games. The recent Oklahoma State transfer said that in addition to growing as a player, he feels like he has also grown as a person.
“It’s been great learning from some of these other guys who come from bigger schools,” Youngerman said. “I think the biggest thing I learned this summer is to just compete. It doesn't really matter who's in the box, what school they're from, or what they did during the school year. Just go after them and trust everybody behind me.”
Behind Youngerman in center field on Thursday was Phoenix Call. During the season, he could be seen making diving catches in center field, making smooth plays in the middle infield, and driving in runs at the plate.
The UCLA Freshman, who appeared in every game of the season for Y-D, said that it was never a hassle to be out there and every day was fun being with the people around him. He added that the togetherness of this team was a big reason for their accomplishments this season.
“The people were really the highlight of this experience,” Call said. “There’s a lot to take away from this season, from the physical and mental side, and it was good to be put in situations you wouldn’t normally be in. I’ve learned a lot from the people around me, I’m going to take it all in and just keep growing.”
As Y-D’s 2024 season has officially wrapped up and everyone heads their separate ways, this is still not the end for many. Players will bump into each other on opposite sides of the diamond at school, coaches will cross paths as they continue to pave their careers, and fans will keep tabs on the Y-D roster as they prepare for the draft and beyond.
While they may have just missed the championship, this team has felt like champions all season. Red Wilson Field might be quieter now but it will continue to hold all of the games and memories from this season—awaiting next summer and hoping to see some familiar faces return.
Photo by Sophie Solarino
