Make it four straight losses for the Anglers, who fell Friday night to the surging Harwich Mariners by a score of 5-2. Chatham starter Logan Verrett (Baylor) pitched well in his third start of the season, with the bullpen yielding all five runs to the Mariners in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. The Anglers record falls to 11-10-1 at the halfway point of the season, remaining in third place in the Eastern Division. Harwich has now won six of their last eight contests, and with their 11-12 record have moved one game ahead of Orleans to sit in sole possession of fourth place in the East.

Chatham struck early in an effort to get its ailing offense back on track, when first baseman Aaron Westlake (Vanderbilt) blasted a two-out solo home run in the first, giving the Anglers the early 1-0 lead. Harwich starter Pierce Johnson (Missouri St.) got hit around a bit after allowing the home run, loading the bases on a pair of hits and a walk, before inducing a ground out to end the inning. Johnson came into the contest with a 0.50ERA, having allowed just one earned run through 18 innings.

Chatham tacked on another run in the fifth after center fielder Brian Humphries (Pepperdine) doubled with one out in the bottom half of the frame. After a fly out by new Angler Joe DePinto (USC) to left, Westlake then hit an RBI double to plate Humphries and put the Anglers up 2-0. Verrett would close out the sixth before yielding to Zack Jones (San Jose St.) out of the bullpen, having allowed just five hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

Jones came on to start the seventh, and allowed a leadoff infield single by Harwich first baseman John Hicks (Virginia). A wild pitch advanced Hicks to second, and a double in the next at-bat by center fielder Brian Goodwin (UNC) would bring him around to score. Another wild pitch would put Goodwin at third, followed by an RBI sacrifice fly to right by designated hitter Steven Proscia (Virginia) to even the score at 2-2.

Jones would come on to start the eighth and induce a fly out to right before yielding to lefty reliever Aaron Gates (Pepperdine). Gates induced a groundout back to the mound to record the second out of the inning, before an error by Chatham shortstop Stephen Perez (Miami) in the next at-bat allowed Harwich catcher Pratt Maynard (NC State) to reach. Hicks would then single to advance Maynard. Goodwin walked in the next at-bat, before Gates would yield to Matt Brazis (Boston College) who allowed a two-run single by Proscia to break the tie and give Harwich a 4-2 lead.

The Mariners tacked on one more run in the ninth after a leadoff walk to shortstop Taylor Motter (Coastal Car.). He would then reach second on a wild pitch. Aaron Conway (Missouri St.) would single in the next at-bat, bringing Motter home from second on an errant throw to first by DePinto, giving Harwich the 5-2 lead, and eventual victory.

The Anglers remain at home Saturday night as the Bourne Braves, leaders in the Western Division with their 12-11 record, come to Veterans Field with a scheduled 7pm start. Tune in to the broadcast starting at 6:40pm with the Anglers Extra Pregame Show at www.chathamanglers.com, or dial into the TRZ Teamline on your home or mobile telephone at 1-800-846-4700 and enter the team code 3841.

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www.flickr.com Chatham Anglers' Game 22 vs Harwich, 7/9/10 photoset