After finishing fourth in the East division last season, Chatham opens the 2022 slate against Cotuit at home on June 12. Manager Tom Holliday returns for his fourth season, and the Anglers are 1-1-1 in season-openers under the former Oklahoma State head coach and collegiate pitching coach.

Holliday said at the end of last season that the Anglers, who won six of their final eight games to end the season, would've had a chance at a long playoff run in 2021 had the season lasted a little longer. But Chatham has the opportunity to bring 2021's momentum into 2022 against Cotuit, who lost to Bourne in the opening round of the playoffs last year.

Probable Pitchers

Carson Whisenhunt will start for Chatham on the mound, Holliday said a day before the game. He'll throw three innings before Jacob Watters and Chris Villaman hop onto the mound for the final six.

In 2021, Whisenhunt made 13 starts with a 3.77 ERA and a 6-2 record. After the season, he pitched for the USA Collegiate National Team in the summer and posted a 1.50 ERA in one game. He sat out the entirety of 2022 with the Pirates after a failed drug test before the season.

Kade Morris will start for Cotuit after leading Nevada with a 4.32 ERA and seven wins throughout the 2022 season. He was named to the All-Mountain West Second Team, recording 53 strikeouts over 66.2 innings pitched.

Chatham Players to Watch

Cooper Ingle impressed through the first week of practice as Holliday confirmed he will start Sunday's matchup as Chatham's designated hitter. Ingle posted a .351 batting average last season with eight home runs at 211 at bats.

Marcus Brown appeared in 61 games for Oklahoma State in 2022, arriving in Chatham just a day before the season-opener. Brown had a season-best five hits against Missouri State with a .316 batting average on the year.

Cotuit Players to Watch

At 17 years old, Cam Collier joins the Kettleers after one season at Chipola Community College primarily at third base. In 177 at bats, Collier posted 59 hits with eight home runs. He's the 12th-best prospect in the 2022 MLB draft, according to mlb.com.

Chandler Simpson is listed in the infield for Cotuit following his sophomore season at Georgia Tech, where he led the country with a .433 batting percentage. Simpson previously played at University of Alabama at Birmingham, leading the team in stolen bases (24).

Stat to Know ' 8

The Anglers have eight players returning from last year's team onto this season's roster. Caden Grice, who had two home runs and three RBIs with the Anglers last season, returns to Chatham after charting a .229 batting average in 27 games with Clemson.

Dominic Tamez has been the starting catcher for the Crimson Tide this year, recording a season-best 15 putouts against Binghamton on March 13. Tamez had four hits in 10 games with the Anglers last summer. His best performance came against Orleans in 2021, when he had a two-run home run in Chatham's 3-2 win.

Last Time They Played

Chatham's most convincing win of last season came in its third matchup against Cotuit on July 25, 2021. The Anglers were led by Maxwell Romero Jr.'s three home runs, which tied a Cape Cod Baseball League record, in a 12-3 win.

'Romero had one of the best performances I've ever seen in a baseball game,' Matt Hogan said about the performance.

With Romero Jr. at the forefront, Chatham recorded nine runs in the first two innings, putting the Kettleers immediately out of reach. Trevor Martin also closed the game at the mound, allowing just two hits while striking out six in 3.2 innings.