The A’s began the 2024 campaign with their first win of the Jeremy “Sheets” Sheetinger era. And it came in blowout fashion.

A four-run third inning set the table, then a six-run sixth served Wareham an insurmountable 11-0 deficit that eventually ended in a run-rule. Chatham’s offense was relentless, putting together patient at-bats and consistently belting pitches left over the middle of the plate.

The Anglers finished with 12 hits and six walks, led by designated hitter Ike Irish (Auburn) and second baseman Jayden Davis’s (Vanderbilt) combined six RBIs. Gatemen starter AJ Colarusso was tattooed for five earned runs, while Anthony Steele allowed the same output in just 0.1 innings of work. An efficient start on the mound by Chatham’s Evan Chrest (Florida State) all but sealed the A’s season-opening victory.

Up next for Chatham is its home-opener against Yarmouth-Dennis. The Red Sox are coming off of a 2-1 home win over Brewster, in which center fielder Jonathan Kim ripped a walk-off RBI single in the 10th frame.

Here’s what to know before Chatham (1-0, East) takes on Yarmouth-Dennis (1-0, East) at Veterans Field:

Probable Starters

Griffin Herring (LSU) is penciled in to start the A’s first home contest. Sheetinger named him among some of Chatham’s pitcher’s to watch heading into the season, excited at the prospect of having a National Stopper of the Year candidate at his disposal.

Herring enters the Cape off a scintillating year for the Tigers. Thrusted into a long-reliever role, the sophomore registered a team-best 1.79 ERA in 21 games. He struck out 67 batters in 50.1 innings, showing off elite stuff and pinpoint location on his fastball. Herring limited the home run ball with just two allowed all year, and kept his WHIP at a reliable 1.04 mark.

Meanwhile, Y-D is projected to start Braden Osbolt on the mound. Osbolt was an All-Atlantic Sun Third Team member in the 2024 season for Kennesaw State. The 6-foot-3 right-hander put together a 5-2 record in 14 starts, tossing 70.1 innings with a 4.48 ERA.

Chatham Players To Watch

The Anglers received a litany of strong individual performances Saturday against Wareham. Though, none may have stood out more than Austin Overn’s (USC) dominant night — potentially solidifying himself in the lead-off spot. He set the tone for the A’s offense, accumulating game-highs in hits (three) and runs scored (three). The center fielder also had the game’s only two extra-base hits of the evening, both doubles.

At the same time, Irish’s two-hit, three-RBI game provided a steady presence to the heart of Chatham’s order. The Auburn star, who led the Tigers in batting average (.319) and RBIs (59) this past season, exceeded expectations in his debut, reaching base in four-of-five plate appearances.

Overn and Irish, both left-handed hitters, recorded much of their production against Colarusso — also a lefty. With a righty in Osbolt taking the mound Sunday, Overn and Irish are prime candidates to display their power in a favorable matchup and add to a stellar season-opener.

Y-D Players To Watch

The Red Sox struggled on offense to open the season, though Kim was a major bright spot. Similar to Overn, Kim quickly established himself as a top lead-off option for his team. He led Yarmouth-Dennis with its only multi-hit game and delivered the game-winning RBI. For someone who has generated a strong career thus far at Michigan, totaling a .293 batting average through two years, it’ll be tough to take Kim away from the top of Y-D’s order.

Texas Tech third baseman Cade McGee poses a threat as well. He got off to a modest start with just one base hit against Brewster, but McGee’s collegiate resume makes him dangerous. After transferring from Gonzaga, the junior blasted 15 home runs while he tallied a .580 slugging percentage. His 1.030 OPS was second-highest on the Red Raiders.

Number To Know: 14

Sheetinger’s squad started the season out hot from the dish. Still, Yarmouth-Dennis could present a far greater challenge to the A’s. A mix of three Red Sox pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts versus the Whitecaps Saturday, including seven K’s in relief from Bryan Peck.

The Anglers’ offense only struck out five times in Wareham, prolonging innings with lengthy at-bats, walks and hits with runners on base. Sticking to a comparable formula should pay dividends for game two, though Y-D’s pitching staff seems to be a tougher battle.

Last Time They Played

On July 31, 2023 — Chatham’s third-to-last contest of the season — the A’s defeated Yarmouth-Dennis 6-4 on the road. The victory was part of a four-game winning streak to close out the year for the Anglers.

Trace Willhoite (Lipscomb) knocked two balls over the fence for three RBIs to lead Chatham’s offense. His first came in the second inning, blasting a two-run shot, while his second occurred in the eighth inning. The latter of which put the A’s up 6-3, providing them enough insurance to close the Red Sox out.