Anglers News« Back to 2024 News |
Game 3 Preview: Chatham vs. Bourne
Following an Opening Day 11-1 blowout win over Wareham, Chatham had a chance to win its second straight in its home opener against Yarmouth-Dennis. Yet, the A’s bats went quiet as they fell 2-1 to the Red Sox.
Y-D starting pitcher Braden Osbolt retired 14 straight batters from the first to the sixth inning. Osbolt went six innings with just one walk and produced eight strikeouts.
Chatham starter Griffin Herring (LSU) was equally as good on the mound, going 3.2 innings without allowing a hit and striking out three batters. The smooth lefty utilized a nasty slider which constantly fooled Red Sox hitters.
Y-D scored runs in the fifth and seventh innings to gain a 2-0 lead, before Will Gasparino (Texas) blasted a pinch-hit home run to get the A’s on the board in the eighth. But the A’s comeback effort fell short as their final five batters were retired.
Chatham will look to get back into the win column against Bourne, the reigning Cape Cod Baseball League champions. Like the A’s, the Braves won their opening game but suffered their first loss in game two, falling to Brewster 4-3.
Here’s everything to know before Chatham (1-1, East) takes on Bourne (1-1, West) at Veterans Field:
Kyson Witherspoon (Oklahoma) will make his first appearance for the A’s Monday. Witherspoon’s twin brother, Malachi, closed out Chatham’s opener against Wareham while Kyson gets his chance to shine on the mound as a starter.
In his first season with Oklahoma after spending a year with Northwest Florida State at the junior college level, Kyson put together a solid campaign. He was second on the Sooners in innings pitched (80) and starts (11) while accumulating a 3.79 ERA. Kyson attacks hitters early and often with his fastball, striking out 90 batters during his sophomore campaign.
Rutgers pitcher Donovan Zsak is projected to get the start for Bourne. Used out of the bullpen for his first 15 appearances of the season, Zsak ended up starting his final four games for the Scarlet Knights. Outside of allowing five runs across two innings in his first start, Zsak let just two runs past in his last three starts during 15 innings of work.
Against Y-D, Gasparino made his mark, blasting a home run in his first at-bat of the summer. Standing at 6-foot-6, Gasparino is one of the most imposing figures on the A’s roster and is primed for a big summer coming off a solid freshman season for Texas. The former Harvard-Westlake product native hit 12 home runs, drove in 47 runs and finished with a .450 slugging percentage across 210 plate appearances.
With three hits across the first two games, Aiva Arquette (Washington) has been one of the A’s most productive players on both sides of the ball. Arquette produced two hits and two RBIs in the A’s win over Wareham. While against Y-D, he shined more on the defensive end playing at third base, tracking down a foul ball down the third base line to make a catch against the netting.
Despite falling to Brewster, Braden Holcomb was a bright spot as the cleanup hitter for the Braves. The Vanderbilt product was the only Bourne player with multiple hits (three) adding to his two-hit performance against Orleans on Opening Day.
Holcomb’s teammate at Vanderbilt, Camden Kozeal, is another dangerous bat in Bourne’s lineup. Kozeal started 35 games and appeared in 43, registering a .284 batting average and .349 slugging percentage while driving in 28 runs.
Chatham had 13 strikeouts against Y-D compared to just five in its Opening Day victory over Wareham. The A’s were constantly behind in counts and paid the price. Chatham’s top three batters each had two strikeouts to their name, including three straight in the bottom of the ninth inning.
On July 29, 2023, Chatham was eliminated from playoff contention when Bourne defeated the A’s 9-7. The loss was the seventh in eight games for Chatham as it missed the playoffs for a third straight season.
The A’s trailed by four heading into the eighth inning but loaded the bases, and a rally ensued. Two errant pitches allowed runs to score along while a sacrifice fly and another wild pitch tied things up at 7. But the Anglers couldn’t hold on, with Bourne scoring two runs in the top of the ninth inning to close out a win.
Y-D starting pitcher Braden Osbolt retired 14 straight batters from the first to the sixth inning. Osbolt went six innings with just one walk and produced eight strikeouts.
Chatham starter Griffin Herring (LSU) was equally as good on the mound, going 3.2 innings without allowing a hit and striking out three batters. The smooth lefty utilized a nasty slider which constantly fooled Red Sox hitters.
Y-D scored runs in the fifth and seventh innings to gain a 2-0 lead, before Will Gasparino (Texas) blasted a pinch-hit home run to get the A’s on the board in the eighth. But the A’s comeback effort fell short as their final five batters were retired.
Chatham will look to get back into the win column against Bourne, the reigning Cape Cod Baseball League champions. Like the A’s, the Braves won their opening game but suffered their first loss in game two, falling to Brewster 4-3.
Here’s everything to know before Chatham (1-1, East) takes on Bourne (1-1, West) at Veterans Field:
Probable Starters
Kyson Witherspoon (Oklahoma) will make his first appearance for the A’s Monday. Witherspoon’s twin brother, Malachi, closed out Chatham’s opener against Wareham while Kyson gets his chance to shine on the mound as a starter.
In his first season with Oklahoma after spending a year with Northwest Florida State at the junior college level, Kyson put together a solid campaign. He was second on the Sooners in innings pitched (80) and starts (11) while accumulating a 3.79 ERA. Kyson attacks hitters early and often with his fastball, striking out 90 batters during his sophomore campaign.
Rutgers pitcher Donovan Zsak is projected to get the start for Bourne. Used out of the bullpen for his first 15 appearances of the season, Zsak ended up starting his final four games for the Scarlet Knights. Outside of allowing five runs across two innings in his first start, Zsak let just two runs past in his last three starts during 15 innings of work.
Chatham Players To Watch
Against Y-D, Gasparino made his mark, blasting a home run in his first at-bat of the summer. Standing at 6-foot-6, Gasparino is one of the most imposing figures on the A’s roster and is primed for a big summer coming off a solid freshman season for Texas. The former Harvard-Westlake product native hit 12 home runs, drove in 47 runs and finished with a .450 slugging percentage across 210 plate appearances.
With three hits across the first two games, Aiva Arquette (Washington) has been one of the A’s most productive players on both sides of the ball. Arquette produced two hits and two RBIs in the A’s win over Wareham. While against Y-D, he shined more on the defensive end playing at third base, tracking down a foul ball down the third base line to make a catch against the netting.
Bourne Players To Watch
Despite falling to Brewster, Braden Holcomb was a bright spot as the cleanup hitter for the Braves. The Vanderbilt product was the only Bourne player with multiple hits (three) adding to his two-hit performance against Orleans on Opening Day.
Holcomb’s teammate at Vanderbilt, Camden Kozeal, is another dangerous bat in Bourne’s lineup. Kozeal started 35 games and appeared in 43, registering a .284 batting average and .349 slugging percentage while driving in 28 runs.
Number To Know: 13
Chatham had 13 strikeouts against Y-D compared to just five in its Opening Day victory over Wareham. The A’s were constantly behind in counts and paid the price. Chatham’s top three batters each had two strikeouts to their name, including three straight in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Last Time They Played
On July 29, 2023, Chatham was eliminated from playoff contention when Bourne defeated the A’s 9-7. The loss was the seventh in eight games for Chatham as it missed the playoffs for a third straight season.
The A’s trailed by four heading into the eighth inning but loaded the bases, and a rally ensued. Two errant pitches allowed runs to score along while a sacrifice fly and another wild pitch tied things up at 7. But the Anglers couldn’t hold on, with Bourne scoring two runs in the top of the ninth inning to close out a win.
