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Game 27 Preview: Chatham at Cotuit
Chatham can’t stop winning at the moment. The Anglers are riding a season-high five-game winning streak with a 10-3 record in July — both are the best marks in the CCBL. Despite key losses of Austin Overn (USC), Luke Cantwell (Pittsburgh), John Bay (Austin Peay) and a litany of pitchers, the Anglers have kept rolling.
The A’s latest victory was an 8-4 triumph over Bourne Wednesday. Chatham fell behind 3-1 and had just one hit entering the fifth inning. That’s when the Anglers exploded for six runs during a two-out rally. An Aiva Arquette single plated two runs before Jayden Davis (Vanderbilt) and Robin Villeneuve (Texas Tech) each hit two-run home runs.
The next test for Chatham is Cotuit. The Anglers have done well defeating teams that are lower in the Cape League standings, but the Kettleers rank second in the West Division.
Here’s everything to know before Chatham (15-11, East) takes on Cotuit (16-9-1, West) at Lowell Park Thursday:
Chatham will roll out Chance Cox (Austin Peay) for his first start of the summer. Cox has been a solid arm out of the bullpen for the Anglers, throwing nine innings across five games. He’s recorded nine strikeouts while allowing two earned runs. The lefty’s most recent outing was his best, going 2.1 innings against Orleans this past Sunday. Cox kept the Firebirds scoreless, helping the Anglers win 4-3.
Aiden Hunter is set to start his third game of the summer for Cotuit on the other side. The righty has seen mixed success so far with the Kettleers. Hunter’s only pitched seven innings so far, accumulating a 3.86 ERA. The righty has struck out seven batters, walked three and let up two home runs. Hunter is coming off a spring season at the College of Charleston in which he made 14 starts and finished with a 7-1 record while earning Second-Team All-CAA honors.
Davis is currently swinging the hottest bat out of any Chatham player. Davis had his second multi-hit game in a row Wednesday, highlighted by his two-run homer in the fifth inning. The second baseman has six hits across his last two games with three RBIs and hasn’t struck out. After a slow start offensively, Davis has picked it up. His average is up to .257 while his OPS stands at .710 in 23 appearances.
Since Hayden Murphy (Auburn) closed out Chatham’s win over Bourne, Xavier Richards (Sacramento State) is another potential marquee name out of the bullpen. Richards recorded a single out in Chatham’s most recent win over Orleans, so he should be fresh. If Chatham is locked in a close game, Richards could be used in a high-leverage situation late on. The righty pitched 36 innings in the spring, striking out 38 batters with a 4.50 ERA.
Cotuit Players To Watch
Tanner Thach has been a thorn in the Anglers' side this summer. Thach hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh inning on June 23 in a 4-1 Cotuit victory. In the next meeting, Thach registered four hits and scored two runs, though the Anglers came out with a win. Thach is second in the CCBL in OPS (1.014), and has recorded a team-high 19 RBIs while getting on base at a .396 rate.
Merritt Beeker is a weapon out of the bullpen for Cotuit. Beeker has picked up a win in each of his three appearances with the Kettleers — one of which was a start. The lefty from Ball State holds a 0.79 ERA in 11.1 innings, holding opposing batters to a measly .132 batting average.
Number To Know: 249
Through the first half of the season, Chatham’s strength was its pitching and that continues to be the case. The Anglers are tied for third in the CCBL with 249 strikeouts through 26 games.
Murphy has contributed the most to that total with 24 strikeouts in just 16 innings. Tyler Kozera’s (UCF) 15 Ks are the second most among active Chatham pitchers. Throughout the summer, 13 A’s pitchers have accumulated double-digit strikeouts. Bourne (254) and Y-D (250) are the only teams with more strikeouts than Chatham.
Chatham used a three-run first inning to defeat Cotuit 4-2 at Veterans Field on July 5. Arquette blasted a two-run shot, putting Chatham in front 3-1 in the opening frame and the Anglers held on for the rest of the game.
Kozera went 4.1 innings with one earned run and four strikeouts in his first start. Gabe Van Emon (UConn) pitched 3.2 frames in relief, allowing one run on one hit. The lefty’s outing allowed Pierce George (Alabama) to close things out as Chatham picked up its ninth win of the season.
The A’s latest victory was an 8-4 triumph over Bourne Wednesday. Chatham fell behind 3-1 and had just one hit entering the fifth inning. That’s when the Anglers exploded for six runs during a two-out rally. An Aiva Arquette single plated two runs before Jayden Davis (Vanderbilt) and Robin Villeneuve (Texas Tech) each hit two-run home runs.
The next test for Chatham is Cotuit. The Anglers have done well defeating teams that are lower in the Cape League standings, but the Kettleers rank second in the West Division.
Here’s everything to know before Chatham (15-11, East) takes on Cotuit (16-9-1, West) at Lowell Park Thursday:
Probable Starters
Chatham will roll out Chance Cox (Austin Peay) for his first start of the summer. Cox has been a solid arm out of the bullpen for the Anglers, throwing nine innings across five games. He’s recorded nine strikeouts while allowing two earned runs. The lefty’s most recent outing was his best, going 2.1 innings against Orleans this past Sunday. Cox kept the Firebirds scoreless, helping the Anglers win 4-3.
Aiden Hunter is set to start his third game of the summer for Cotuit on the other side. The righty has seen mixed success so far with the Kettleers. Hunter’s only pitched seven innings so far, accumulating a 3.86 ERA. The righty has struck out seven batters, walked three and let up two home runs. Hunter is coming off a spring season at the College of Charleston in which he made 14 starts and finished with a 7-1 record while earning Second-Team All-CAA honors.
Chatham Players To Watch
Davis is currently swinging the hottest bat out of any Chatham player. Davis had his second multi-hit game in a row Wednesday, highlighted by his two-run homer in the fifth inning. The second baseman has six hits across his last two games with three RBIs and hasn’t struck out. After a slow start offensively, Davis has picked it up. His average is up to .257 while his OPS stands at .710 in 23 appearances.
Since Hayden Murphy (Auburn) closed out Chatham’s win over Bourne, Xavier Richards (Sacramento State) is another potential marquee name out of the bullpen. Richards recorded a single out in Chatham’s most recent win over Orleans, so he should be fresh. If Chatham is locked in a close game, Richards could be used in a high-leverage situation late on. The righty pitched 36 innings in the spring, striking out 38 batters with a 4.50 ERA.
Cotuit Players To Watch
Tanner Thach has been a thorn in the Anglers' side this summer. Thach hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh inning on June 23 in a 4-1 Cotuit victory. In the next meeting, Thach registered four hits and scored two runs, though the Anglers came out with a win. Thach is second in the CCBL in OPS (1.014), and has recorded a team-high 19 RBIs while getting on base at a .396 rate.
Merritt Beeker is a weapon out of the bullpen for Cotuit. Beeker has picked up a win in each of his three appearances with the Kettleers — one of which was a start. The lefty from Ball State holds a 0.79 ERA in 11.1 innings, holding opposing batters to a measly .132 batting average.
Number To Know: 249
Through the first half of the season, Chatham’s strength was its pitching and that continues to be the case. The Anglers are tied for third in the CCBL with 249 strikeouts through 26 games.
Murphy has contributed the most to that total with 24 strikeouts in just 16 innings. Tyler Kozera’s (UCF) 15 Ks are the second most among active Chatham pitchers. Throughout the summer, 13 A’s pitchers have accumulated double-digit strikeouts. Bourne (254) and Y-D (250) are the only teams with more strikeouts than Chatham.
Last Time They Played
Chatham used a three-run first inning to defeat Cotuit 4-2 at Veterans Field on July 5. Arquette blasted a two-run shot, putting Chatham in front 3-1 in the opening frame and the Anglers held on for the rest of the game.
Kozera went 4.1 innings with one earned run and four strikeouts in his first start. Gabe Van Emon (UConn) pitched 3.2 frames in relief, allowing one run on one hit. The lefty’s outing allowed Pierce George (Alabama) to close things out as Chatham picked up its ninth win of the season.
