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Game 40 Preview: Chatham at Orleans
For the first time since 2019, Chatham’s season will not end with its regular-season finale. It clinched its first postseason appearance in the last five years, locking up the No. 2 seed in the East Division. But before the Anglers’ playoff run starts at home in a wild-card round on Aug. 6 versus Harwich, they battle Orleans one more time.
The A’s and Firebirds square off Sunday night for the fifth time this summer. Orleans is the lone opponent Chatham hasn’t lost to in 2024. The Firebirds are currently positioned as the No. 4 seed in the East, though they need to defeat the Anglers to seal a playoff berth.
Here’s what to know before Chatham (20-19, East) travels to Eldredge Park to face Orleans (14-25, East) in its final game of the 2024 regular season:
The Anglers are sending righty Chance Cox (Austin Peay) to the mound Sunday. Cox has made seven appearances this summer, two of which were starts. His ERA sits at 5.40 across 13.1 innings, and also has a 1.95 WHIP. Cox has suffered consistent damage on the long ball, as he’s allowed three home runs, while opponents are batting .333 against him this season.
For the Firebirds, right-handed pitcher Cody Bowker is set to make his sixth start and ninth outing of the summer. Bowker’s record sits at 0-4, though he’s held up well on his end. The Vanderbilt product has accumulated a 3.82 ERA in 30.2 innings, along with tallying a 0.98 WHIP and 29 Ks. Bowker is one of four Orleans pitchers with a qualified WHIP under 1.00.
In 14 games with the Anglers, Chayton Krauss (Dallas Baptist) has seamlessly slotted into a power-hitting role once held by players who have left like John Bay (Austin Peay) and Aiva Arquette. Krauss has blasted a team-high four homers and tacked on 14 RBIs while posting a .868 OPS and a slugging percentage of .545. The third baseman crushed a solo homer in Saturday’s contest against Harwich as he continues to stay hot with the playoffs approaching.
Meanwhile, with Sunday’s game being rendered meaningless for Chatham’s purposes, former bullpen catcher Cohen Wilbanks (Abilene Christian) could make an appearance in Orleans. He was added to the Anglers’ roster Thursday following a litany of departures. Wilbanks spent the spring with Georgia Gwinnett College — coached by former A’s manager Jeremy “Sheets” Sheetinger — before spending most of the summer as Chatham’s bullpen catcher.
Orleans Players To Watch
Outfielder Ben Zeigler-Namoa stands out as the Firebirds’ best bat, and also one of the best on the Cape. His .908 OPS ranks fifth in the CCBL, while his .314 batting average, three homers and .443 on-base percentage are all among the top-three totals on Orleans. Zeigler-Namoa is the lone Firebird within the top 25 OPS marks in the league, and should be a point of emphasis for the A’s pitching staff Sunday.
Bennett Markinson poses a threat to Chatham as well. The catcher joined Orleans’ roster in the middle of the season, and has been one of its batting leaders since. Markinson boasts a .893 OPS, .340 batting average and .446 on-base percentage. He hasn’t hit a homer yet in 16 games, though he’s driven in nine runs and tallied 16 hits.
Orleans, along with Brewster and Harwich, lump together to form the group of opponents that Chatham has fared best against. Y-D is the notable omission from that list, as the Anglers are 0-5 versus the Red Sox this summer. But the A’s are a combined 11-3 against their other three East Division foes — a winning percentage of .786.
Chatham’s best mark comes against the Firebirds, holding a 4-0 record entering Sunday. It also finished the year 4-1 over the Whitecaps and 3-2 over Harwich. History suggests a regular-season finale matchup versus Orleans should provide the Anglers with a nice boost into the playoffs.
It’s been three weeks since Chatham and Orleans shared a diamond. The A’s defeated the Firebirds 4-3 on July 14, a game in which Aiva Arquette laid down a walk-off bunt in the bottom of the 10th inning.
Each side was held scoreless from innings 6-9 with the game tied at 3-3. Hayden Murphy (Auburn) and Xavier Richards (Sacramento State) combined for a clutch shutout top of the 10th inning, giving the Anglers a pristine chance to capture victory in the bottom half. With Ike Irish (Auburn) on third base, Arquette bunted to the left side. Orleans pitcher Itsuki Takemoto scooped up the ball and made a throwing error to first, allowing Irish to score with ease.
The A’s and Firebirds square off Sunday night for the fifth time this summer. Orleans is the lone opponent Chatham hasn’t lost to in 2024. The Firebirds are currently positioned as the No. 4 seed in the East, though they need to defeat the Anglers to seal a playoff berth.
Here’s what to know before Chatham (20-19, East) travels to Eldredge Park to face Orleans (14-25, East) in its final game of the 2024 regular season:
Probable Starters
The Anglers are sending righty Chance Cox (Austin Peay) to the mound Sunday. Cox has made seven appearances this summer, two of which were starts. His ERA sits at 5.40 across 13.1 innings, and also has a 1.95 WHIP. Cox has suffered consistent damage on the long ball, as he’s allowed three home runs, while opponents are batting .333 against him this season.
For the Firebirds, right-handed pitcher Cody Bowker is set to make his sixth start and ninth outing of the summer. Bowker’s record sits at 0-4, though he’s held up well on his end. The Vanderbilt product has accumulated a 3.82 ERA in 30.2 innings, along with tallying a 0.98 WHIP and 29 Ks. Bowker is one of four Orleans pitchers with a qualified WHIP under 1.00.
Chatham Players To Watch
In 14 games with the Anglers, Chayton Krauss (Dallas Baptist) has seamlessly slotted into a power-hitting role once held by players who have left like John Bay (Austin Peay) and Aiva Arquette. Krauss has blasted a team-high four homers and tacked on 14 RBIs while posting a .868 OPS and a slugging percentage of .545. The third baseman crushed a solo homer in Saturday’s contest against Harwich as he continues to stay hot with the playoffs approaching.
Meanwhile, with Sunday’s game being rendered meaningless for Chatham’s purposes, former bullpen catcher Cohen Wilbanks (Abilene Christian) could make an appearance in Orleans. He was added to the Anglers’ roster Thursday following a litany of departures. Wilbanks spent the spring with Georgia Gwinnett College — coached by former A’s manager Jeremy “Sheets” Sheetinger — before spending most of the summer as Chatham’s bullpen catcher.
Orleans Players To Watch
Outfielder Ben Zeigler-Namoa stands out as the Firebirds’ best bat, and also one of the best on the Cape. His .908 OPS ranks fifth in the CCBL, while his .314 batting average, three homers and .443 on-base percentage are all among the top-three totals on Orleans. Zeigler-Namoa is the lone Firebird within the top 25 OPS marks in the league, and should be a point of emphasis for the A’s pitching staff Sunday.
Bennett Markinson poses a threat to Chatham as well. The catcher joined Orleans’ roster in the middle of the season, and has been one of its batting leaders since. Markinson boasts a .893 OPS, .340 batting average and .446 on-base percentage. He hasn’t hit a homer yet in 16 games, though he’s driven in nine runs and tallied 16 hits.
Number To Know: .786
Orleans, along with Brewster and Harwich, lump together to form the group of opponents that Chatham has fared best against. Y-D is the notable omission from that list, as the Anglers are 0-5 versus the Red Sox this summer. But the A’s are a combined 11-3 against their other three East Division foes — a winning percentage of .786.
Chatham’s best mark comes against the Firebirds, holding a 4-0 record entering Sunday. It also finished the year 4-1 over the Whitecaps and 3-2 over Harwich. History suggests a regular-season finale matchup versus Orleans should provide the Anglers with a nice boost into the playoffs.
Last Time They Played
It’s been three weeks since Chatham and Orleans shared a diamond. The A’s defeated the Firebirds 4-3 on July 14, a game in which Aiva Arquette laid down a walk-off bunt in the bottom of the 10th inning.
Each side was held scoreless from innings 6-9 with the game tied at 3-3. Hayden Murphy (Auburn) and Xavier Richards (Sacramento State) combined for a clutch shutout top of the 10th inning, giving the Anglers a pristine chance to capture victory in the bottom half. With Ike Irish (Auburn) on third base, Arquette bunted to the left side. Orleans pitcher Itsuki Takemoto scooped up the ball and made a throwing error to first, allowing Irish to score with ease.
