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Chatham allows 3 runs in 9th, falls 7-5 to Harwich in season-ending loss
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Eric Beattie is a crier. He doesn’t shy away from that.
Tuesday night, it was hard for him to hold back the tears. Following Chatham’s season-ending loss at Veterans Field, Beattie went player to player in the dugout. One by one, he embraced them all — a final goodbye to a memorable summer.
There wouldn’t be any more pregame jokes from the bullpen and sly remarks during batting practice. No more third-inning roll call or rabid barking from the dugout. This was the end of the road.
As Beattie reminisced about his players, he fought back tears. It was to no avail. The emotions flowed as Beattie's voice crumbled.
“We're in the people business,” Beattie said. “I love these guys.”
Chatham’s (20-20, East) season came to a crashing end Wednesday night at the hands of Harwich (16-24, East) in the first round of the East Division playoffs. The Anglers were three outs away from sealing their first playoff victory since 2018. But a three-run ninth-inning rally dashed the A’s hopes as they fell 7-5. It was a bittersweet end to a whirlwind summer that brought hope back to Chatham.
The A’s started out under the tutelage of Jeremy “Sheets” Sheetinger. The first-year skipper brought a different energy to Chatham. He wanted to change the culture following four seasons without playoff baseball. Sheetinger accomplished that, bringing a positive, laid-back vibe to the Anglers.
Though, 31 games into the season, Sheetinger unexpectedly resigned. He cited personal reasons for his departure. Beattie took over as interim manager. He didn’t change much, keeping the same relaxed style Sheetinger introduced. It led to a playoff berth — the Anglers’ first since 2019.
A 13-2 win over Brewster on July 30 sealed Chatham’s spot in the eight-team bracket. Its 4-0 shutout over Wareham on Aug. 1 secured the No. 2 seed in the East Division.
Chatham’s last playoff game at Veterans Field came five years ago, 1,830 days to be exact. A 4-2 loss at Harwich in 2019 spelled the end to the Anglers’ season in the East Divisional Series. The Mariners swept the A’s, who entered the playoffs as East Division champions.
This time, it was do or die. The Anglers couldn’t afford a slip-up up or else they’d be going home. A single-elimination game at Veterans Field decided who advanced to play top-seeded Yarmouth-Dennis in the next round.
The margin for error was razor-thin. Unfortunately for the Anglers, they found out the hard way.
“A really good team had to win, a really good team had to lose,” Beattie said.
Chatham left-handed pitcher Gabe Van Emon tossed four innings and tallied six strikeouts, though he allowed the game-tying run in the ninth en route to the Anglers' season-ending loss to Harwich / Photograph by Ella Tovey
The Mariners struck first in the top of the third inning. An RBI single from Aden Hill off Chatham starter Lucas Hartman (Western Kentucky) and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Cade Kurland put the Mariners up 2-0. The lead was erased when Jordan Williams (Tampa) produced a two-RBI triple in the ensuing inning.
Harwich responded by retaking the lead the next time it came to the plate. Hartman left a runner on second when he was replaced by Gabe Van Emon (UConn). Kurland drove in his second RBI with a double to the wall on Van Emon’s second batter.
The seesaw continued as Chatham took its first lead. Runners stood on first and second with two outs. Campbell Smithwick (Ole Miss) lined a fastball down the right-field line, tying the game. Smithwick tried stretching his base hit into a double and seemed to be out by a mile. Though as Sam McNulty applied the tag, the ball was jarred loose. Robin Villeneuve (Texas Tech) scored and Chatham was in front 4-3.
Holding its first advantage of the game, Chatham had the ideal pitcher on the bump. Van Emon has provided lockdown relief this summer. He entered Saturday with a 2.65 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 17 innings. The lefty was awarded the 2024 Ed Baird Most Outstanding Pitcher Award pregame.
Through his first two-plus innings he showed why. After Kurland’s double, Van Emon retired seven of eight batters, fanning five batters.
His first adversity came in the eighth. He allowed Kurland and Matt Scannell to reach base to start the frame. Wilson Weber brought home Kurland in the ensuing at-bat to make it 4-4. Van Emon sat down three straight batters to keep the game level.
Chayton Krauss (Dallas Baptist) knocked in the potential game-winning RBI in the bottom of the frame. Krauss’ two-out single scored Chris Hacopian (Maryland), putting Chatham in front 5-4.
Beattie went bold in the ninth. He kept Van Emon on the mound instead of bringing in a fresh closer. Immediately, the plan went awry.
Cam Maldonado tripled into the right-field corner to lead off. Aiden Robbins soon knotted the game at 5-5 with a second straight baseknock.
“That's one of those decisions you have to make and you just live with,” Beattie said of leaving Van Emon in.
The lefty finished with six strikeouts across four innings, allowing three earned runs. The last of which came with him off the mound. Yet it proved to be pivotal.
Jacob Heath (West Florida) entered with one out in the ninth. Immediately, he retired Kurland. Weber stepped to the plate. The catcher lined an offering to right field. Ashton Larson (LSU) looked to have a beat on the ball. As he approached the line drive, Larson lost his footing and didn’t come up with the catch, allowing the go-ahead run to score.
Daniel Dickinson poured salt onto Chatham’s wounds with a single to left field. Larson’s misplay proved costly in a hotly contested do-or-die scenario. Beattie remained steadfast in his support for the outfielder — Chatham’s 2024 recipient of the Thurman Munson Outstanding Position Player Award.
“I would have him out there in that situation every game,” Beattie said.
In a single-elimination format, the stakes were always going to be elevated. One play could dictate the entire outcome — and it did.
The Anglers had one more chance. Chatham is no stranger to comebacks against Harwich this summer. The A’s erased a seven-run deficit on July 7 to defeat the Mariners 13-12. Three days ago, the A’s scored three unanswered runs in a 5-4 win. Tuesday, Chatham would have to do the same.
Only this time, they ran out of time. Kevin Zarnoch retired the side in order, shutting the door on one last Chatham miracle.
“We just couldn’t answer them that one last time,” Beattie said.
Tuesday night, it was hard for him to hold back the tears. Following Chatham’s season-ending loss at Veterans Field, Beattie went player to player in the dugout. One by one, he embraced them all — a final goodbye to a memorable summer.
There wouldn’t be any more pregame jokes from the bullpen and sly remarks during batting practice. No more third-inning roll call or rabid barking from the dugout. This was the end of the road.
As Beattie reminisced about his players, he fought back tears. It was to no avail. The emotions flowed as Beattie's voice crumbled.
“We're in the people business,” Beattie said. “I love these guys.”
Chatham’s (20-20, East) season came to a crashing end Wednesday night at the hands of Harwich (16-24, East) in the first round of the East Division playoffs. The Anglers were three outs away from sealing their first playoff victory since 2018. But a three-run ninth-inning rally dashed the A’s hopes as they fell 7-5. It was a bittersweet end to a whirlwind summer that brought hope back to Chatham.
The A’s started out under the tutelage of Jeremy “Sheets” Sheetinger. The first-year skipper brought a different energy to Chatham. He wanted to change the culture following four seasons without playoff baseball. Sheetinger accomplished that, bringing a positive, laid-back vibe to the Anglers.
Though, 31 games into the season, Sheetinger unexpectedly resigned. He cited personal reasons for his departure. Beattie took over as interim manager. He didn’t change much, keeping the same relaxed style Sheetinger introduced. It led to a playoff berth — the Anglers’ first since 2019.
A 13-2 win over Brewster on July 30 sealed Chatham’s spot in the eight-team bracket. Its 4-0 shutout over Wareham on Aug. 1 secured the No. 2 seed in the East Division.
Chatham’s last playoff game at Veterans Field came five years ago, 1,830 days to be exact. A 4-2 loss at Harwich in 2019 spelled the end to the Anglers’ season in the East Divisional Series. The Mariners swept the A’s, who entered the playoffs as East Division champions.
This time, it was do or die. The Anglers couldn’t afford a slip-up up or else they’d be going home. A single-elimination game at Veterans Field decided who advanced to play top-seeded Yarmouth-Dennis in the next round.
The margin for error was razor-thin. Unfortunately for the Anglers, they found out the hard way.
“A really good team had to win, a really good team had to lose,” Beattie said.
Chatham left-handed pitcher Gabe Van Emon tossed four innings and tallied six strikeouts, though he allowed the game-tying run in the ninth en route to the Anglers' season-ending loss to Harwich / Photograph by Ella Tovey
The Mariners struck first in the top of the third inning. An RBI single from Aden Hill off Chatham starter Lucas Hartman (Western Kentucky) and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Cade Kurland put the Mariners up 2-0. The lead was erased when Jordan Williams (Tampa) produced a two-RBI triple in the ensuing inning.
Harwich responded by retaking the lead the next time it came to the plate. Hartman left a runner on second when he was replaced by Gabe Van Emon (UConn). Kurland drove in his second RBI with a double to the wall on Van Emon’s second batter.
The seesaw continued as Chatham took its first lead. Runners stood on first and second with two outs. Campbell Smithwick (Ole Miss) lined a fastball down the right-field line, tying the game. Smithwick tried stretching his base hit into a double and seemed to be out by a mile. Though as Sam McNulty applied the tag, the ball was jarred loose. Robin Villeneuve (Texas Tech) scored and Chatham was in front 4-3.
Holding its first advantage of the game, Chatham had the ideal pitcher on the bump. Van Emon has provided lockdown relief this summer. He entered Saturday with a 2.65 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 17 innings. The lefty was awarded the 2024 Ed Baird Most Outstanding Pitcher Award pregame.
Through his first two-plus innings he showed why. After Kurland’s double, Van Emon retired seven of eight batters, fanning five batters.
His first adversity came in the eighth. He allowed Kurland and Matt Scannell to reach base to start the frame. Wilson Weber brought home Kurland in the ensuing at-bat to make it 4-4. Van Emon sat down three straight batters to keep the game level.
Chayton Krauss (Dallas Baptist) knocked in the potential game-winning RBI in the bottom of the frame. Krauss’ two-out single scored Chris Hacopian (Maryland), putting Chatham in front 5-4.
Beattie went bold in the ninth. He kept Van Emon on the mound instead of bringing in a fresh closer. Immediately, the plan went awry.
Cam Maldonado tripled into the right-field corner to lead off. Aiden Robbins soon knotted the game at 5-5 with a second straight baseknock.
“That's one of those decisions you have to make and you just live with,” Beattie said of leaving Van Emon in.
The lefty finished with six strikeouts across four innings, allowing three earned runs. The last of which came with him off the mound. Yet it proved to be pivotal.
Jacob Heath (West Florida) entered with one out in the ninth. Immediately, he retired Kurland. Weber stepped to the plate. The catcher lined an offering to right field. Ashton Larson (LSU) looked to have a beat on the ball. As he approached the line drive, Larson lost his footing and didn’t come up with the catch, allowing the go-ahead run to score.
Daniel Dickinson poured salt onto Chatham’s wounds with a single to left field. Larson’s misplay proved costly in a hotly contested do-or-die scenario. Beattie remained steadfast in his support for the outfielder — Chatham’s 2024 recipient of the Thurman Munson Outstanding Position Player Award.
“I would have him out there in that situation every game,” Beattie said.
In a single-elimination format, the stakes were always going to be elevated. One play could dictate the entire outcome — and it did.
The Anglers had one more chance. Chatham is no stranger to comebacks against Harwich this summer. The A’s erased a seven-run deficit on July 7 to defeat the Mariners 13-12. Three days ago, the A’s scored three unanswered runs in a 5-4 win. Tuesday, Chatham would have to do the same.
Only this time, they ran out of time. Kevin Zarnoch retired the side in order, shutting the door on one last Chatham miracle.
“We just couldn’t answer them that one last time,” Beattie said.
