06/06/2006 9:37 AM Article By:
Cape League Teams to Host Columbus (Ohio)
All-Americans in Tune-ups for 2008 Season
CAPE COD, Mass. – Wareham and Cotuit are scheduled to play a series of exhibition games against the defending champions of the Great Lakes League next week as they prepare for the opening of the 2008 Cape Cod Baseball League season the following weekend. These games will follow Military All-Stars Weekend, June 7-8, when members of all 10 Cape League teams will play games at Harwich (7 p.m.) and South Yarmouth (4 p.m.) against the U.S Military All-Stars, a team comprised of men from all branches of the service.
The Columbus All-Americans will visit the Wareham Gatemen for three games and the Cotuit Kettleers for two games. Columbus will play Wareham on Sunday 8 June at 7:00 p.m. On Monday, 9 June, The All-Americans will play a double header starting at Cotuit at 2:30 p.m. and then head over the Bourne Bridge to Wareham, where they will play the Gatemen at 7:00 p.m. On Tuesday 10 June, the All-Americans will play Wareham at 7:00 pm. The All-Americans will complete their five game series with a 4:00 pm game versus Cotuit on Wednesday, 11 June at 4:00 p.m.
The All-Americans are the defending champions of the Great Lakes League, one of several summer collegiate leagues in the country. This year, the league will switch from aluminum to wooden bats in an effort to better prepare their college players for professional careers. The Columbus franchise has operated since 1976.
In another pre-season scrimmage, the Hyannis Mets will test the new lights at McKeon Park on Wednesday, June 11, when they meet a Barnstable Senior Babe Ruth team at 7 p.m. The Gatemen had planned to also play Lowell of the New England Collegiate Baseball League this spring, but a scheduling conflict caused the game to be canceled and opened a date for another contest against Columbus.
“The reason we like to play Lowell, a NECBL member, is that it gives our guys a chance to play two different teams,” said Wareham President John Wylde.
The Cape teams won’t have all of their regular players for these games, as many are still engaged in postseason tournaments. But Wareham GM Tom Gay said temporary players have been signed to fill our the rosters for these scrimmages
Cotuit has been hosting Columbus for the past three years. Kettleers GM Bruce Murphy said he looks forward to these scrimmages to see some good quality competition and test different offenses and defenses. “These are true scrimmages,” Murpny said. “We are trying to reinforce what we are trying to teach and really let the kids get to know one another quickly.”
Regular season play in the Cape League begins on Friday night, June 13, when Falmouth visits Wareham for the John Wylde Day game at 7 p.m. The following night, Hyannis travels to Chatham for a 7 p.m. game and in twilight contests, all starting at 5 p.m., Bourne hosts Harwich, Brewster plays at Cotuit and Orleans visits Yarmouth-Dennis.
Meghan Ryan, CCBL Intern ([email protected])
