07/25/2012 8:39 PM Article By: CCBL Public Relations Office
Summer Collegiate Team Rankings
Allan Simpson
7/24/2012
Cape League Reasserts Summer Dominance
With Three Teams at Top of Rankings
It’s apparent that the New England Collegiate League’s top two teams couldn’t stand the prosperity of being ranked at the top of the nation’s summer-college league rankings.
The Newport Gulls and Keene SwampBats ascended to the Nos. 1-2 positions a week ago in Perfect Game’s ranking of the top 30 clubs, and figured to settle things on the field by playing a two-game, home-and-home showdown series the next two nights. But by splitting those two contests, neither club was able to gain a clear advantage on the other and both have since fallen from grace with a rough week in NECBL competition.
Newport (24-9) lost three of five games last week, including a 20-8 bashing at the hands of the SwampBats, while Keene (23-11) failed to capitalize on that one-sided win by losing 13-7 to the Gulls a night later and dropping their next four contests. The week’s results bumped Newport from No. 1 to No. 7 in PG’s latest summer-league rankings, while previous No. 2 Keene slipped all the way to No. 13.
The disappointing week by both NECBL clubs opened the door for the Cape Cod League’s Harwich Mariners (20-12) to return to the No. 1 position. The Mariners had occupied the top spot every week since the outset of the 2012 summer season before dropping four games in a row in mid-July and slipping to No. 4 a week ago. They still hold down the best record on the Cape, acknowledged as the nation’s premier summer college league.
Not only did Harwich, the defending Cape Cod League champion, reassert its position atop the national rankings, but the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox and Cotuit Kettleers continue their march up the charts and are ranked No. 2 and No. 3—making for a clean sweep among Cape Cod teams in the top three positions. Y-D (19-13) remains a game behind Harwich in the Cape’s Eastern Division, while Cotuit (19-12) has opened a sizeable lead in the West.
Teams are ranked on the following criteria: won-loss record, league dominance, depth and quality of professional-level talent and the overall strength of the league. To receive consideration, teams must have at least a .500 record overall.
Rank
|
Team
|
St
|
League
|
Record
|
1
|
Harwich Mariners
|
MA
|
Cape Cod League
|
20-12
|
Mariners host Cape all-star game on Saturday, will be represented by Samford OF Phil Ervin (.346-10-26), league HR leader; Stanford OF Austin Wilson (312-6-20), Missouri State RHP Grant Gordon (1-0, 0.50, 18 IP, 4 BB/26 SO)
|
2
|
Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox
|
MA
|
Cape Cod League
|
19-13
|
Marshall RHP Aaron Blair (6-0, 1.27, 35 IP/40 SO) will start for East in Cape all-star game; lineup augmented by five other Y-D starters, including Washington DH Robert Pehl (.381-4-31) and Indiana OF Sam Travis (.330-3-28)
|
3
|
Cotuit Kettleers
|
Sel
|
Cape Cod League
|
19-12
|
Kettleers have opened big lead in Cape's West Division on strength of arms like Vanderbilt LHP Kevin Ziomek (3-0, 1.27, 28 IP, 6 BB/36 SO) and Notre Dame RHP Dan Slania (1-0, 2.02, 4 SV), bat of Michigan OF Pat Biondi (.414-0-12)
|
4
|
Amsterdam Mohawks
|
NY
|
Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League
|
30-10
|
Kentucky RHP Chandler Shepherd (6-0, 1.12), league's wins/ERA leader; Auburn RHP Rocky McCord (4-0, 1.34), New Jeresy Tech RHP Mark Leiter (3-0, 1.08) will play for host Mohawks in tonight's PGCBL all-star game
|
5
|
Edenton Steamers
|
NC
|
Coastal Plain League
|
31-13
|
Morehead State RHP Matt Duncan (6-1, 1.71) has emerged as Steamers' top starter, Norfolk State RHP Jordan Egan (2-2, 1.85, league-high 15 SV) as bullpen ace; Washington OF Michael Camporeale (.346-8-33) is team's big bat
|
6
|
Mankato MoonDogs
|
MN
|
Northwoods League
|
38-15
|
MoonDogs continue to post best record in NWL, represented by five players in league all-star game tonight, including Texas-Arlington 1B John Mark Twitchell (.360-6-27), Central Florida CC RHP Matt Marsh (2-1, 2.46, 29 IP/41 SO)
|
7
|
Newport Gulls
|
RI
|
New England Collegiate League
|
24-9
|
Gulls have slipped from national No. 1 ranking, but Rutgers C Jeff Melillo (.378-5-25), Washington State OF Yale Rosen (.330-12-36) and Arizona State OF Kris Coffman (.333-5-29) continue to swing hot bats
|
8
|
San Luis Obispo Blues
|
CA
|
California Collegiate League
|
30-13
|
Blues sweep rival Santa Barbara, move back into first place in CCL; UT Arlington OF Matt Shortall (.336-4-25) is team's hot bat, UAB LHP Dylan Munger (4-0, 1.91) the top starter, Texas A&M RHP Daniel Mengden (9 SV) the ace closer
|
9
|
Wenatchee Applesox
|
WA
|
West Coast League
|
27-12
|
Top UCLA prep recruits Ty Moore (.265-0-10), James Kaprelian (0-0, 0.00 in 6 IP) augmenting Apple Sox lineup that includes Gonzaga LHP Derek Callahan (4-2, 1.65, 44 IP/44 SO), Gonzaga SS Mitchell Gunsolus (.360-1-30)
|
10
|
La Crosse Loggers
|
WI
|
Northwoods League
|
35-17
|
Long Beach State OF Richard Prigatano (.312-5-31), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi RHP Jacob Dorris (5-1, 2.36) and Long Beach State LHP Jake Stassi (3-0, 2.66) are Loggers three representatives in tonight's Northwoods all-star game
|
11
|
Fayetteville Swampdogs
|
NC
|
Coastal Plain League
|
28-13
|
|
12
|
Winchester Royals
|
VA
|
Valley League
|
29-13
|
|
13
|
East Texas Pumpjacks
|
TX
|
Texas Collegiate League
|
30-12
|
|
14
|
Keene Swamp Bats
|
NH
|
New England Collegiate League
|
23-11
|
|
15
|
Santa Barbara Foresters
|
CA
|
California Collegiate League
|
27-14
|
|
16
|
Orleans Firebirds
|
MA
|
Cape Cod League
|
18-14
|
|
17
|
Rockville Express
|
Sel
|
Cal Ripken Sr League
|
28-10
|
|
18
|
Waynesboro Generals
|
Sel
|
Valley League
|
29-13
|
|
19
|
Terre Haute Rex
|
IN
|
Prospect League
|
29-18
|
|
20
|
Anchorage Glacier Pilots
|
Sel
|
Alaska League
|
24-16
|
|
21
|
Baltimore Redbirds
|
Sel
|
Cal Ripken Sr League
|
26-12
|
|
22
|
West Virginia Miners
|
Sel
|
Prospect League
|
29-16
|
|
23
|
Nashua Silver Knights
|
Sel
|
Futures League
|
29-9
|
|
24
|
Humboldt Crabs
|
CA
|
Far West League
|
31-7
|
|
25
|
Cincinnati Steam
|
OH
|
Great Lakes League
|
22-11
|
|
26
|
Hays Larks
|
Sel
|
Jayhawk League
|
28-11
|
|
27
|
Wisconsin Woodchucks
|
Sel
|
Northwoods League
|
32-20
|
|
28
|
Palm Springs Power
|
CA
|
Southern California Collegiate League
|
36-6
|
|
29
|
San Diego Force
|
Sel
|
West Coast League
|
35-7
|
|
30
|
Team Vegas
|
Sel
|
California Collegiate League
|
26-15
|
|