Where the Stars of Tomorrow Shine Tonight!

Article By: Daniel Curren

We have now reached the quarter mark of the 2023 Cape Cod Baseball League season. This season has been filled with big hitting, lights out pitching, and crazy comebacks. It’s time to look ahead to what week three has in store.

Bash Braves

Following a 13-1 victory over the Cotuit Kettleers on Sunday, the Bourne Braves are now 6-3 in their last nine. They have scored 7.4 runs per game in this span, giving them the hottest offense on the Cape. Bourne now leads the Cape in batting average (.270) and they are 3rd in OPS (.723). Over the last seven days, Derek Bender (Coastal Carolina) has slashed .538/.600/.923/1.523 in 30 plate appearances. This week was highlighted by Bender hitting for the cycle in Friday’s 11-4 win over Hyannis. The team has also gotten key contributions from Cam Foster (Liberty) and Caden Bodine (Coastal Carolina). Foster has slashed .375/.368/.563 for a .931 OPS in 19 plate appearances. He tallied three doubles and 4 RBI during this time. Bodine is slashing .412/.474/.471 for a .945 OPS 19 plate appearances. Bodine has five RBI and two walks in this span

Lockdown at Whitehouse

The Harwich Mariners have won six of their last seven and have allowed 2.8 runs per game since. They have allowed the fewest number of earned runs this season of any team on the Cape (44). They’ve gotten several key performances on the mound over the last week. On Tuesday, Tom Chmielewski (Princeton) threw six shutout innings against Brewster with one hit allowed and five strikeouts. On Friday, Adam Moza (Alabama) threw five scoreless innings against Orleans, tallying three hits allowed and six strikeouts. The team also had outstanding performances from Jacob Gomez (Old Dominion), Josh Bostick (Grayson County College), and Andrew Armstrong (Florida State).

Players to Watch:

Hunter Hines (Yarmouth-Dennis/Mississippi State)

The Y-D first baseman is slashing .315/.373/.667 for a 1.040 OPS in 59 plate appearances this season. Hines is leading the Cape in slugging percentage (.667), in home runs with five, and in RBI with 17. He has been a vital piece of the Red Sox offense that has kept them at the top of the Eastern Division with a record of 8-4.

Josh Timmerman (Brewster/Ohio State)

Timmerman has logged 11.2 innings pitched for the Whitecaps this year. In that time, he has allowed only one hit, four walks, and has struck out 15. In his outing on Sunday against Chatham, He pitched six shutout innings, allowing one hit, one walk, and seven strikeouts. Overall this season, opponents are hitting .029 against Timmerman with an OBP of .146.

Matchups to Watch:

Harwich @ Bourne: Monday, June 26

The league’s hottest offense and hottest pitching will face off at Doran Park tonight. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 pm. The Mariners (9-4) and Braves (6-7) are both looking to keep their hot streaks going.

Cotuit @ Harwich: Saturday: July 1

The teams with the two best records will be squaring off to start the month of July. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 pm at Whitehouse Field. The Kettleers (9-3) and Mariners are both looking to expand their division leads.