THIS WEEK IN THE CAPE LEAGUE
(5 August  – 9 August 2007)

 

Coca Cola Pitcher and Player of the Week

COCA COLA PITCHER OF THE WEEK
    
An impressive first start on the last day of the Cape Cod Baseball League regular season earned left-hander Ricardo Pecina (San Diego) of the Hyannis Mets the final Coca-Cola Pitcher of the Week award for 2007. Used exclusively in relief until last Wednesday, the 6-foot, 215-pound left-hander pitched like the ace of the staff as he led the Mets to a 9-3 victory over Falmouth. He struck out 10 Commodores, gave up just two hits and issued one walk. Pecina’s sterling effort left the Mets one point behind the Commodores and out of the playoffs as they finished the season at 20-23-1.

COCA COLA PLAYER OF THE WEEK
    
Orleans Cardinals first baseman Nate Frieman (Duke) was named Coca-Cola Player of the Week for the final week of the Cape Cod Baseball League regular season. In his last three games of the 2007 campaign, Freiman went 5-for-11, drove in four runs and scored three times. His biggest game of the year came on the last day of the regular season against the playoff-bound Chatham A’s as the 6-7, 220-pounder from Wellesley, Mass., drove in three runs, including a two-run homer to right center field to lead his Cardinals to a 9-5 victory and a 23-20-1 final record.

Kevin Wolfe, CCBL Intern, wolfe@capecodbaseball.org

 

‘AROUND THE HORN’

 CAPE LEAGUE PLAYOFFS BEGIN FRIDAY
AT BOURNE AND YARMOUTH-DENNIS

CAPE COD, Mass. – The second season begins in earnest on Friday, Aug. 10, when the best-of-three Cape Cod Baseball League Divisional Playoff Series commence.

    The defending champion Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, who vaulted to a 6-0 start and owned the league’s best record throughout the entire regular season, captured the East Division and host the second-place Chatham A’s Friday at 3 p.m. at Red Wilson Field in South Yarmouth.

    The second game of the East playoffs is scheduled Saturday at 7 p.m. at Veterans Field in Chatham. The third game (if necessary) is slated at Y-D Sunday at 3 p.m.

    The West Division champion Bourne Braves entertain the second-place Falmouth Commodores in another Friday contest at 3 p.m. at Doran Park.

    The second game will be in Falmouth at Arnie Allen Diamond at 8 p.m. Saturday. The late start is necessary because of traffic at the Recreation Center on Route 28 in Falmouth during the day for the Falmouth Road Race registration. Registration will continue until 9 p.m. and there will be limited parking only after 9 p.m. Fans need to find alternate parking sites. 

    Game three (if necessary) will be back in Bourne Sunday at 3 p.m.

    The two divisional winners meet in a best-of-three championship series beginning the day after the final divisional contest at the home park of the highest remaining seed.


MARINERS HOSTED FAMILY FUN NIGHT: The Harwich Mariners drew a season-high 3,000 fans during their first annual Family Fun Night vs. the Y-D Red Sox on Aug. 3. Wally the Green Monster, official Boston Red Sox team mascot, face-painting, Jugs radar guns, balloon animals, baseball fare and pony rides headlined the event, which was held to raise money for the Harwich Athletic Association Whitehouse Field Lights Project.
     “When the kids saw Wally riding in on the antique fire engine provided by the Harwich Fire Department, their eyes were as big as saucers and their voices were screaming as if he was a rock star,” said Harwich A.A. Treasurer Jim McGonigle. “This first annual Family Fun Night is one of many events the Mariners have set up to reach fundraising goals for the lighting project. The face-painting and balloon animals were a huge hit, too. Throw in the two ponies and, I think, we've nailed down the reasons the evening was a success.” 
     The Harwich Recreation and Youth Commission, with the help of the Harwich Athletic Association, just this season launched the fundraising efforts to erect new lights at Whitehouse Field on Oak Street. According to McGonigle, a dozen different groups use that field throughout the year. The total cost of lighting modernization was originally estimated to be about $325,000; price increases of 10 percent to 15 percent will likely inflate this original working budget. 
     All donations to the Whitehouse Field Lighting Project Fund are tax deductible since the Harwich Mariners are a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization. Potential donors are invited to call 508-432-6909 for further information.


WHO’S HOT IN THE CCBL: Entering the final regular season game Wednesday, Conor Gillaspie (Wichita State) of Falmouth led the CCBL with a .354 batting average and was a leading candidate for both the Thurman Munson League Batting Championship and the Pat Sorenti League MVP award … Jason Castro (Stanford) of Y-D was second at .344, Yonder Alonso (Miami) of Brewster third at .336 and Shane Peterson (Long Beach State) of Hyannis fourth at .333. Peterson led the league in hits (51).
     Slugging infielder Gordon Beckham (Georgia) of Yarmouth-Dennis tied for the league lead with eight homers, along with Y-D teammate Sean Ochinko (Louisiana State) and James Darnell (South Carolina) of the Hyannis Mets.
     Dennis Raben (Miami) of Orleans led the CCBL with 35 RBI … Blake Tekotte (Miami) of Brewster paced the league with 21 stolen bases.
     Left-hander Tom Milone (Southern California) of the Chatham A’s and Terry Doyle (Boston College) were the league’s top winners with six victories apiece; Eddie Burns (Georgia) of Y-D was right behind with five. Red Sox closer Nick Cassavechia (Baylor) led with 11 saves.
Right-hander Aaron Crow (Missouri) of Falmouth was the ERA leader with a 0.67 ERA, while teammate Kyle Gibson (Missouri) was next at 1.17.
     D.J. Mitchell (Clemson) of Bourne was the strikeout leader with 58 K’s, three more than Dan Hudson (Old Dominion). Andy Oliver (Oklahoma State) of Wareham had 54 and Wade Miley (SE Louisiana) of Wareham had 53. 
     Y-D had compiled the highest team batting average (.275), followed by Chatham (.265) and Bourne (.256). 
     The Orleans Cardinals and Y-D shared the CCBL lead with identical 2.71 team ERAs, with Bourne third at 2.98.


CHAMPIONSHIP GAME ON WBZ: Games 2 and 3 (if necessary) of the CCBL championship Series next week will be carried as part of the CCBL Game of the Week series on WBZ Radio 1030.com. Broadcast legend Fred Cusick, John Garner and Matt McLaughlin provide the play-by-play and color commentary.
 

 John Garner Jr., Director of Public Relations & Broadcasting (johnwgarner@earthlink.net)
 

John Garner, Jr.
Director of Public Relations & Broadcasting
(508) 790-0394
johnwgarner@earthlink.net 

Joe Sherman
Web Editor
(508) 775-4364)
Jws02673@aol.com

Interns: Erica Bailey, John Hannemann, Liz Hoffman,
Gabriella Remington, Kevin Wolfe