Surprising
Hyannis Returns To Top Spot
A
year ago, the Hyannis Harbor Hawks brought up the rear in the Cape
Cod League for the second season in a row, posting just a 14-30
record overall.
Before
the 2011 Cape season had even reached the midway mark, Hyannis had
already equaled its win total of a year ago by going 14-7—best mark
in the Cape League, acknowledged as the nation’s top summer
circuit.
With
their startling turnaround, the Harbor Hawks have not only been the
talk of the Cape Cod League this summer, but summer baseball overall
as they moved to No. 1 again in Perfect Game’s weekly ranking of
the nation’s Top 25 summer-league teams.
“The
main difference this year is that the guys we recruited showed up,”
said Hawks coach Chad Gassman, who oversaw his club’s two
last-place finishes. “This is the team we picked and these guys are
coming together.
“Last
year, we lost nine players to Team USA and the draft. That’s not
complaining; that’s just the reality of this league. It happens to
every team and last year we just got hit hard.”
The
surging Harbor Hawks have seen a dramatic change in fortune, both on
the mound and at the plate. The team is hitting .257 this year (as
opposed to .227 in 2010) and has knocked off a full run from a 3.53
ERA last season to a 2.46 mark this year.
Among
players that have played key roles this summer for the Hawks are the
Jacksonville University duo of sophomore first baseman Adam Brett
Walker (.253-3-12), one of the league’s top run producers, and
sophomore outfielder Dan Gulbransen (.317-0-3). Both are Wisconsin
high-school products who starred last summer in the Great Lakes
League before enjoying productive seasons during the spring at
Jacksonville. Walker hit .403-13-75, while Gulbransen hit .370-6-52.
On
the mound, the Harbor Hawks have gotten solid seasons from Cal State
Fullerton sophomore righthander Dylan Floro (1-0, 1.17, 21 IP/17 SO),
Oklahoma freshman lefthander Ryan Gibson (2-0, 0.00, 11 IP/11SO) and
Purdue sophomore closer Nick Wittgren (3-0, 0.96, 3 SV).
“I
think the most effective part of our game right now is offense,”
said Gassman, “We’re causing activity on the base paths and just
making things happen.”
A
Cape Cod League team has been ranked No. 1 in PG’s Top 25 every
week this summer, with Hyannis replacing Harwich atop the rankings.
The Harbor Hawks topped the season’s initial poll.
Meanwhile,
the top teams in the Northwoods and Coastal Plain leagues, generally
acknowledged as the second- and third-strongest summer leagues,
continue to push the top Cape teams. With 23 wins apiece, most of any
summer team, the CPL’s Edenton Steamers and Northwoods League’s
Mankato MoonDogs, have moved into the Nos. 2-3 spots respectively.
Top
25 team through games of July 5
7-5 |
6-27 |
TEAM |
ST |
LEAGUE |
RECORD |
1 |
5 |
Hyannis Harbor Hawks |
MA |
Cape Cod |
14-7 |
2 |
3 |
Edenton Steamers |
NC |
Coastal Plain |
23-8 |
3 |
8 |
Mankato MoonDogs |
MN |
Northwoods |
23-9 |
4 |
2 |
Santa Barbara Foresters |
CA |
California Collegiate |
19-7 |
5 |
1 |
Harwich Mariners |
MA |
Cape Cod |
13-8 |
6 |
7 |
Harrisonburg Turks |
VA |
Valley |
21-6 |
7 |
4 |
Wenatchee AppleSox |
WA |
West Coast |
22-5 |
8 |
10 |
Bethesda Big Train |
MD |
Cal Ripken |
22-5 |
9 |
13 |
Cincinnati Steam |
OH |
Great Lakes |
15-4 |
10 |
20 |
San Luis Obispo Blues |
CA |
California Collegiate |
21-7 |
11 |
16 |
Brewster White Caps |
MA |
Cape Cod |
10-8 |
12 |
6 |
Holyoke Blue Sox |
MA |
New England Collegiate |
11-5 |
13 |
15 |
Quincy Gems |
IL |
Prospect |
20-9 |
14 |
23 |
East Texas Pumpjacks |
TX |
Texas Collegiate |
19-10 |
15 |
NR |
Fayetteville Swampdogs |
NC |
Coastal Plain |
21-11 |
16 |
14 |
Madison Mallards |
WI |
Northwoods |
21-13 |
17 |
NR |
Danbury Westerners |
CT |
New England Collegiate |
11-5 |
18 |
11 |
Orleans Firebirds |
MA |
Cape Cod |
10-9 |
19 |
9 |
Kenai Peninsula Oilers |
AK |
Alaska |
14-7 |
20 |
NR |
Leesburg Lightning |
FL |
Florida |
15-6 |
21 |
24 |
St. Joseph Mustangs |
MO |
MINK |
21-7 |
22 |
12 |
Glens Falls Golden Eagles |
NY |
Perfect Game |
13-7 |
23 |
NR |
Palm Springs Power |
CA |
Southern California |
24-3 |
24 |
NR |
Liberal Beejays |
KS |
Jayhawk |
12-6 |
25 |
NR |
Falmouth Commodores |
MA |
Cape Cod |
11-11 |
Others
receiving consideration: Mat-Su
Miners/Alaska (13-8); Jersey Pilots/Atlantic Collegiate (14-8);
Southern Maryland Nationals/Cal Ripken (17-7); Yarmouth-Dennis Red
Sox/Cape Cod (10-10); Forest City Owls/Coastal Plain (17-12);
Peninsula Pilots/Coastal Plain (15-10); Winter Park Diamond
Dawgs/Florida (13-6); Lima Locos/Great Lakes (15-7); Oahu
Paddlers/Hawaii (13-4); Gaithersburg Giants/Maryland Collegiate
(19-4); Keene Swamp Bats/New England Collegiate (11-7); Utica
Brewers/New York Collegiate (19-5); Brainerd Lakes Area
Lunkars/Northwoods (19-10); Battle Creek Bombers/Northwoods (19-13);
Eau Claire Express/Northwoods (19-13); Green Bay Bullfrogs/Northwoods
(19-13); Elmira Pioneers/Perfect Game (13-8); West Virginia
Miners/Prospect (18-13); Danville Dans/Prospect (16-11); Nashville
Outlaws/Prospect (18-12); Douglasville Bulls/Sunbelt (15-2);
Waynesboro Generals/Valley (15-11); New Market Rebels/Valley (15-11);
Winchester Royals/Valley (15-11); Bend Elks/West Coast (15-11);
Medicine Hat Mavericks/Western Major (22-5); Regina Red Sox/Western
Major (18-5).