The Anglers open their season against the Hyannis Harbor Hawks on Monday night at 6 p.m. at McKeon Park.

Chatham is 7-2-1 in opening games over the last 10 seasons. Most recently, the Anglers dropped head coach Tom Holliday’s first game at the helm to Wareham last season, 12-4.

The A’s have practiced throughout the week, including a 1 p.m. practice on Sunday that featured 23 players in uniform. Sunday’s prep started with fielding relays and ended with an hour-long batting practice.

“This is a night you want to be here,” Holliday said to his players after Sunday’s practice. “You’re going to want to play.”

Holliday expects up to two more players, RJ Dabovich and Dane Acker, to arrive before first pitch at 6 p.m.

Players to watch

Ty Madden will get the first start of the season, Holliday said on Sunday. The right-hander from Texas split his freshman season as a starter and relief pitcher for the Longhorns. In 42.1 innings, Madden had a 3.40 ERA with a 4-1 record. Madden only allowed one home run in the 184 batters he faced. His best start came against Stanford on March 7, where he allowed no runs and five hits over seven innings of work.

Madden works primarily with his fastball which he can crank up to 95 mph, and has a good slider that he uses to compliment. Holliday said he’ll move away from giving a starter four innings early this season and opt to limit them to three innings.

Kaden Polcovich led Northwest Florida State in home runs, walks and runs in 2019. Previously a top-10 second baseman draft prospect, Polcovich recently announced signing with Oklahoma State. The Edmond, Oklahoma native had three five-hit streaks last season.

Tyler Doanes was one of the best freshman in the Big 12 in 2019 for West Virginia playing third base for most of the season. Doanes’ speed helped him to a team-high  four triples and a .407 on-base percentage. The sophomore infielder ended the Mountaineers season on a 14-game hitting streak, including four games with three hits.

Looking back

The Anglers are coming off their first appearance in the CCBL Championship Series since 2001. Under Holliday, Chatham won four-straight playoff games after a 22-19-3 season to make it there. Hyannis lost both games of the Western Division Semifinals to Falmouth in 2018. The Anglers were 2-1-1 last season versus the Harbor Hawks.

Monday’s season opener marks the first of four matchups between Chatham and Hyannis.