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Game 23 Preview: Chatham vs. Orleans
CHATHAM, Mass. — Jockeying for fourth place out of five teams in the East Division is never an ideal spot to be in, but it’s reality for both the Anglers and Firebirds heading into Saturday.
Chatham battles Orleans for the third time this summer, with the season series knotted at 1-1. After the Anglers handled Harwich 12-7 on the road Friday, the A’s now hold a narrow one-point lead over the Firebirds for the East Division’s final playoff spot.
Sure, it’s only early July. But it’s never too late to start thinking ahead for the postseason, because no one wants to be the only team in the division to miss it.
Here’s everything to know before Chatham (9-10-3, East) squares off against Orleans (9-11-2, East) Saturday night at Veterans Field.
As Chatham’s rotation continues to fluctuate, JJ Glasscock (West Virginia) will make his first-career Cape Cod Baseball League start against the Firebirds. Glasscock’s first appearance came on July 6 at Veterans Field against Falmouth, when he got tagged for four earned runs in 3.1 frames. However, he struck out four Commodores and held strong after A’s outfielder Ashton Larson (LSU/transfer) crushed a go-ahead grand slam in the fifth inning, earning the pitching victory in relief.
For the second time this summer, Orleans righty Luke Pettitte (Dallas Baptist) will take the hill against Chatham. Pettitte started on the two teams’ Fourth of July matchup at Eldredge Park, and the Anglers made him pay. In the third inning, A’s outfielder Jackson Freeman (Northwestern) dismantled a fastball over the heart of the plate served up by Pettitte, blasting it over the right-field fence for a three-run homer. He allowed four runs in 4.0 frames in an eventual Chatham win. In 15.2 innings this year, Pettitte has a 5.17 earned run average.
A little over halfway through the summer, it’s tough to say Elijah Ickes (Hawaii) isn’t the Firebirds’ best position player so far. Ickes leads Orleans with a .909 OPS as well as ranking tied for second in the East Division with three home runs. Among qualified hitters, Ickes’ .432 on-base percentage is the fifth-best mark in the Cape League. The shortstop is one of five Firebirds position players with at least 18 appearances, standing out as a staple in their lineup.
First baseman Michael O’Shaughnessy (Davidson) is even better at reaching base; his sizzling .436 OBP is the fourth-highest percentage in the CCBL. His .304 slugging percentage doesn’t make him much of a power threat at the dish, but O’Shaughnessy’s on-base knack is undeniable. However, he’s also one of the Cape’s most predictable players, as he’s taken 22 bases on balls and struck out 28 times across 69 at-bats.
The Anglers welcomed a new face on Friday: Reed Stallman (Mississippi State). Stallman arrived on Cape Cod before Chatham’s matchup versus Harwich, but didn’t play. The outfielder/first baseman played first base for most of this past spring at Mississippi State. His strength was palpable, crushing 11 homers and slugging an absurd .615 clip. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder possesses an ideal frame for a versatile power hitter.
Stallman has only used two years of Division I eligibility after beginning his career at Des Moines Area Community College in Iowa. He then spent the 2024 season at Campbell before joining the Bulldogs ahead of 2025.
He didn’t get a hit in either of his first two contests, so Roman Martin (UCLA) was due to break out in Friday’s game against Harwich. To spark a three-run second inning for the Anglers, Martin belted an RBI single to right field off Mariners’ starter Luke McNeillie (Florida). It was Martin’s first-career hit in CCBL action, which first-year manager Dennis Cook thinks will be one of many. Martin put Cook’s words into action Friday, ending his night a scintillating 4-for-5 with two RBI and a ground-rule double — a glimpse at how dangerous Martin can be at the plate.
According to Cook, he recruited speed, but it never came. Chatham’s stolen-base numbers are glaringly low through 22 games, as the Anglers’ 21 steals are the lowest mark in the CCBL.
The next-closest team to the A’s steal total is Orleans with 29 stolen bags, which is still eight more than Chatham. Other than Jackson’s seven steals and shortstop Isaiah Lane’s (San Diego) three, only infielder Gavin Gallaher (North Carolina) has swiped multiple bases this summer among the Anglers’ active-rostered players.
On July 4, Chatham and Orleans each rode the seesaw. While the A’s took a 4-0 lead, the Firebirds battled back to hold a 5-4 advantage. But the Anglers responded by unleashing a three-run eighth inning to escape Eldredge Park with a 7-5 triumph. The win split a two-day home-and-home between both sides, as Orleans defeated Chatham 4-0 on July 3.
Freeman’s aforementioned three-run tater ignited the A’s early, but the hero was Lane, who looped a two-RBI single into shallow left-center field in the eighth. Lane’s hit proved to be the game-winner after Chatham right-hander Michael Sharman (Tennessee/transfer) blanked Orleans in the eighth and ninth.
Chatham battles Orleans for the third time this summer, with the season series knotted at 1-1. After the Anglers handled Harwich 12-7 on the road Friday, the A’s now hold a narrow one-point lead over the Firebirds for the East Division’s final playoff spot.
Sure, it’s only early July. But it’s never too late to start thinking ahead for the postseason, because no one wants to be the only team in the division to miss it.
Here’s everything to know before Chatham (9-10-3, East) squares off against Orleans (9-11-2, East) Saturday night at Veterans Field.
Probable Starters
As Chatham’s rotation continues to fluctuate, JJ Glasscock (West Virginia) will make his first-career Cape Cod Baseball League start against the Firebirds. Glasscock’s first appearance came on July 6 at Veterans Field against Falmouth, when he got tagged for four earned runs in 3.1 frames. However, he struck out four Commodores and held strong after A’s outfielder Ashton Larson (LSU/transfer) crushed a go-ahead grand slam in the fifth inning, earning the pitching victory in relief.
For the second time this summer, Orleans righty Luke Pettitte (Dallas Baptist) will take the hill against Chatham. Pettitte started on the two teams’ Fourth of July matchup at Eldredge Park, and the Anglers made him pay. In the third inning, A’s outfielder Jackson Freeman (Northwestern) dismantled a fastball over the heart of the plate served up by Pettitte, blasting it over the right-field fence for a three-run homer. He allowed four runs in 4.0 frames in an eventual Chatham win. In 15.2 innings this year, Pettitte has a 5.17 earned run average.
Orleans Players To Know
A little over halfway through the summer, it’s tough to say Elijah Ickes (Hawaii) isn’t the Firebirds’ best position player so far. Ickes leads Orleans with a .909 OPS as well as ranking tied for second in the East Division with three home runs. Among qualified hitters, Ickes’ .432 on-base percentage is the fifth-best mark in the Cape League. The shortstop is one of five Firebirds position players with at least 18 appearances, standing out as a staple in their lineup.
First baseman Michael O’Shaughnessy (Davidson) is even better at reaching base; his sizzling .436 OBP is the fourth-highest percentage in the CCBL. His .304 slugging percentage doesn’t make him much of a power threat at the dish, but O’Shaughnessy’s on-base knack is undeniable. However, he’s also one of the Cape’s most predictable players, as he’s taken 22 bases on balls and struck out 28 times across 69 at-bats.
Chatham Players To Know
The Anglers welcomed a new face on Friday: Reed Stallman (Mississippi State). Stallman arrived on Cape Cod before Chatham’s matchup versus Harwich, but didn’t play. The outfielder/first baseman played first base for most of this past spring at Mississippi State. His strength was palpable, crushing 11 homers and slugging an absurd .615 clip. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder possesses an ideal frame for a versatile power hitter.
Stallman has only used two years of Division I eligibility after beginning his career at Des Moines Area Community College in Iowa. He then spent the 2024 season at Campbell before joining the Bulldogs ahead of 2025.
He didn’t get a hit in either of his first two contests, so Roman Martin (UCLA) was due to break out in Friday’s game against Harwich. To spark a three-run second inning for the Anglers, Martin belted an RBI single to right field off Mariners’ starter Luke McNeillie (Florida). It was Martin’s first-career hit in CCBL action, which first-year manager Dennis Cook thinks will be one of many. Martin put Cook’s words into action Friday, ending his night a scintillating 4-for-5 with two RBI and a ground-rule double — a glimpse at how dangerous Martin can be at the plate.
Number To Know: 21
According to Cook, he recruited speed, but it never came. Chatham’s stolen-base numbers are glaringly low through 22 games, as the Anglers’ 21 steals are the lowest mark in the CCBL.
The next-closest team to the A’s steal total is Orleans with 29 stolen bags, which is still eight more than Chatham. Other than Jackson’s seven steals and shortstop Isaiah Lane’s (San Diego) three, only infielder Gavin Gallaher (North Carolina) has swiped multiple bases this summer among the Anglers’ active-rostered players.
Last Time They Played
On July 4, Chatham and Orleans each rode the seesaw. While the A’s took a 4-0 lead, the Firebirds battled back to hold a 5-4 advantage. But the Anglers responded by unleashing a three-run eighth inning to escape Eldredge Park with a 7-5 triumph. The win split a two-day home-and-home between both sides, as Orleans defeated Chatham 4-0 on July 3.
Freeman’s aforementioned three-run tater ignited the A’s early, but the hero was Lane, who looped a two-RBI single into shallow left-center field in the eighth. Lane’s hit proved to be the game-winner after Chatham right-hander Michael Sharman (Tennessee/transfer) blanked Orleans in the eighth and ninth.
