Anglers News« Back to 2026 News |
Game 20 Preview: Chatham at Bourne
CHATHAM, Mass. — Thanks to some Tuesday afternoon rain, the Chatham Anglers have gone two days without playing a game for the first time since the season began on June 13.
Perhaps the time off will help the A’s regain some momentum. They entered the brief break after a 3-2 loss to Harwich Sunday, where they totaled just four hits and lost on a walk-off walk.
Now, Chatham will face off with Bourne at Doran Park for the first time since Opening Day. The A’s are winless in two contests against the Braves.
Here’s everything to know about the Anglers (9-8-2, East) before they square off with Bourne (8-8-3, West) on Wednesday.
Chatham’s lost a few starting pitchers recently, prompting manager Dennis Cook to get creative with his rotation. But he’ll have the luxury of using one of his more reliable starters Wednesday in Oliver Pudvar (UConn). The lefty — who was named Cape League Pitcher of the Week two weeks ago — is set to make his fourth start of the summer Wednesday. Pudvar has amassed a 4.02 earned run average through 15.2 innings, struck out 15 and issued just four walks.
Will Whelan (South Carolina) will make the start for Bourne. The lefty has been one of the stronger starters in the CCBL, pitching to just a 0.69 ERA in three starts and 13 innings. He’s only allowed five hits, but command has been a bigger issue, as he’s issued 11 walks. He wasn’t much of a starter at Minnesota this past season, but he’s stepped into that role nicely for the Braves.
Andrew Costello (South Carolina) remains one of the best hitters on the Cape at the midway point in the season. The catcher is hitting .362 — the best mark in the league — with 21 hits and a .990 OPS. He’s also belted two home runs, and has walked more times than he’s struck out.
Bourne’s shortstop, Blake Schaaf (Wake Forest), has also been one of the best bats in the league as of late. In the Braves’ last four games, he’s 7-for-16 (.438) with two extra-base hits, four RBIs and a 1.151 OPS. That hot stretch has brought him up to a .316 average and .899 OPS on the campaign overall.
Chatham broke its three-game streak of scoring eight or more runs in Sunday’s loss, but the A’s offense has still had some solid bats recently.
Bino Watters (LSU) has probably been the Anglers’ best hitter in July, tallying six hits in his past four games. He reached base twice Sunday, and is now on an eight-game hit streak.
Armani Guzman (West Virginia) has also been hot, reaching base eight times in his last three appearances. And when he gets on base, he’s a threat, swiping six bags and being thrown out just once so far this season. Despite hitting at the bottom of the Angler order, Guzman has still made a major impact in Chatham’s offense.
Nineteen games into the 2026 season, Bourne ranks second in the CCBL with 152 hits. That number is just one off of the top mark in the league — Yarmouth-Dennis’ 153 — and 19 higher than ninth-place Chatham.
The Anglers still boast the better record, and have scored nearly 20 more runs than the Braves. But don’t discount Bourne’s bats. If the A’s struggle to put runners aboard, like they did Sunday, the Braves have all the pieces to manufacture plenty of their own runs.
The Anglers tied the Braves 2-2 when the squads last met on June 23. Chatham was held to just one hit on the evening, but it proved to be a crucial RBI single from Connor Shouse (South Carolina) to tie the game at two in the eighth inning. The game was then called due to inclement weather at the end of the frame.
Angel Cervantes (UCLA) got the start for the A’s, tossing four shutout innings, and Chatham didn’t allow a run until the sixth inning. But Bourne’s pitchers were equally as dominant, blanking the Angler offense until the seventh, when Cooper Neville (Alabama) walked and scored from first on a throwing error.
Back-to-back doubles allowed Bourne to retake the lead in the top of the eighth, but Shouse’s RBI single scored Watters from second to knot the game at two in the waning moments. It was Chatham’s lowest hit total in a game this year, and the A’s still managed to avoid a loss.
Perhaps the time off will help the A’s regain some momentum. They entered the brief break after a 3-2 loss to Harwich Sunday, where they totaled just four hits and lost on a walk-off walk.
Now, Chatham will face off with Bourne at Doran Park for the first time since Opening Day. The A’s are winless in two contests against the Braves.
Here’s everything to know about the Anglers (9-8-2, East) before they square off with Bourne (8-8-3, West) on Wednesday.
Probable Starters
Chatham’s lost a few starting pitchers recently, prompting manager Dennis Cook to get creative with his rotation. But he’ll have the luxury of using one of his more reliable starters Wednesday in Oliver Pudvar (UConn). The lefty — who was named Cape League Pitcher of the Week two weeks ago — is set to make his fourth start of the summer Wednesday. Pudvar has amassed a 4.02 earned run average through 15.2 innings, struck out 15 and issued just four walks.
Will Whelan (South Carolina) will make the start for Bourne. The lefty has been one of the stronger starters in the CCBL, pitching to just a 0.69 ERA in three starts and 13 innings. He’s only allowed five hits, but command has been a bigger issue, as he’s issued 11 walks. He wasn’t much of a starter at Minnesota this past season, but he’s stepped into that role nicely for the Braves.
Bourne Players To Watch
Andrew Costello (South Carolina) remains one of the best hitters on the Cape at the midway point in the season. The catcher is hitting .362 — the best mark in the league — with 21 hits and a .990 OPS. He’s also belted two home runs, and has walked more times than he’s struck out.
Bourne’s shortstop, Blake Schaaf (Wake Forest), has also been one of the best bats in the league as of late. In the Braves’ last four games, he’s 7-for-16 (.438) with two extra-base hits, four RBIs and a 1.151 OPS. That hot stretch has brought him up to a .316 average and .899 OPS on the campaign overall.
Chatham Players To Watch
Chatham broke its three-game streak of scoring eight or more runs in Sunday’s loss, but the A’s offense has still had some solid bats recently.
Bino Watters (LSU) has probably been the Anglers’ best hitter in July, tallying six hits in his past four games. He reached base twice Sunday, and is now on an eight-game hit streak.
Armani Guzman (West Virginia) has also been hot, reaching base eight times in his last three appearances. And when he gets on base, he’s a threat, swiping six bags and being thrown out just once so far this season. Despite hitting at the bottom of the Angler order, Guzman has still made a major impact in Chatham’s offense.
Number To Know: 152
Nineteen games into the 2026 season, Bourne ranks second in the CCBL with 152 hits. That number is just one off of the top mark in the league — Yarmouth-Dennis’ 153 — and 19 higher than ninth-place Chatham.
The Anglers still boast the better record, and have scored nearly 20 more runs than the Braves. But don’t discount Bourne’s bats. If the A’s struggle to put runners aboard, like they did Sunday, the Braves have all the pieces to manufacture plenty of their own runs.
Last Time They Played
The Anglers tied the Braves 2-2 when the squads last met on June 23. Chatham was held to just one hit on the evening, but it proved to be a crucial RBI single from Connor Shouse (South Carolina) to tie the game at two in the eighth inning. The game was then called due to inclement weather at the end of the frame.
Angel Cervantes (UCLA) got the start for the A’s, tossing four shutout innings, and Chatham didn’t allow a run until the sixth inning. But Bourne’s pitchers were equally as dominant, blanking the Angler offense until the seventh, when Cooper Neville (Alabama) walked and scored from first on a throwing error.
Back-to-back doubles allowed Bourne to retake the lead in the top of the eighth, but Shouse’s RBI single scored Watters from second to knot the game at two in the waning moments. It was Chatham’s lowest hit total in a game this year, and the A’s still managed to avoid a loss.
