Anglers News« Back to 2026 News |
Game 39 Preview: Chatham vs. Harwich
CHATHAM, Mass. — The Anglers can exhale. With a Friday doubleheader split, featuring a 9-0 victory over Brewster and a 7-6 loss to Orleans, Chatham has officially secured its spot in the Cape Cod Baseball League playoffs for the first time since 2024.
But the A’s still have something to play for. With Harwich’s subsequent 8-2 loss to Hyannis Friday night, the Anglers now have thirty five points, and sit just five points behind the Mariners for third place in the East Division.
Fortunately for the A’s, they host Harwich Saturday, and a win would push the Anglers two points closer to third place in the East. Here’s everything to know before Chatham (16-18-3, East) hosts Harwich (20-18, East) Saturday.
Justice de Jong (Auburn) is making his first start of the summer for Chatham. He’s been one of the A’s best relievers this season, pitching to a 3.32 earned run average in nine appearances this summer. He’s tossed 19.0 innings — the most of any pitcher yet to make a start for the Anglers — struck out exactly 19 batters, and allowed a .186 batting average against.
For Harwich, Brady Bendik (Navy) is getting the nod. He has yet to make a start for the Mariners this summer, but he’s looked sharp in his two relief appearances. Bendik has pitched six innings, is yet to allow a run, and has walked two batters while recording 10 strikeouts in that span. He has a minuscule 0.67 WHIP, and his .100 batting average against is similarly sharp.
Harwich Players To Watch
Tyler Smolinski (Kansas State) has been a name to watch all summer for Harwich, and he’s still a name to watch now. Smolinski once formed a formidable duo with Colin Larson (Boston College) atop the Mariners’ lineup, as the two both held the best OPS on the Cape at various points in the season. But now, that duo has become a solo act — Smolinski, with his .932 OPS, is the only Harwich player with a mark over .900.
Niko Brini’s (Wofford) .234 batting average isn’t anything remarkable, but Chatham fans might not want to see him at Veterans Field come Saturday. Brini hit a homer to leadoff these two squads’ last matchup on July 26, and he led the Mariners with 120 at bats last summer. He was a serious threat on the basepaths with 12 stolen bases last summer, and he could display that speed against Chatham if he reaches.
Despite occasionally platooning with Harlin Hovater (Mississippi State) behind the plate, Eddie Marshall (Florida) has been one of Chatham’s strongest hitters down the stretch. He didn’t play in Chatham’s 9-0 victory over Brewster on Friday afternoon, but he doubled and walked twice in Game 2 against Orleans later that night. That built off his performance in Chatham’s 5-3 win over Wareham, where he blasted a two-run homer to secure the A’s win.
Jamie Palmese (Kansas) is also heating up late for Chatham. The Anglers’ new leadoff hitter notched three hits in eight at bats across his two games on Friday. He also scored twice and drove in three runs in that span. Palmese entered Friday with a .491 OPS, but after his doubleheader, it has jumped almost 70 points to a .558 mark.
The Mariners have played exactly 10 games in the past 15 days. In those ten games, they currently rank dead last in the CCBL with 29 runs scored, two runs behind Cotuit.
Harwich’s offense has been floundering, by all accounts. The Mariners’ .580 OPS in that span is also dead-last in the CCBL, as is their .191 batting average. They are the only team with less than 30 runs in that span, lower than a .200 batting average, and lower than a .600 OPS. If the trend persists, Chatham might be due for a strong performance at Veterans Field.
These squads last met on July 26, in a matchup that was also hosted at Veterans Field. As previously mentioned, Brini led off the contest with a homer, and Harwich held that 1-0 lead up until the bottom of fifth.
But Chatham stormed back with a bases-clearing double from Armani Guzman (West Virginia), which handed the A’s a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth. The Mariners tied it back up with a triple from Paul Jones II (Maryland) and a passed ball in the top of the ninth, but Cam Pruitt (Missouri) scored on a wild pitch to walk Harwich off in the bottom of the ninth.
But the A’s still have something to play for. With Harwich’s subsequent 8-2 loss to Hyannis Friday night, the Anglers now have thirty five points, and sit just five points behind the Mariners for third place in the East Division.
Fortunately for the A’s, they host Harwich Saturday, and a win would push the Anglers two points closer to third place in the East. Here’s everything to know before Chatham (16-18-3, East) hosts Harwich (20-18, East) Saturday.
Probable Starters
Justice de Jong (Auburn) is making his first start of the summer for Chatham. He’s been one of the A’s best relievers this season, pitching to a 3.32 earned run average in nine appearances this summer. He’s tossed 19.0 innings — the most of any pitcher yet to make a start for the Anglers — struck out exactly 19 batters, and allowed a .186 batting average against.
For Harwich, Brady Bendik (Navy) is getting the nod. He has yet to make a start for the Mariners this summer, but he’s looked sharp in his two relief appearances. Bendik has pitched six innings, is yet to allow a run, and has walked two batters while recording 10 strikeouts in that span. He has a minuscule 0.67 WHIP, and his .100 batting average against is similarly sharp.
Harwich Players To Watch
Tyler Smolinski (Kansas State) has been a name to watch all summer for Harwich, and he’s still a name to watch now. Smolinski once formed a formidable duo with Colin Larson (Boston College) atop the Mariners’ lineup, as the two both held the best OPS on the Cape at various points in the season. But now, that duo has become a solo act — Smolinski, with his .932 OPS, is the only Harwich player with a mark over .900.
Niko Brini’s (Wofford) .234 batting average isn’t anything remarkable, but Chatham fans might not want to see him at Veterans Field come Saturday. Brini hit a homer to leadoff these two squads’ last matchup on July 26, and he led the Mariners with 120 at bats last summer. He was a serious threat on the basepaths with 12 stolen bases last summer, and he could display that speed against Chatham if he reaches.
Chatham Players To Watch
Despite occasionally platooning with Harlin Hovater (Mississippi State) behind the plate, Eddie Marshall (Florida) has been one of Chatham’s strongest hitters down the stretch. He didn’t play in Chatham’s 9-0 victory over Brewster on Friday afternoon, but he doubled and walked twice in Game 2 against Orleans later that night. That built off his performance in Chatham’s 5-3 win over Wareham, where he blasted a two-run homer to secure the A’s win.
Jamie Palmese (Kansas) is also heating up late for Chatham. The Anglers’ new leadoff hitter notched three hits in eight at bats across his two games on Friday. He also scored twice and drove in three runs in that span. Palmese entered Friday with a .491 OPS, but after his doubleheader, it has jumped almost 70 points to a .558 mark.
Number To Know: 29
The Mariners have played exactly 10 games in the past 15 days. In those ten games, they currently rank dead last in the CCBL with 29 runs scored, two runs behind Cotuit.
Harwich’s offense has been floundering, by all accounts. The Mariners’ .580 OPS in that span is also dead-last in the CCBL, as is their .191 batting average. They are the only team with less than 30 runs in that span, lower than a .200 batting average, and lower than a .600 OPS. If the trend persists, Chatham might be due for a strong performance at Veterans Field.
Last Time They Played
These squads last met on July 26, in a matchup that was also hosted at Veterans Field. As previously mentioned, Brini led off the contest with a homer, and Harwich held that 1-0 lead up until the bottom of fifth.
But Chatham stormed back with a bases-clearing double from Armani Guzman (West Virginia), which handed the A’s a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth. The Mariners tied it back up with a triple from Paul Jones II (Maryland) and a passed ball in the top of the ninth, but Cam Pruitt (Missouri) scored on a wild pitch to walk Harwich off in the bottom of the ninth.
