By Nate Foy/Broadcaster
Having just crossed the midpoint of the season, the Falmouth Commodores have certainly proved one thing: this team can hit the baseball.
Owning a 15-10 record, the Commodores have four of the top five home run hitters in the league. Dylan Davis is tied for the league lead with five home runs after arriving on the Cape just two weeks ago.
Davis is the hottest hitter in the league, being rewarded with the “Coca-Cola Player of the Week” honor. Whether it is his overall production at the plate or his knack for timely hits, Davis is helping this team win ballgames.
The Commodores continue to enjoy sensational summer performances by Rhys Hoskins and Kevin Cron as well. Both players, along with Commodores first basemen and designated hitter Casey Gillaspie, are just one home run behind Davis for the league lead.
Cron ranks second in the Cape League in RBI’s, second to only Hoskins. And Cron is also hitting .352, which is good for sixth in the league.
These four players provide a lot of comfort for manager Jeff Trundy in the middle of the lineup.
“When our top of the order gets on base, and you got those next guys coming up, we’ve got some guys that can do a lot of damage in a hurry,” Trundy said.
Damage is an understatement, as the Commodores seem to routinely beat up on previously dominant pitchers.
On the other side of the diamond, the Commodores pitching staff has a seen an up-and-down beginning to their summer. The team’s ERA has dropped in recent weeks to 3.66, a drastic improvement from early in the summer.
According to Commodores relief pitcher Hunter Brothers, it is just a matter of players growing accustomed to their surroundings.
“I don’t remember my first two outings because I was so amped up going out there,” Brothers said. “But after that you kind of settle in, and get back to your basics of throwing strikes a lot. And that is the bottom line.”
Craig Schlitter, Brandon Magallones and Trey Teakell have led this turnaround. Coming into Sunday’s game against the Harwich Mariners Schlitter and Magallones had sub 3.00 ERAs, while Teakell leads the team with just over 29 innings pitched.
Trundy is very complimentary of his pitching staff, and has thoroughly enjoyed working with them this summer.
“We’ve got some things to kind of sure up here or there, but I like our work ethic,” Trundy said. “I like our attitude. These guys have been great. Its always fun to see what they will bring to the table, and I have complete faith in the fact that they will compete their butts off tomorrow night.”
People say that pitching wins championships, but the way this team is hitting, pitching is a mere speed bump for the freight train that is this Commodores’ offense. If the pitching staff can support the offensive talent of this team, than the Commodores could contend for their first championship since 1980.
The Commodores Corner 