By: Greg Levinsky
HARWICH – Entering the summer, Kyle Stowers’ status as a Falmouth Commodore was far from guaranteed. Inked to a temporary contract at the season’s outset, the Stanford rising junior cemented his top-tier talent with a tremendous performance at the 2018 Cape Cod League All-Star Game. The question mark regarding the length of his stay has since disappeared.
Stowers recorded an RBI single in his first at-bat, and followed with a solo home run in to boost the West Division to a 4-3 victory at a soggy Whitehouse Field on Sunday.
“Just being in here I felt confident enough in my ability to perform at this stage,” Stowers said.
Commodores head coach Jeff Trundy described Stowers’ ascension to Cape League stardom as nothing more than a tremendous spirit.
“The biggest thing with Kyle is that he just goes out and has a great deal of fun,” Trundy said. “He understands the significance of approach and the significance of making adjustments. I’m happy he had such a great night.”
Stowers expressed his gratitude for the chance to play in the Cape League.
“I’m so grateful for coach Trundy and for him giving me the opportunity to play here,” Stowers said.
Stowers came off a solid spring at Stanford in which he earned All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention honors after batting .286 with 10 home runs and 42 RBIs.
And he’s taken the Cape Cod League by storm. His .352 batting average ranks fourth in the league, and he boasts an unheralded .413 average in 18 games since June 27, raising his average by .156 points in the process.
“You go through struggles and learn from them,” Stowers said. “It’s just made all the good times that much sweeter.”
A 90 minute rain delay preceded seven Commodores representing the West Division: Stowers, Austin Langworthy (Florida), Steven Williams (Auburn), TJ Sikkema (Missouri), Matt Canterino (Rice), Ian Koch (Western Illinois) and Cameron Cannon (Arizona) all appeared.
Canterino started on the mound for the West, and Sikkema pitched the fourth inning. Both recorded scoreless 1-2-3 frames. Koch got the first two outs of the eighth in a pre-planned pitching schedule put together by Commodores pitching coach Mike Landry.
The Commodores staff send down all eight batters they faced.
“It’s great, you’ve got to represent,” said Koch, a second year Commodores pitcher who touched a season-high 95 miles per hour with his fastball. “We were all able to do the job tonight.”
“I just thought they all did their thing, and I was so glad they had good outings that I think are typical of themselves,” Trundy said. “They just showed everybody what they were doing all summer long.”
The West jumped out to a 4-0 lead behind Stowers and Bourne’s Spencer Brickhouse (East Carolina).
Stowers (2-for-2, 2 RBIs) drove in Brickhouse as part of a two-run first inning. He followed Brickhouse with his home run as part of back-to-back homers in the top of the fourth to double the lead/
“It was a perfect evening for the ‘Dores,” Trundy said.
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Greg Levinsky can be reached at glevinsk@bu.edu. Follow him on Twitter @GregLevinsky
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