Article By: Joseph McLaughlin

Hyannis, Mass — It was a cool and sunny day at McKeon Park, and the Gatemen prepared for their final game of the regular season. It was just under two months prior that the Gatemen opened the summer against the Harbor Hawks at the newly renovated Spillane Field, and now they closed out the season against the same team. 

After suffering a four-game losing skid following their 9-0 playoff clinching win over Chatham on Tuesday, the Gatemen (20-20) ended their regular season on a high note. They defeated the Hyannis Harbor Hawks (15-21-4) by a score of 3-0 on Sunday. 

The win does not change much for the Gatemen’s playoff seeding, as they secured the number two seed after Hyannis’ 7-6 loss to Orleans on Saturday. However, that does not mean the win was not impactful, as it snapped a four-game losing streak and gave the Gatemen some momentum heading into the postseason.

“It’s always good having a little bit of momentum going into it. And, it's kind of what we got tonight, we ended on a high note, our regular season, and we came out hot swinging,” said Gatemen Field Manager Ryan Smyth.

The Gatemen got off to an early lead in the top of the first inning. Second Baseman Brayden Randle (Ole Miss) led off the game with a double to right-center field, putting a man in scoring position. 

Shortly after that, the Gatemen loaded the bases for Right Fielder Chase Krewson (Rutgers), who drove in Randle on a fielder’s choice to put the Gatemen on the board. Then, Krewson stole second base while Left Fielder Foster Apple (Stetson) scored from third base to make it 2-0 Wareham. 

It was the start of a great night for Krewson and the offense, who appeared to have more of a spark compared to their previous outings. He went three-for-five with an RBI and a run scored, giving the offense a spark.

That included a wacky at-bat where he hit two singles in one at-bat, with the first one being nullified due to a pitch-clock violation. 

“That was kind of a crazy sequence of events there. I didn't realize that time was called because of the pitch clock. As a hitter, you're still ready to see the pitch, and I saw the pitcher still moving. So, just in case it kept on going, I was going to be prepared and put a good swing on it. And it was a curveball, so I figured they wouldn't double it up on the second pitch. I was a little late on a fastball, so sorry to Colby Turner (Michigan) for breaking his bat, but I got a hit out of it,” said Krewson.

Shortstop Chris Ramirez (California Baptist) then tacked on another run in the first inning, bringing home Krewson to give the Gatemen a 3-0 lead after the first inning. Ramirez, like Krewson, also had a good night at the plate, going two-for-three with an RBI, but was stellar as the shortstop, working with Randle at second base to take away opportunities from Hyannis. 

“We kept the line moving. When the team is hitting well, you really can just have the next guy up mentality, and that's the way you win games. And, in the short time I've been here, Randle and I have built a pretty good relationship on and off the field. We've just clicked, and we understand the kind of style of defense that we play,” said Ramirez.

Ramirez made many plays to take away hits, including a hard hit ground ball up the middle where he ranged over to make a play, which he ended walking a little awkwardly before giving a thumbs-up, and was later taken out of the game for safety’s sake. 

“I just tweaked my ankle a little bit. I rolled it. But with the playoffs coming up, it was just more of a precautionary thing. Other than that, I'm all good. I'll be ready for Tuesday,” said Ramirez. 

 Hyannis did not get their first hit of the game until the bottom of the third inning, a big part of that was due to the Gatemen putting in eight different pitchers over nine innings, keeping the Harbor Hawks off balance at the plate.

“We gave them a tough night facing eight different arms; it’s really tough to hit that way. And, they all threw zeros up. That was really cool to see. Even some guys that battled through it with wasn't necessarily the cleanest innings, but they ultimately ended up getting out of everything. So we're in a very good position right now from the pitching and hitting sides. The boys are ready to roll,” said Smyth.

Hyannis did threaten in the bottom of the ninth, but the Gatemen defense held strong as Pitcher Tony Pluta (Arizona) closed out the game to secure a 3-0 win. It was a win the Gatemen needed, as having that momentum going into the postseason is crucial to a deep playoff run.

“It’s more of just momentum and a mentality. Putting pressure on your opponent in the first inning is crucial for the rest of the game. As the score showed tonight, those were our runs for the game. It's just more of a mentality thing of trying to be tough and make those outs difficult in the first. Make them feel uncomfortable and get into a groove ourselves,” said Krewson.

After the game ended, the Gatemen still did not know who their playoff opponent would be. The answer to that question rested in the result of Cotuit and Falmouth’s game, which had entered the bottom of the ninth tied at 4-4. 

Both the Gatemen and the Harbor Hawks stopped to watch the game after packing up their stuff, waiting to see what would happen. The Gatemen sought to know who their opponent would be, but the Harbor Hawks rooted for a Cotuit victory, as a Falmouth win would eliminate them from the playoffs.

Stunningly, the Kettleers hung on for a 6-5 win over the Commodores in the tenth inning, resulting in cheers from the Harbor Hawks dugout. As for the Gatemen, it became crystal clear who they would face on Tuesday. 

The Gatemen, the number two seed, will host the Cotuit Kettleers, the third seed, for round one of the 2025 Cape Cod Baseball League Playoffs. It is a rematch of last year’s round one matchup, which resulted in Cotuit winning 7-4 in a single playoff game at Lowell Park. 

Now, there is a best-of-three series, starting at Spillane Field for the first time since 2019. The postseason is officially here, and the lights are now brighter, but the Gatemen are still approaching the game like any other.

“It's the same business as usual. One day at a time. It's a three-game set. So no matter what happens, you're going to have another one to either close the door and move on, or fight to have another day. That's the great thing about a three-game set in the playoffs, which I'm happy they brought back this year, and we're just excited to get in and start playing baseball,” said Smyth. 

First pitch for Game One of the 2025 CCBL Playoffs between the Wareham Gatemen and the Cotuit Kettleers will take place on Tuesday, August 5, at Spillane Field in Wareham.