SUMMER 16

Late Surge Pushes Y-D to Cape Title , No. 1 Ranking

Yarmouth-Dennis righthander David Robertson was overshadowed most of the 2006 Cape Cod League season by teammate and all-star closer Josh Fields, but like his team he saved the best for last and was justly rewarded.

Robertson (Alabama), installed as the closer in post-season play, saved all four wins for Y-D in the playoffs as the Red Sox won their second Cape League title in three years. He worked the final three innings of Y-D’s clinching 5-1 win over Wareham , retiring all nine hitters he faced, seven on strikeouts. In 7 1/3 innings in playoff competition, he didn’t allow a hit or a walk while striking out 15. He was named the playoff MVP.

Fields (Georgia) was Y-D’s closer during the regular season and led the league with 13 saves. But he blew a save opportunity in the first game of the playoffs in an extra-inning loss to Brewster and Robertson, who had been Fields’ setup man during the regular season, took over the role and was flawless the rest of the way.

The Red Sox also put on a late charge of their own, overtaking Cotuit down the stretch in the regular season to finish with 56 points to Cotuit’s 54, then won both rounds of the best-of-three playoffs, beating Brewster 2-1 in the first round and Wareham 2-1 in the final.

By winning both the regular season and playoff titles in the nation’s most prestigious summer college league, Y-D surged past Cotuit to claim the top spot in PG Crosschecker’s final Summer 16 poll of the season. Cotuit had held the top spot all season but faded down the stretch and went quietly in the playoffs, losing two games by shutouts to Wareham . The Kettleers slipped to fourth.

The Northwoods League’s Rochester Honkers, who won a league record 50 games during the regular season and ran the table in the playoffs, wound up second.

Surging into third place was the California Collegiate League’s Santa Barbara Foresters, who went undefeated in winning the National Baseball Congress World Series. The Foresters defeated the Jayhawk League’s Derby Twins 8-7 in the final, gaining a measure of revenge in the process. Santa Barbara was in the same position a year ago, needing just a win on the final day of the 44-team, double-elimination event, but lost twice.

PG Crosschecker’s final ranking of the nation’s top summer college teams (* team won league playoffs):

          Team                                                League                        Record            LW

     1.  *Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox           Cape Cod                        32-18                3

     2.  *Rochester Honkers                       Northwoods                     54-18                2

     3.  *Santa Barbara Foresters             Cal Collegiate                 50-11             NR

     4.  Cotuit Kettleers                               Cape Cod                        27-18                1

     5.  *Vermont Mountaineers                 New England                    33-16             NR

     6.  *McKinney Marshals                       Texas Collegiate             34-18              14

     7.  *Hays Larks                                     Jayhawk                           40-16              12

     8.  Wareham Gatemen                        Cape Cod                        27-22              13

     9.  Fayetteville Swampdogs                Coastal Plain                   41-14                5

   10.  *Kenai Peninsula Oilers                 Alaska                               32-17                7

   11.  Newport Gulls                                  New England                    34-13                8

   12.  Brewster WhiteCaps                      Cape Cod                        25-20                9

   13.  New Market Rebels                        Valley                               34-12                4

   14.  *Vienna Senators                            Clark Griffith                    32-16              10

   15.  *Kutztown Rockies                           Atlantic Collegiate             35-6             NR

   16.  Anchorage Bucs                             Alaska                               26-15              16

       

--Compiled by Allan Simpson