As the summer league schedule edges into August, and national and league tournaments are set to get underway, the Cape Cod League’s Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox continued their summer-long hold atop PG Crosschecker’s ranking of the nation’s top college summer league clubs. In fact, the Red Sox opened a wide lead atop the Cape’s Eastern Division standings and were near to clinching a berth in the four-teamCape
playoffs.
Seven Y-D players were on the Eastern Division team that won the annual
Cape
League
all-star game on Saturday in
Wareham
, 3-2 over the West. Y-D shortstop Gordon Beckham (Georgia
), the league home run leader, had a pair of hits for the winning side while side-arming righthander Nick Cassavechia (Baylor), the league leader in saves, was the winning pitcher.
PG Crosschecker’s ranking of the top 16 summer league teams. Records as of July 29; previous ranking in parentheses:
1.
Yarmouth-Dennis
Red
Sox
(1)
Cape
Cod 26-10-1
All-stars Beckham (.308-8-29) and Cassavechia (1-1, 0.83, 10 SV) continue to lead
Cape
League
in homers and saves.
2.
Santa
Barbara
Foresters (2)
California
43-8
Reigning NBC World Series champs won Cal Collegiate League title on final day of season, ready to defend NBC crown.
3.
Green Bay
Bullfrogs (3) Northwoods 37-16
Portland
1B Danny Meier (.325-9-38) providing the power,
Concordia, Calif.
, OF Dan Robertson (.330-3-26, 40 SB) the speed.
4. Bourne Braves (5)
Cape
Cod 22-13-2
Cape all-stars T.J. Hose (4-2, 1.35) from
East Carolina
and Jordan Flasher (2-0, 1.45, 8 SV) from George Mason lead staff.
5.
Chatham
A’s (7)
Cape Cod
21-13-3
Wake
Forest
1B Allan Dykstra (.316-3-25) and UCLA 3B Jermaine Curtis (.324-3-22) provide punch on infield corners.
6.
Vienna
Senators (11) Clark Griffith 39-5
Tulane LHP Aaron Loup (8-0, 0.98) and Pepperdine RHP Nate Newman (6-0, 1.80) are 1-2 punch for 10-time AAABA champs.
7. Edenton Steamers (NR) Coastal Plain 33-13
RHPs Zach Groh (Binghamton
) and J.P. Primus (N.C. A&T) are a combined 12-0, 1.21 for Steamers, winners of 12 in row.
8.
Derby
Twins (12) Jayhawk 33-13
Northern
Iowa
OF Dane Embury (.290-8-33) leads Jayhawk League champs back to NBC Series after No. 2 finish in 2006.
9.
Fayetteville
Swampdogs (4) Coastal Plain 36-12
Swampdogs slip a bit, but
Illinois
duo of Aaron Martin (7-0, 1.50) and Ben Reeser (6-0, 1.40) still remain unbeaten.
10. Mat-Su Miners (15)
Alaska
24-11
Southern Miss 1B Michael Ewing (.312-5-26),
San Diego
Mesa
CC RHP Max Peterson (4-0, 1.39) help Miners battle for title.
11.
Glens
Falls
Golden Eagles (NR)
New
York
33-6
Red-hot Eagles, winners of 11 of 12, getting big pitching production from St. Petersburg JC’s Thomas Meagher (5-0, 1.47).
12.
Falmouth
Commodores (10)
Cape
Cod 19-18
Wichita
State
3B Conor Gillaspie (.372-7-21) leads
Cape
in hitting, Missouri RHP Aaron Crow (3-1, 0.52) in ERA.
13.
Waynesboro
Generals (12) Valley 30-13
Butler RHP Jon Dages (6-2, 2.55) and Belmont RHP Jimmy Stanley (1-0, 1.55, 11 SV) key arms for first-place Generals.
14,
Holyoke
Giants (NR)
New England
24-16
Giants get big year from San Jose State SS Kyle Bellows (.344-3-19), in battle for NECBL honors with Newport Gulls.
15.
Delaware
Cows (NR)
Great Lakes
25-14
Red-hot Cows replace slumping Lima Locos in rankings; Furman RHP Jay Jackson (5-0, 1.96) heads pitching staff.
16.
Moses
Lake
Pirates (13) West Coast 25-11
Long Beach State RHP Dan Wolford (2-0, 1.40, 10 SV, 19 IP/37 SO) has been dominant in relief role for Pirates.