SUMMER 16

Cape Upended At No. 1

For the first time in the three-year history of Perfect Game Crosschecker’s Summer 16 rankings, a team other than one from the Cape Cod League has ascended to the No. 1 position. Cotuit had occupied the No. 1 spot in the first two rankings this summer, but three losses in a row knocked the Kettleers (8-5) off the top perch.

The Clark Griffith League’s Vienna Senators, No. 2 in both prior rankings, assumed the No. 1 spot by winning 22 of their first 23 games. The Senators have thoroughly dominated the Clark Griffith League this season, getting outstanding pitching performances from the starting twosome of George Washington sophomore righthander Eric Cantrell (4-0, 0.72) and Marist junior righthander Richard Cary (5-0, 0.69). Cary led the Clark Griffith League in wins and ERA entering July, while Cantrell’s 30 strikeouts in 25 innings were tops in the circuit. In addition, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi junior third baseman Martin Parra topped the league with a .481 average.

A talented Cotuit team slipped to No. 2 overall, but is getting pushed by competition in its own league as two other Cape Cod League teams, No. 4 Brewster and No. 9 Hyannis, are in the top 10. The Cape remains the nation’s pre-eminent summer league, but the inability for one team to dominate as Yarmouth-Dennis (which went wire-to-wire as the No. 1 team) did in 2007 has opened the door for teams from a number of the other recognized summer college leagues to make rare inroads on the Cape.

Led by Vienna, there was a significant shakeup in the rankings this week after the top six teams remained the same a week ago. The latest rankings, with records through June 30 (last week’s ranking noted in parentheses):
Rank Team League Record
1. Vienna (Va.) Senators (2) Clark Griffith 22-2
Opened 2008 season with 14 straight wins, 22 of first 23, as Texas A&M-CC junior 3B Martin Parra paces league at .481-4-16.
2. Cotuit (Mass.) Kettleers (1) Cape Cod 8-5
Auburn twosome of junior OF Mike Bianucci (.270-4-16), freshman 1B Kevin Patterson (.383-1-15) are 1-2 in Cape in RBIs.
3. Florence (S.C.) Redwolves (5) Coastal Plain 20-7
Mercyhurst (Pa.) soph RHP Steve Grife (3-0, 1.20) paces pitching-rich Redwolves, whose 2.33 ERA is easily best in CPL.
4. Brewster (Mass.) Whitecaps (NR) Cape Cod 7-4
Two sophomores, Mississippi State 3B Connor Powers (.333-3-10), Missouri State RHP Tim Clubb (3-0-, 0.45) on hot pace.
5. Waynesboro (Va.) Generals (11) Valley 17-7
Twin Tennessee Tech arms, soph RHP Jared Dobbs (4-1, 1.33), junior LHP Adam Liberatore (4-0, 0.73) key Generals' charge.
6. Anchorage Glacier Pilots (NR) Alaska 13-5
San Diego prep OF Bryan Haar (.344-0-16), Long Beach State freshman OF Jonathan Jones (.404-0-6, 7 SB) pace Pilots.
7. Edenton (N.C.) Steamers (NR) Coastal Plain 20-7
Two red-shirt junior RHPs, Rhode Islands's Luke Demko (3-0, 0.00, 10 SV), Angelo State's Joe Key (4-0, 0.31) pace Steamsers.
8. Luray (Va.) Wranglers (15) Valley 17-7
Two homegrown arms, Virginia Tech RHP Kyle Cichy (3-0, 1.59), VMI LHP Travis Smink (3-0, 1.80), keyed 9-game win streak.
9. Hyannis (Mass.) Mets (8) Cape Cod 7-5
Virginia junior RHP Andrew Carraway (2-1, 0.55), Vandy freshman closer Russ Brewer (0-0, 0.00, 6 SV) top pitching-rich staff.
10. Sanford Mainers (NR) New England Collegiate 13-6
George Washington junior RHP Pat Lehman (2-0, 0.33), Cornell junior 1B Kyle Groth (.370-1-9) pace Mainers to NECBL best mark.
11. Wisconsin Woodchucks (3) Northwoods 20-10
A two-way talent, sophomore RHP-OF Bobby Pritchett paces Woodchucks at plate (.294-1-12) and on mound (4-1, 0.70).
12. Wenatchee (Wash.) Applesox (14) West Coast Collegiate 11-3
Gonzaga-bound junior RHP Steve Ames (3-0, 0.00, 21 IP/5 H/3 BB/29 SO) remains unscored on in first three starts for Sox.
13. Cincinnati Steam (NR) Great Lakes 10-4
Steam gets mileage out of in-state products, Miami freshman IF Brad Gschwind (.474-0-7), Ohio State OF Zach Hurley (.475-2-9).
14. LaCrosse (Wis.) Loggers (NR) Northwoods 19-11
Florida Gulf Coast frosh LHP Chris Sale (2-1, 2.56, 32 IP/43 SO), Evansville junior 1B Derek Melton (.387-4-33) pace Loggers.
15. Youse's Maryland Orioles Cal Ripken Sr. 16-5
Old Dominion junior SS Gerard Hall (.353-0-10, 15 SB), Navy sophomore RHP Oliver Drake (3-1, 0.82) key Orioles hot streak.
16. Springfield (Ill.) Sliders Central Illinois 17-4
Sliders breezed to CICL first-half title behind juco RHP Bryce Butt (4-0, 1.82), Valparaiso freshman RHP Bryce Shafer (3-01, 1.80).
 
--COMPILED BY ALLAN SIMPSON