Article By: Joseph McLaughlin

Playoffs?!

Yes, Jim Mora, the Wareham Gatemen have officially punched their ticket to the postseason for the second consecutive year. After breaking a five-year playoff drought in 2024, the Gatemen have now met that new standard and aim to climb even higher, becoming the first team in the league to clinch a postseason berth.

Tuesday’s 9-0 shutout over Chatham was Gatemen baseball at its finest. The pitching staff allowed just one hit across nine innings, and the offense was relentless, tallying 13 hits and jumping out to an early lead that they never surrendered.

Now, Wareham travels to Bourne for the final regular-season matchup between the two teams. The Braves have already secured the season series with a 9-8 win on July 18, giving them a 3-1 edge over the Gatemen.

That matters. Bourne, currently two games behind Wareham in the West Division standings, holds the tiebreaker if both teams finish with the same record. A win tonight would give the Gatemen a three-game cushion with four games left, a significant step toward locking up one of the top two seeds.

Wareham can’t clinch a top-two seed tonight, but a win against the Braves, plus some help from Falmouth, who faces third-place Hyannis, would bring them closer. The Braves, on the other hand, have a chance to clinch a playoff spot with a win over Wareham and a Falmouth loss to Hyannis, making this game high stakes for both teams.

Starting Pitchers

The Gatemen will start their right-handed two-way player, Caden McDonald (Florida). McDonald broke out of a mini-slump on Tuesday, going two-for-four at the plate with a two-run home run in the third inning. He has been stellar at the plate and on the mound for the Gatemen this summer.

His last start as a pitcher on Thursday against the Orleans Firebirds was great. He went five innings scoreless, allowed one hit, two walks, and struck out three batters. The performance improved his ERA to 3.32 in 21.2 innings pitched this summer. He has become one of the stars of the Gatemen’s rotation heading towards the postseason with the added value of his bat.

The Braves will counter with their left-hander Folger Boaz (North Carolina). Boaz has started five games this summer for Bourne, two of those games have been against the Gatemen. The last time he faced the Gatemen was on July 11, where he pitched three and two-thirds innings with six hits, three earned runs, two walks, and three strikeouts.

He posts a 6.61 ERA in 16 ⅓ innings with 23 hits, 12 earned runs, 11 walks, and 18 strikeouts. He will need to be sharp against the Gatemen’s lineup, which was relentless on Tuesday.

Players to Watch

For Wareham:

• Hayden Yost (Florida) dominated on Tuesday, going three-for-five with an RBI and three runs scored against the Anglers. He also made a fantastic diving catch in center field to take away a double, proving he is a great fielder as well as a hitter. 
• Chris McHugh (NC State) also had a great night, going two-for-four with three runs scored. Both of these Gatemen hitters are heating up at the right time with five games remaining.

For Bourne:

• With the recent release of All-Star hitter and 2025 CCBL Home Run Contest Champion, Kuhio Aloy (Arkansas), the Braves’ offensive production took a hit. However, Cal Sefcik (Cincinnati) has filled in that spot. He went two-for-four and scored a run against the Brewster Whitecaps on Tuesday. The performance raised his batting average to .375 for the summer.
• Brayden Holcomb (Vanderbilt) did not have a great night against Brewster on Tuesday, but he is still batting .279 this season. As a returning Brave from their championship appearance last season, he brings a veteran presence to a team fighting for a playoff spot.

First pitch for tonight’s game will be at 6:00 p.m. at Doran Park in Bourne. If you cannot make the game, do not worry. The Gatemen have you covered with their radio broadcast on Cape League TV with Cory Miller, Josh Richardson, and Rayna Maggelet on the call. Click HERE to tune in to the game.