Falmouth must have been looking for veteran experience when they built their roster. Not only do they return INF Jake Rodriguez (Oregon State) and pitchers DeAndre Smelter (Georgia Tech) and Nathan Thornhill (Texas), they picked up Wareham alum C.T. Bradford (Mississippi St.) and Hyannis pitcher Trey Masek (Texas Tech).
They’ve also stacked the roster with players from Oregon State (4), Clemson (4), and Texas (3). In a short season where team chemistry makes all the difference, I tend to see some value in that move. RHPs Matthew Campbell, Daniel Gossett, and Kevin Pohle, and 1B/OF Jonathan McGibbon hail from the Tigers, while the Longhorns are sending up Thornhill, SS Christian Summers, and RHP John Curtiss. The Beavers send lefty Ben Wetzler, Rodriguez, INF/RHP Kevin Keyes, and southpaw Jace Fry. Wetzler worked seven innings this past weekend for an early win in the series against West Virginia (7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K), while Pohle, a Sunday starter, gave Clemson something good to hang their hat on after a difficult weekend sweep by UNC. Pohle worked six innings, allowing 6 hits and 2 earned runs.
They’re also taking a risk by bringing in RHP Johnny Magliozzi, from Florida. I don’t say risk as in the kid isn’t good–sure he’s a freshman (and Mass local, from East Milton) with a 5.19 ERA, 14 H, 5 R and 3 BB in…8.2 IP, but he has a 1-0 record in four appearances, and more specifically, he plays for FLORIDA. I say risk, because the Commodores might be without him at the start of the season, with the CWS.
That said…Falmouth did a good job last year of altering some opinions of the team, making it to the championships before losing to the Mariners in game 3. They certainly had a spark and for their sake I hope it returns!
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