By: Finn Riley
Brewster, M.A. 一 The Whitecaps rode a dominant performance from the pitching staff to win 3-0 in the home opener against the Y-D Red Sox.
The 2021 championship banner was hoisted prior to the beginning of the game, and it seemed as if that same Whitecaps team was on the field today.
Whitecaps returner Brian Fitzpatrick (Rutgers) picked up right where he left off last season, delivering a three-hit shutout over four innings.
“I wanted to get rolling early […] a few walks were on good pitches and competitive at bats, and it’s something to build off for the next time out.” Said Fitzpatrick.
A combination of John West (Boston College) and returning closer Dale Stanavich (Rutgers) kept the Y-D bats silent for the remainder of the game.
Accompanying Brewster’s pitching was the bat of Brennan Millone (Oregon) who built off of his offensive onslaught against Bourne. Millone went 2-4 on the day and launched the Caps’ first homerun over the left field wall in the bottom of the third inning.
“It felt pretty good, we got a big yard here and I thought I got enough of it […] felt good to get the first one.” Said Millone.
With the Whitecaps picking up their first win on the season, Coach Shevchik emphasized the importance of getting win number one out of the way:
“Feels good to get the first one out of the way, I mean you lose a couple in a row and you start pressing and panicking. […] Now these guys can relax a little bit.”
Coach Shevchik also made sure to mention the flawless execution of the pitching staff:
“Great job from our pitching staff today obviously with the shutout, from the starter all the way to the end. […] I think the biggest thing today was West, who came in from the fifth to the eighth. That was four solid innings which is probably going to go a little bit unnoticed.”
Now having won their first game, the Whitecaps look to start a winning streak at Red Wilson Field tomorrow, facing off against the Y-D Red Sox starting at 5:00pm.