CCW Fast Pitch Week 2 Previews and Predictions

CCW Fast Pitch Week 2 Previews and Predictions

Last week’s midweek action saw only two games take place, after flooding rains the day before made The Dirtyard unplayable. As such, only the Outlaws and Gold Socks have any fast-pitch games under their belt as we enter week 2. The Outlaws swept the two-game series last Wednesday, behind a complete game shutout performance from Mitch Buis in game 1, and just enough hitting in a jack-off winner in game 2.

The Gold Socks will get a week off after the winless series last week, as will the 8 Balls, who, after this week, will have played only two games to some other teams’ six. Let’s take a look at what’s on tap. 

Outlaws (3-1) vs. Short Shorts (2-0)

Probable Starters:
Game 1: Mitch Buis (Outlaws) vs. Brayden Scott (Shorts)
Game 2: Alex Gurtcheff (Outlaws) vs. Jordan Gray (Shorts)

We’re still extremely early in the season, but early returns have these two squads as the class of the league, so far. This should be a competitive and compelling series.

Buis is coming off a stellar fast pitch debut, hurling 5 shutout innings against an imposing Gold Socks lineup, striking out 8, and scattering 5 hits. After some traffic in the 1st frame, he settled in nicely the rest of the way and cruised to an easy victory. This Shorts lineup is nothing to sneeze at, but outside of Dudas, if he can stay on the board, he should find little resistance in fast-pitch at-bats against this group. Brayden Scott, on the other hand, will make his season debut on the bump after a lights-out rookie campaign. I don’t suspect a sophomore slump from Scott - but it will be difficult to repeat his success from last season. We’ll see how, or if, hitters have adjusted to him for the first time this week.

In game 2, the Shorts pass the baton from last year’s Rookie of the Year to a hopeful for this year, in Jordan Gray. Gray has some competitive wiffle experience, but as with all rookies, the biggest question will be - “Can he hit the board?” The Outlaws plated 7 runs in regulation against another lefty hurler, Connor Young, last week, and will look to pile on Gray as well. Gurtcheff struggled in the first inning of last week’s game, allowing 5 runs in the frame, but then found some steady ground and allowed only 2 more runs the rest of the way. Gurtch will allow hits and runs, but has to avoid the big inning like last week’s first frame to give his team the best chance to win. 

Of note - with Dowden not pitching in this two-game set, he’s all but guaranteed (assuming availability) to throw in game 3 between these teams down the road. That’ll be a game heavily weighted in the Shorts’ favor, so for the Outlaws to feel good about their chances to win the season series, they’ll need to win both here this week. 

Prediction: Series split

Moonshots (1-1) vs. Ligers (1-1)

Probable Starters:
Game 1: Will Smithey (Moonshots) vs. Aidan Palmer (Ligers)
Game 2: Alec Buchman (Moonshots) vs. Holden Palmer (Ligers)

Tough series to be a hitter! These two teams go deep in impact arms, and it will be on full display this series. I’m setting the over/under on total runs scored this series at 4.5.

There’s not much to say about the expected game 1 matchup between Smithey and Aidan. These are two of the top 3 or 4 pitchers in the league, and runs will be very hard to come by. Whichever team hits more slow-pitch solo homers will likely win this one. Smithey is as consistently on the board as they come, and so the Ligers bats will have their work cut out for them, in particular. 

Game 2 has the potential to be just as stingy an offensive affair as Game 1, with Buchman and Holden toeing the slab, respectively. This is a matchup I’m excited to see - as we’ve said ad nauseam, if Buchman looks elite, this team is a title contender, and Holden has worked hard over the offseason to improve his already imposing stuff. The league will certainly be watching these two guys to see how they look early on. 

Another thing to watch - through a small sample slow-pitch weekend, Aidan Palmer looks like one of the best hitters in the league. Can he continue that trend against some of the best arms in the game? 

Prediction: Series Split

Ligers (1-1) vs. Hounds (0-2)

Probable Starters:
Nolan Karwoski (Ligers) vs. Byron Young (Hounds)

The Ligers and Hounds play just one game to round out the slate at The Dirtyard this week, in an effort to get back on track after last week’s rainouts. This is actually the first game the Ligers will play, and the starting pitching matchup is very much up in the air, but I think they’ll reserve their premiere starters to go against the Moonshots’ elite arms. The Hounds are likely to match what the Ligers do, and so Byron Young ought to get the ball against Karwoski. 

Two games into the season, the Hounds are down terrible. Only a third of the roster was present at the first weekend of games, proving an availability and consistency concern we had for this group before the season. They’ll be trying to dig out from under the -39 run differential for the majority of the season. Myc Witty will be present this week, rumor has it, but beyond him and Byron, there are again question marks surrounding who may be available. 

Even in a game that may turn out to be a slugfest, this Hounds lineup is in desperate need of Coby Taylor’s thump in the middle of the order. Byron may prove to be the better arm in this matchup, but it’s hard to see the Hounds outpacing the Ligers’ offensive group. 

Prediction: Ligers win

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