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A two-run homer by Nate Freiman in the first helped lead the Cardinals to a 9-5 win

Orleans Goes Out With A Bang

After losing all five meetings this summer with Chatham, the Cardinals took an early lead and never looked back in the final game of the season

August 8, 2007

By: Brett Brecheisen - Orleans Cardinals Intern

Chatham, Massachusetts – It was the final game of the season for the Orleans Cardinals and their final chance to beat Chatham this summer.  After losing the first five games of the series, the Cards salvaged game six from the rival Athletics with a 9-5 victory.

1B Nate Freiman (Duke) had three hits in the game to finish his season batting .286.  One of those hits was a two-out, two-run homer in the first inning to give Orleans the early 2-0 lead.

“Dennis did a great job with two outs of hitting that ball to get on base.  I went up there and had seen their starting pitcher, Ryan Hinson, this spring when we played Clemson so I knew I had to just work from the middle and away.  I got a pitch to hit and went with it,” Freiman said.

The Cardinals went into the final game of the season planning on pitching every reliever they had.  That they did and after starting RHP Clayton Shunick (NC State) exited the game after three, each pitcher out of the pen received one inning each except for RHP Jason Novak (UCLA) who pitched last night.  Shunick made sure he ended his summer on a high note as he pitched three solid innings allowing just three hits and one run.  Because he did not last five innings, however, he was not eligible to earn the win.

“I thought Shunick threw the ball really well,” Manager Kelly Nicholson said.

That left LHP Will Atwood (S. Carolina), who came in for Shunick, to earn his team-high fourth victory of the summer.  Atwood pitched a 1-2-3 fourth inning and struck out a batter.  He finished his season with a remarkable 4-0 record.

The Cardinals fantastic bullpen continued its great work from the entire summer and combined for six innings, allowing four runs and keeping Orleans in control of the game.  Their efforts capped off a season in which the Cardinals pitching staff was tops on the Cape, finishing the summer with an ERA of 2.77.

In addition to Atwood, RHP Sam Brown (NC State) and RHP Nick Christiani (Vanderbilt) each pitched a scoreless inning.  Both LHP Rob Catapano (UNC) and RHP Kyle Kamppi (Ga. Southern) gave up one run in one inning and RHP Ryan Perry (Arizona) closed the game out, allowing two runs in the ninth.

“Atwood and Christiani threw great, too.  Catapano had the bases loaded and nobody out and Kamppi had the bases loaded with one out and they each allowed just one run.  That’s a sign of a good pitcher – damage control,” Nicholson said.

The Cardinals utilized 13 hits, from a variety of players, to post nine runs on the scoreboard and take Chatham down for the first time this summer.  After an outstanding performance last night in which he scored three runs, reached base four times, and stole five bases, Cardinals CF Ollie Linton (UC Irvine) was at it again at the plate, belting an RBI double in the fifth and adding another RBI on a fielder’s choice in the seventh.

“We didn’t make the playoffs which was disappointing.  We were 0-5 against Chatham going into tonight and Chatham is our rival so I think the guys on our team felt like tonight was our playoff game.  We came in here really poised to beat Chatham and it feels good to go out on a high note,” Freiman said about the team’s attitude entering tonight’s affair.

The win ends a disappointing week and season for the Cards as they were eliminated from the playoffs on Sunday with their loss to Harwich.

“Hitting is contagious.  It’s a little frustrating because you can see what we’re capable of.  But it was great to finish on a good note and beat two playoff teams this week (Falmouth and Chatham).  I was really proud of our guys.  They showed a lot of character tonight,” Coach Nicholson said.

Although the Cardinals did not make the playoffs, they did manage their sixth consecutive winning season.  Coach Nicholson has now put together a winning team in all three of his summers as field manager of the Orleans club.  The 23-20-1 mark by the Cardinals is their highest since they won the league championship in 2005.

“It was a really terrific group to be around.  It was great to come to the ballpark everyday and be around these guys.  They are good players and quality people.  It’s awfully disappointing not to get to the playoffs, however.  That’s what you shoot for and I want to win a ring.  Anytime you fall short, it’s disappointing.  I still am taking away many more good memories than bad ones, though,” Coach Nicholson said.

The Chatham Athletics will move on to the face the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in the playoffs, beginning on Friday.  The first game will be held at Red Wilson Field in South Yarmouth at 3:00pm.  The Western Division playoff match-up will pit the Bourne Braves against the Falmouth Commodores.

W - Will Atwood (S. Carolina), 4-0

L - Ryan Hinson (Clemson), 4-2

SV - None