NASHVILLE, Tenn. — With the fall semester at Vanderbilt University underway, we take a look back at how the Commodores performed with their respective summer ball teams around the country.
A pair of Dores took home the Cape Cod League Championship as Jonathan Vastine and Bryce Cunningham helped lead the Bourne Braves to a second consecutive title.
Congratulations to the @BourneBraves on their second straight @OfficialCCBL Championship🏆 #VandyBoys | #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/9QkEcwqITG
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) August 14, 2023
Both starting pitchers in Game 1 of the Cape Cod League Championship Series were VandyBoys as Cunningham took the bump for Bourne against Greysen Carter and the Orleans Firebirds. Carter also enjoyed a strong summer and did not allow an earned run over 14.1 innings.
Elsewhere in the CCBL, RJ Austin (Yarmouth-Dennis) ranked eighth in the league with a .327 average. Davis Diaz (Brewster) hit .284 with three home runs and 16 RBIs.
Multiple Dores shined in the New England Collegiate Baseball League as well. Logan Poteet was named the league’s MVP and batting champion after leading the Sanford Mainers with a .347 average and 25 RBIs.
Poteet is racking up the summer ball honors🏆
⚓️2023 @TheNECBL Rick Ligi Most Valuable Player
⚓️2023 All-NECBL First Team
⚓️Poteet led the @Sanford_Mainers in batting with a .347 average and 25 RBIs this summer#VandyBoys | #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/euMimsr60l— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) August 18, 2023
Joining Poteet on the Mainers was Calvin Hewett, Matthew Polk and JD Rogers. Hewett joined Poteet on the All-NECBL team after batting .282 with three home runs and 13 RBIs. Polk hit .295 with 15 runs batted in.
Also in the NECBL, David Horn earned recognition as the Stephen Strasburg Pro Prospect of the Year after striking out 18 batters over 13.2 innings. Horn was joined on the Gulls by JD Thompson. Thompson pitched 9.1 innings while registering 17 strikeouts and did not allow an earned run. The duo helped guide Newport to the league title.
Raymond Velazquez clubbed six home runs in the Northwoods League for the Duluth Huskies, including a three-game stretch where he homered five times.
Ray Velazquez = 5 HR’s in 3 games 🔥 #rollskies pic.twitter.com/Uv7sn9xtiv
— Duluth Huskies (@DuluthHuskies) July 24, 2023
Troy LaNeve hit .286 with five homers and 21 RBIs for the La Crosse Loggers and Matt Wolfe drove in 19 runs for the Kenosha Kingfish.
Several freshmen put up some impressive summer seasons as well. Matt Ossenfort led the Cal Ripken Sr. League with eight home runs for the Alexandria Aces and was named league’s Most Outstanding Hitter. RJ Hamilton, also on the Aces, was second on the team with a .346 average. Hamilton drove in 18 runs and stole a team-high 21 bases.
Matt Ossenfort is the 2023 Cal Ripken Sr. League Most Outstanding Hitter!
The Aces’ first baseman led the league in with eight homers and an 1.173 OPS, while finishing second in average and RBI. Congratulations, Matt! pic.twitter.com/umVCeasuzE
— Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League (@CalRipkenLeague) August 25, 2023
Colin Barczi totaled five extra-base hits, including two homers, with 12 RBIs for the Vermont Lake Monsters in the Futures League.
In total, five Commodores helped guide their teams to league titles:
• Bryce Cunningham, Bourne Braves (Cape Cod)
• Jonathan Vastine, Bourne Braves (Cape Cod)
• David Horn, Newport Gulls (New England)
• JD Thompson, Newport Gulls (New England)
• Cooper Holbrook, Full Count Rhythm (Ohio Valley)
