For the first time since 2012, the Wareham Gatemen are playing for a Cape Cod Baseball League championship title. Game 2 against the Chatham Anglers starts at 7 p.m. at Veterans Field in Chatham. The Gatemen defeated the Anglers 5-3 on Saturday. Game 3 will be in Wareham if necessary.

The Gatemen are searching to win their first title since 2012 when they beat the YD Red Sox in three games. The Anglers are trying to snap a 20-year title drought as their last championship came in 1998. The last time Chatham was in the finals, they lost to the Gatemen back in 2001 in three games.

Now that the quick history lesson is over, it’s time to look at the final opponent for the Wareham Gatemen in 2018: the Chatham Anglers.

The Opponent: Chatham Anglers

The Chatham Anglers finished in second place in the East Division this summer going 22-19-3 to accumulate 47 points. However, the West Division was far and away better this summer so Chatham’s second place finish in the East was only good for the sixth best record in the league.

Offensively, Chatham had one of the best lineups this summer. They accumulated 220 runs which was fourth best in the CCBL.

On the defensive side of the ball, their pitching and defense struggled. The Anglers gave up 214 runs in 44 regular season games which game them a 3.97 ERA which ranked fifth in the league. Of the 214 runs, 51 were unearned. On the whole, Chatham finished the regular season with a +6 run differential.

Despite the average regular season, Chatham has got it going on when it has mattered most. Chatham enters the finals winners of four straight as they, like the Gatemen, are 4-0 in the postseason.

They the Harwich Mariners in round one by scores of 8-3 and 8-6. In the East Division Finals, the Anglers faced the Brewster Whitecaps and also beat the number four seed in two games winning 11-6 and 3-2 respectively.

Overall, Chatham has scored 30 runs through four playoff games while allowing 17 to score.

The Prior Matchups: Gatemen (West Division 1 seed) vs Anglers (East Division 2 seed)

In the regular season series between these two clubs, it was all Wareham. The Gatemen swept the Anglers, beating them in all four games they played in the regular season and outscoring them 34-12.

Game 1 – June 12: Gatemen 12, Anglers 4

The Gatemen won on Opening Day in Chatham and sued a seven-run ninth inning to make a close 5-4 lead a blowout win. Andrew Vaughn made his presence known across the league as the Golden Spikes winner hit a grand slam during the seven-run inning. Joey Matulovich got the start on for Wareham and he delivered four shutout innings to start his summer. Brendan White pitched the final two innings of the game to record the win.

Game 2 – June 19: Gatemen 6, Anglers 3

Andrew Vaughn hit a two-run homer in the first inning to put Wareham up 2-0 and that was plenty of run support for Ken Waldichuk. The left-hander out of St. Mary’s pitched five scoreless innings on his way to his first and only win of the summer. Waldichuk gave up just one hit and struck out six.

Game 3 – June 27: Gatemen 7, Anglers 3

Wareham scored seven runs within the first four innings to cruise to a 7-3 win over Chatham at home. The Gatemen broke the game open in the second when they scored four runs led by a Sahid Valenzuela two-run single. Joey Matulovich was once again the Anglers’ kryptonite as the right-hander from Cal Berkeley went five innings allowing just one unearned run. Bryant Packard was also a star on the offensive side driving in three runs on the day.

Game 4 – July 11: Gatemen 9, Anglers 2

A new-look Gatemen lineup pounded out nine runs on 12 hits on their way to another easy victory over the Anglers to complete the regular season sweep.

Isaac Collins, hitting leadoff the second time all summer, had three hits and helped to set the tone for the Gatemen. Wareham’s cleanup hitter, Jeremy Ydens, also had three hits and drove in three RBIs as well. After this game, Collins would remain the team’s leadoff hitter for the remainder of the summer and likewise with Ydens in the cleanup spot.

Ken Waldichuk started for Wareham and made his last appearance of the summer going three innings allowing one run. Lael Lockhart Jr. Relieved him and went three innings of his own and also allowed a run while picking up the win. Tyler Keysor and Pavin Parks came in to pitch the final three innings and they did so without allowing anyone to score.