Writers’ Player of the Game vs. Wareham Gatemen: Mason Nichols

From Dunkin’ Park to McKeon, he can do it anywhere

By: Mike Maynard and Mackenzie Kielblock

Hyannis Harbor Hawks “King of the Hill” Mason Nichols snatched player of the game with 4 scoreless innings taking down the Wareham Gatemen. The right-handed starter made a huge statement in the last home game of the regular season.

Nichols got the top of the first inning started with his first and only strikeout of the night. He forced the next two batters into a flyout to left field and a groundout to second base.

Nichols had eight hitless frames in a row, carried on from his previous outing into the first inning and a third of Tuesday’s game. He continued his hot streak into this one, pulling through with more lights-out stuff for his squad.

The top of the second inning continued with more of the same with a flyout to center to start. Nichols gave up his first hit of the night by way of a bloop single right behind first base. The Ole Miss Rebel wasn’t fazed, sitting down the next two batters before any damage was done.

Nichols’ second two innings of work went poorly for the rest of the Gateman batters as he shipped six of seven back to their dugout with the only blemish being one double given up in the fourth.

“Especially with the wood bats, I was letting myself play in the zone,” Nichols said. “I was just competing well.”

With only one strikeout in his appearance Tuesday night, Nichols continued to focus to pitch to contact. In his previous outing against Y-D he only left with two strikeouts in 5.2 scoreless innings, totaling three strikeouts in his last 9.2 scoreless from the mound.

“After a lot of hard contact at Ole Miss and earlier this summer, I’m just finding ways to be in different parts of the zone and have weaker contact,” Nichols said. “It’s helping me mature as a pitcher.”

After holding a no-hitter for 5.2 innings at Dunkin’ Park last week, Nichols was looking to continue his success on the mound. He followed through Tuesday night with another outstanding performance on the bump.

“[Nichols] gave us another great start,” head coach Eric Beattie said. “he’s throwing a lot of strikes. His fastball is playing really well right now. He is throwing his off-speed early in counts and getting ahead with it. He’s got great confidence right now.”

With the Harbor Hawks clinching home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs, they will need to continue to have success from the pitching staff, and Nichols figures to play a big part in that.

“I will just prepare for whatever start comes as [if it’s] any other start,” Nichols said. “I want to try and keep this momentum and just pitch like I have [recently].”