Another year of Cape Cod League Baseball is underway as the Wareham Gatemen took on the Hyannis Harbor Hawks in their season opener.

Every summer, some of college baseball’s top players come to Wareham and Cape Cod to play in the Cape Cod Baseball League and for a chance to compete in front of Major League Baseball scouts.

On Saturday, June 14, the Gatemen opened up their season with a loss to the Harbor Hawks at home and despite the 7 to 2 outcome, Gateman Head Coach Ryan Smyth said the team is coming together.

“I thought it was a hard fought game,” Smyth said. “We didn’t lay down at the end and put a couple good at bats together.”

Many of the players only recently got to Wareham following their college seasons but Smyth said he has noticed the team is already coming together.

“Everyone seems to have a bounce in their step and the early work has been great,” he said. “This thing takes a little bit of time to mold. The personalities start coming out as soon as everyone starts getting comfortable and I think that'll happen over the course of this week.”

Moving forward Smyth said he expects the team to win some games and hopefully get into the playoffs but wins aren’t everything. He said the main goal of the league is to develop the players to potentially move onto Major League Baseball.

“This league humbles a lot of guys, that’s just the nature of it,” he said. “There are essentially 10 college all-star teams so guys are tested every night.”

He added the league creates its own stars and guys that may not have gotten much playing time in college can come to Wareham and make a name for themselves.

“I’ve seen guys that didn’t throw a whole lot at school and come out here and be all-stars and pitch with a chip on their shoulder,” he said. “Maybe a guy didn’t get a whole lot of at-bats at school but comes out here eager to play and that’s what we ask for as coaches.”

One of those guys this year is pitcher Hudson Rowan. This is Rowan’s second year with the Gatemen and he said he is coming off an injury sustained while pitching for Florida State University and is looking to bounce back.

“I’m looking for an opportunity to compete and throw some innings,” Rowan said. “I don’t just want to win, I want to win big.”

Rowan closed out Saturday night’s game for the Gatemen and added he is looking forward to getting to know his new teammates.

“I really like to form a bond with the players and become brothers for the summer,” he said. “It’s only two months and I want to make the most out of all I can.”