Athlete Of The Week: Ty Smolinski

BOURNE – Perhaps it’s no surprise that the winner of the Cape Cod Baseball League’s Most Valuable Player award this year keeps coming through in big spots during the postseason.

But that hasn’t diminished — not one bit — the moments each time Harwich shortstop Ty Smolinski (Kansas State) found the crucial hit the Mariners needed during the multiple tight playoff contests they’ve played on the way to a winner-take-all final game against the Bourne Braves for the championship.

The postseason began inauspiciously for Smolinski — a pair of 0-for-4 performances even as the Mariners quickly took care of the Brewster Whitecaps in the East Division semifinals. From that point on though, he’s stayed clutch with the stick night after night. 

In Game 1 against Yarmouth-Dennis in the divisional final Friday, Smolinski put Harwich on the board with a run-driving single after a scuffling start had the Mariners down 3-0 early.

In Game 2 at Whitehouse Field, the Mariners again trailed. Smolinski entered the batter’s box with two on and Harwich down 5-2. He sent a deep fly the opposite way that kept carrying past the left field fence for a three-run game-tying homer — a signature postseason moment. Harwich soon after took the lead and held on to sweep the series and advance to the championship.

Earlier that night with Harwich trailing 4-0, Smolinski had already doubled and eventually scored to shorten the deficit. 

“There's not enough to say about him,” Harwich outfielder Niko Brini (Wofford/transfer to Vanderbilt) said. “He's one of the best ballplayers I've shared a field with. He's going to have a long career in this game, and it's really cool to watch someone of his talent level just compete every day.”

Smolinski has been on the Cape since the very beginning. On Opening Day, in fact, he made a defensive play at second base that landed on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays (Smolinski, at second base, backhanded a ground ball up the middle and, with his momentum preventing him from making a proper throw, instead flipped the ball behind his back to Boston College shortstop Julio Solier, who shot the ball over to first base for the putout).

In 37 games this year, Smolinski, a Nebraska native and rising junior, hit .313 with 6 home runs and 21 runs batted in, good for a .935 on-base plus slugging percentage and the league’s top individual player honor — the Pat Sorenti Award.

“He's a beast,” Harwich pitcher Bryan Matuschat (Sacred Heart) said. “He's our MVP. He's our best player.”

Smolinski delivered once more during Game 2 of the championship series against Bourne on Monday. The Braves and Mariners were in a scoreless stalemate in the top of the seventh at Doran Park when Brini bunted for a hit. Smolinski then launched a ball that bounced on the warning track in left-center field (briefly appearing to be a home run) for an automatic double to put Brini on third. 

A sacrifice fly by Cade Kurland (Florida/transfer to Louisiana State) scored Brini, which was all the Mariners needed in the season-saving 1-0 win to force Game 3 back at home.     

“I don't let the moment get too big because I trust in my preparation, and I know what I can do,” Smolinski said. “So it all just comes down to getting my pitch and staying with what I can do and not trying to do too much up there.”