Calfornia duo dreaming of long playoff run with Schooners

Groton — Forty-four games into a summer baseball season and playing 3,000 miles away from home, they could be California Dreamin.'

Instead, Tommy Jew and Kevin Chandler, two Californians from San Ramon and Valencia, respectively, only have Mystic on their minds.

They hope the Mystic Schooners make a long and successful run in the New England Collegiate Baseball League playoffs, starting Thursday with a South Division first-round game against Plymouth at Fitch High School.

They've having too much fun to head home now.

"It's been awesome," Chandler said. "We're having a great time and it's a great group of guys. It's a blast here. I love it here . ... I wish we could stay here longer, to be honest."

Jew added: "This is some of the most fun that I've had playing baseball in a long time. It's pretty easy going out here but it's also really competitive. I'm having a good time."

Neither player ever has been this far East until this summer. Jew once played in a youth tournament in Cooperstown, N.Y., and the Babe Ruth World Series in Clifton Park, N.Y.

They're taking advantage of experience.

Jew and Chandler helped propelled the Schooners (27-17) to their fifth straight post-season appearance, the longest active streak in the NECBL.

Primarily a center fielder, Jew bats in the heart of the order. He's second on the team in batting average at .328. He also supplies power (a teambest eight home runs) and speed (10 stolen bases) as well as chipping in 21 RBI in 32 games.

"Tommy is one of the most complete players we've had in my six years here," Mystic manager Phil Orbe said. "He's someone that can hit for power and hit for average, run the bases, defensively run balls down in center field and also has an above average arm."

Chandler, a 6-foot-4 right-hander, has been a reliable member of the pitching staff. He's 2-0 with a 2.45 earned run average in seven appearances, including four starts. He's allowed 23 hits while striking out 32 and walking just three in 29.1 innings.

So how do two University of California Santa Barbara players end up in Groton for the summer?

UC Santa Barbara assistant coach Neil Walton, a former NECBL player, reached out to Mystic general manager/owner Dennis Long about the duo joining the Schooners.

It was an easy decision for Jew and Chandler, especially considering they're are not only teammates but also both up for adventure.

"We knew we were going to be living together and we knew we were going to be able to motivate each other to get better out there, so we were in," Chandler said. "We just bought it into."

"Something new, something different," Jew said. "I like new experiences."

Jew and Chandler were key contributors for UC Santa Barbara last spring. Jew started all 52 games, batting .295 with nine doubles, four triples, four home runs and 30 RBI. Chandler ranked third on the team in appearances (21), going 0-2 with a 4.88 earned run average.

Success has followed them to the East Coast. They were both selected to represent South Division in the NECBL all-star game last weekend. Jew, a starter, went 2-for-2 with an RBI, and Chandler pitched a scoreless inning in relief.

"That was pretty amazing," Chandler said.

For the Schooners to defend their NECBL title, they'll need both players to continue to play at a high level. Thursday's playoff opener is an elimination game, with the winner advancing to face Ocean State in a best-of-three divisional championship series starting Friday.

"We're excited," Chandler said. "We want to win this whole thing, so we're going to do everything we can."

Orbe picked Chandler as the starter for Thursday's game. Earlier this season, Chandler pitched seven impressive innings in a 3-0 shutout win over Plymouth, striking out seven and not issuing a walk.

"Kevin is probably our best arm and competes as well as anybody that we have," Orbe said. "Kevin is one of the more intense guys that I've come across on days that he starts. His first start was up at Plymouth and I just remember the intensity and focus that he had. It was a 90 degree day and he had a sweatshirt on with the hood on in-between innings . ... It was very impressive.

"He's the type of guy that loves the game of baseball . ... He has a bright future ahead of him." News and notes • The three-day all-star break didn't slow down the surging Schooners, who beat North Adams 7-1 in the regular-season finale Tuesday at Fitch. They're 10-1 in their last 11 games. Nick Mascelli (Wagner) went 2-for-3 with his sixth home run and three RBI. Jew had two hits and an RBI. The Schooners used nine different pitchers, including Waterford's Adam Goss (Franklin Pierce) who went one scoreless inning. It was the final appearance of the summer for Goss, who's having his tonsils removed . ... Pitcher Connor Lewis (Hartford), another former Waterford standout, is done due to back issues.