Athlete Of The Week: Hudson Shupe

ORLEANS – The Orleans Firebirds needed an offensive spark, and Hudson Shupe answered the call.

While starting pitcher Cody Bowker (Vanderbilt) dazzled on the mound, second baseman Hudson Shupe set the tone at the plate with an RBI single that gave Orleans a 1-0 lead over Chatham in the team’s regular season finale Sunday night at Eldredge Park.

“It felt good,” Shupe said. “Coming up with two outs and a guy on second base, I knew I had to get a pitch to handle. I did that and put a good swing on it. It found some grass and it felt good to get up right out of the gate.”

Moments later, Shupe made it 2-0 after scoring on a passed ball by Chatham catcher Daniel Jackson. He brought his batting average up to .310 after finishing 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored.

Shupe’s big night helped Orleans clinch the fourth and final spot in the East Division.

“It’s hard when your back is up against the wall trying to get in the playoffs,” he said. “It came down to the last game and I think the guys responded to the adversity well and came out on top.”

Now Shupe and the Firebirds will play top-seeded Yarmouth-Dennis in a single-elimination playoff game at 4 p.m Tuesday at Y-D. The winner will play the winner of second-seeded Chatham and third-seeded Harwich’s single-elimination game in the East Division finals.

“We know they are going to be a tough draw whenever we play (Y-D),” Shupe said. “We have to come in prepared and pitch the ball well and hit the ball well. I think we’ve played some really good games against them and match up well.”