Sports

Kettleers Continue To Cruise In West Division

 28 July 2006


 

 
Dan Duncan (Georgia Tech) got the win, giving up two runs on four hits and Dan Runzler (UC Riverside) earned his first save in relief. Kellen Kulbacki (James Madison) put the Kettleers on the scoreboard early with a second-inning two-run fence-clearing blast over the right field fence, his fourth round-tripper of the summer. He finished the night 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Sean Gaston (Notre Dame) went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.


Reece Havens (South Carolina) wasn’t about to let the Braves take another one Tuesday. In the bottom of the 11th with the score tied at three runs apiece, Havens drilled a one-out bases loaded single into right centerfield, scoring his Carolina teammate Justin Smoak (South Carolina), who had doubled to open the inning, giving the Kettleers a 4-3 victory. For closer Cory Gearrin (Young Harris), it was his second win of the season. 

Cotuit scored two runs in the second to go up by two and added another in the fifth when Eric Farris (Loyola Marymount) drove in Tony Thomas (Florida State). The Braves edged back with runs in the third, eighth and ninth, sending the game into extra innings.

Shane Mathews (East Carolina) got the start for the Kettleers and went five and one-third innings allowing one run on one hit. He struck out six. Starter Jay Brown (Young Harris) went an inning and two-thirds in relief, allowing just two hits while striking out three.

Mickey Storey (Florida Atlantic) was the story Monday as the Bourne Braves picked up their sixth win of the season in a 2-0 victory over the Kettleers. Storey allowed no runs in the seven and two-thirds innings he worked, holding Cotuit to just three hits. Graham Godfrey (College of Charleston) worked four and two-thirds frames allowing both Bourne runs, with just one earned. Dan Runzler (UC Riverside) went the rest of the way for the Kettleers holding the Braves scoreless. The three hits by Cotuit came from Justin Smoak, Jeff Rea (Mississippi State) and Kyle Russell (Texas).

The Kettleers jumped out of the gate with two runs in the second inning Sunday and went on to defeat the Hyannis Mets 6-4. Mike Cisco (South Carolina) was again solid for Cotuit, allowing four runs on four hits over eight innings. Gearrin pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his sixth save of the summer.

Three bunts to open the second seemed to catch the Mets by surprise as the Kettleers moved runners to second and third. Havens then scored on a passed ball, and Matt Angle (Ohio State) scampered home on the fourth bunt of the inning, a sacrifice down the first base line by Thomas.
Cotuit scored four more times in the fifth led by a three-run home run to right field by Kellen Kulbacki (James Madison).

The Kettleers belted out 10 hits led by Havens who finished the afternoon 3-for-3. Farris and Rea each had two hits.

The words consistency, reliability and durability have often been used to describe Cotuit second baseman and outfielder Jeff Rea. At Mississippi State this spring, he played 65 out of 65 games. From his lead-off position, he led the team in runs scored (58) and in steals (16). This summer Rea has played more games that any other Kettleer, having appeared in all 32. He is hitting .282, leads Cotuit in runs scored (24), and is second on the team in steals (8) and RBIs (18).

He is the prototypical lead-off hitter. While some might question his durability because of his height (five feet eight inches) and weight (157 pounds), he is strong, tough, and a fierce competitor.

“In college I’ve always batted in the one hole,” he said, “and I’m comfortable with that. I’ve become more patient; I’m taking walks and scoring more runs for my team.”

Rea, entering his senior year at Mississippi State, was drafted by the Boston Red Sox, but when the two couldn’t come to terms, he opted to return for his senior year.

“It’s the reason why I’ve played this game my whole life,” he said of his chance to sign a major league contract. “It’s a shame it didn’t work out. I love the Red Sox. They are a great organization, and I would have loved to have started my career in Boston.”

The Red Sox may not have been able to sign Rea, but they didn’t give up. They wanted him on the Cape this summer so they could take a closer look, and they have to be impressed at the ability and tenacity he brings to the game.

Once he begins classes this fall, Boston loses its rights, and Rea can be taken by anyone.

“Being up here, there are 20 guys or more watching you so anything can happen,” he added.

Saturday, the Kettleers gave the Harwich Mariners a spanking, but it wasn’t until the late innings that they laid on the heavy blows in a 7-1 Cotuit victory. James Simmons (UC Riverisde) hasn’t made a lot of noise this summer, but he has quietly been outstanding on the mound with four wins. Smooth and mechanically sound on the hill, he throws strikes. Saturday he went eight innings, facing just three batters over the minimum, allowing one run on five hits while striking out six. Mathews closed out the ninth.

A home run by Smoak put Cotuit up in the bottom of the first, but Harwich came back to tie the game in the third.

The Kettlers blew it open in the seventh with four runs highlighted by a two-RBI base hit by Josh Hula (Ohio State) to which they added two more in the eighth.

Smoak, Rea and Kulbacki each finished the night 2-for-4 with Rea and Sean Gaston (Notre Dame) scoring twice.

Strong pitching performances by Duncan, Simmons, Cisco and Mathews were complimented Friday by an eight-inning performance by Christian Staehely (Princeton) and a 7-0 victory over Wareham. Steahley allowed just five hits. Rea went 3-for-5 with four RBI. Three of them came in the third on a double into the left-centerfield gap. Farris was 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.

Eight members of the first place Cotuit Kettleers will play in tomorrow’s Cape Cod Baseball league All-Star game. Smoak will start at first base, Farris will open at second base and Havens will play shortstop with Rea getting the game opening nod in centerfield. Gaston, Simmons, Brown and Gearrin will also play for the Western Division squad. Justin Smaok will also participate in the home run hitting contest. Gates open at 11 AM. The home run hitting contest begins at 2:30 PM with the game scheduled to begin at 4:05 PM.

The team from the Eastern Division has won the annual contest for the last three seasons. The West will be coached by last year’s Western Division champion Bourne Braves skipper Coach Harvey Shapiro. 


 


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