Posted in: Sports 
By Dave Peros
Jun 29, 2007 - 1:42:52 PMDigg this story!

    A loss Wednesday to Bourne allowed the Braves to pick up a slim lead in the fight for the top spot in the western division as the Kettleers fell 4-2.

    Mike Cisco (South Carolina) got the start for Cotuit, going seven innings. Cisco allowed three runs on 10 hits. He struck out two and did not allow a walk.

    Bourne jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one, but the Kettleers bounced back with a run in the top of the second. Caleb Joseph (Lipscomb) was hit by a pitch to open the inning and then raced around to third on a throwing error by Bourne pitcher Wade Kapteyn (Evansville). Joseph scored on a groundout by Reese Havens (South Carolina).

    The Kettleers cut the lead to 3-2 in the top of the third on a lead-off walk to Correy Figueroa (St. Petersburg) that turned into a run when he scored on a groundout by Josh Harrison (Cincinnati).

    Cisco retired the side in order in the third and held the Braves scoreless through seven. Josh Lindblom (Purdue) pitched the eighth for Cotuit, allowing one run on one hit.

    The Kettleers were able to muster just four hits against Bourne pitching, two of them doubles, with Ryne White (Purdue) and Ryan Lollis (Missouri) each contributing one. 

    Trailing 7-3 Sunday the Kettleers staged a comeback that almost pulled out what ended as an 8-6 loss to Hyannis. Cotuit held a 3-2 lead entering the bottom of the fifth when the Mets got to Kettleers pitcher Ryan Strauss (Florida State) for three runs to take a 5-3 lead. Chris Fetter (Michigan) came on with one out in the seventh, but couldn’t hold back the Mets.

    Hyannis starter Andrew Doyle (Oklahoma) went eight innings for the win allowing six runs on eight hits.

    Cotuit rallied in the eighth when Caleb Joseph walked and moved to third on a double by White. Aaron Baker (Oklahoma) then singled up the middle scoring Joseph. White scored on an infield ground out and with two outs in the inning Mike Bianucci (Auburn) beat out an infield hit to plate Baker. The rally ended when Bianucci was picked off first.

    Jason Rook (Applachian State) got the start for the Kettleers and pitched well for three frames, allowing just one hit before turning it over to Strauss.

    Doyle claimed the win with Met’s closer Tyler Stohr picking up his third save.
Baker, White and Havens each had two of the 11 hits for Cotuit.

    Monday the Kettleers belted out 10 hits in an 8-5 victory over Chatham. J.B Shuck (Ohio State) went six innings, allowing three runs on six hits. Only one of the Chatham runs was earned.

    Back-to-back home runs in the third by Bianucci and White put the Kettleers on top by two, but the A’s came back with two of their own in the bottom of the frame. Bianucci picked up two more RBI in the fifth He finished the day 2-for-3 with three RBI and three runs scored.

    Leading 5-2, the Kettleers gave another run to the A’s in the bottom of the fifth. Cotuit scored twice in the top of the sixth and added another for insurance in the top of the ninth. Robert Stock (USC) held the A’s to one hit in an inning and two-thirds of relief to pick up the save.

    A double down the left field line by Figueroa scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth Tuesday to give the Kettleers an 11-10 victory over Brewster.

    The Whitecaps drove Cotuit starter Jim Birmingham (Penn) from the mound with five runs in the first. Brian Wilson (LMU) took over with one-out in the first and went five frames giving up two more runs.

    Four runs in the bottom of the third by Cotuit cut the Brewster lead to one run, but the Whitecaps pushed five more across including two in the top of the ninth to apparently seal a 10-6 victory.

    The Kettleers, however, had a different idea with five runs on four hits in the bottom of the frame.