Cotuit rides win-lose roller coaster 
Kettleers still in top spot after tough week

 July 3, 2008


 

Written by Kathleen Szmit
 
The Cotuit Kettleers rode the official roller coaster of summer baseball this week, sandwiching a win between two tough losses. The Kettleers fell to Hyannis on Sunday 4-2 before rallying to beat Chatham 6-5 on Tuesday but fell to Bourne on Wednesday 5-2.


Kathleen Szmit photos
STEPPING OUT – Cotuit pitcher Nick Hernandez has quite a reach as he steps across the mound mid-pitch against the Bourne Braves on Wednesday.

The Kettleers weren’t hitless against the Bourne Braves this week, but they came too close for comfort to a shutout. Had it not been for a bit of a seventh inning rally, Cotuit would have gone down swinging without reaping any rewards.

Pitching woes and fielding errors seemed to plague Cotuit players and, while bats weren’t too flat, the team struggled to get and keep men on base.

The scoring began in the second inning when Bourne lit up the scoreboard with two runs on three hits. An error from Cotuit’s Evan Crawford allowed Bourne’s Stephen Batts and Kyle Roller to advance to second and third respectively, putting them in scoring position.

A sacrifice fly to right by Bourne’s Brandon Bantz brought in Roller and a single from Marc Krauss brought in Batts for an unearned run bringing the score to 2-0 in Bourne’s favor.

Crawford redeemed himself a bit in Cotuit’s second-inning at-bat, hitting a nice single up the right side to reach base before quickly stealing second. Unfortunately Dallas Poulk hit a fly ball to left field, ending the inning with Crawford on base.
Cotuit pitcher Nick Hernandez kept the Braves under control through the fifth, only allowing one hit in the fourth.

In the fifth, though, things unraveled further for Cotuit when Bourne brought in two more runs, one on another error from Crawford and another an unearned run from Jordan Henry on a sac fly from Dusty Coleman.

Kudos went to Bourne’s Austin Knight in Cotuit’s half of inning five after Austin made a spectacular over-the-fence catch on a fly from Jason Kipnis for out No. 3.

In the sixth, Alex Sogard stepped in to relieve Hernandez only to have Bourne tally another run, bringing the score to 5-0.
The Kettleers rallied in the seventh, plating two runs to eliminate a shutout. A fielding error by Bourne pitcher Kevin Landry allowed Brett Jackson to reach base.

Crawford, who reached on a fielder’s choice that ousted Jackson, scored Cotuit’s first run of the game on a double from Poulk that became a triple on a Braves error. Poulk crossed the plate moments later on a fly out from Jeff Schaus.

Although the Kettleers were able to prevent a shutout, two runs were all Cotuit could muster, as solid pitching from Bourne closer Eric Pettis kept Cotuit to just one hit for the remainder of the game.

On the Kettleers end, Robert Stock, normally seen behind home plate wearing the catcher’s mask, took the mound in the eighth, quickly proving his pitching strength.

Stock forced a ground out from Krauss before getting both Tyler Cannon and Knight to strike out looking.

Sam Brown stepped in for the final inning, forcing two groundouts from Bourne while striking out Ross Wilson.

Cotuit still has a solid hold on the top spot in the Western Division with 9 wins and 6 losses for 18 points, leading second-place Hyannis by two.

At press time the Kettleers were scheduled to travel to Brewster, with a home game against Falmouth tonight at 5 p.m.

Prior to the early evening game, fans will want to check out the Kettleers in Cotuit’s Fourth of July Parade, after which the team will host a wooden bat hitting contest. For more information visit www.kettleers.org.
  


 


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