Story by Steve McCarthy
June 28, 2009

COTUIT- An RBI single by Zack Cox (Arkansas) in the bottom of the eighth inning gave the Cotuit Kettleers the only lead they would need Sunday, as they beat the Hyannis Mets 2-1 at Lowell Park in Cotuit.

In his second game with the team, Cox hit the ball hard in two of his first three plate appearances, but sent each drive in the range of Hyannis’ outfielders. The game winning hit was re-directed off Hyannis pitcher Kevin Moran’s glove and landed in short right field, allowing time for Jeff Rowland (Georgia Tech) to score from second.  Rowland was aboard after a leadoff single and advanced on a groundout by Chris Bisson (Kentucky).

“Today I’d felt like I had been hitting the ball well,” Cox said. “The wind was blowing in on one, and one was right at him. I got up there, I hit a ball hard again and I found a way to get on.”

Bisson hit an RBI single of his own to tie the game in the fifth inning. Tony Plagman (Georgia Tech) scored from second on the hit. Bisson had been hitless in his previous 17 at bats.

Hyannis (5-6-0) took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when Dustin Harrington (East Carolina) singled to left off Cotuit starting pitcher Chad Bell (Walters State JC), bringing Nick Crawford (UAB) in from second. Crawford reached on a single and recorded one of his two stolen bases in the game to advance into scoring position.

Bell did not factor into the decision for Cotuit as he lasted just four and one-third innings. Navery Moore (Vanderbilt) finished the fifth inning and retired the Mets in order in the sixth. He then walked the first two batters in the seventh inning and handed the ball over to Ben Rowen (1-1, Virginia Tech), who earned the win in three innings of scoreless relief. Rowen struck out four and allowed one hit in his team high seventh appearance of the season.

“Today I felt pretty good,” Rowen said. “My fastball wasn’t moving like it had been, but my slider was working pretty well and it kept them off balance pretty well.”

Hyannis starting pitcher Cole Johnson (Notre Dame) was effective against Cotuit hitters as he was in earning the win eight days earlier in the first meeting of the season between the teams, when he allowed one run in seven innings of work. Johnson allowed Cotuit’s first run Sunday, but struck out eight through six innings and gave up three hits. He retired the Kettleers in order in four of the six innings.

Johnson was relieved by Notre Dame teammate Eric Maust (0-1), who took the loss as he allowed Rowland’s leadoff single in the eighth inning. Moran entered with one out in the inning.

The teams combined for just eleven hits in the game. Cotuit had six, all by different batters. Crawford and Harrington had two hits apiece for Hyannis. The fifth hit was a double by Ryan Cuneo (Delaware).

Rico Noel (Coastal Carolina) re-gained the league lead in stolen bases with his thirteenth, breaking a tie with Bisson. Noel stole second in the third inning and moved over to third when the throw down got through the infield. He attempted to steal home on the next pitch by Johnson, but Hyannis catcher Kenny Swab gloved it and was waiting to make the tag.

Cotuit (7-4-1) will travel to Bourne Monday for a 6 p.m. game, and then face Yarmouth-Dennis on consecutive days Tuesday and Wednesday.