Story by Steve McCarthy
July 3, 2009

COTUIT- It seems as though the only sunny days are the ones which the Hyannis Mets are scheduled to play at Cotuit’s Lowell Park. For the third time in nine days Friday, the Kettleers hosted the Mets, and less than a month into the season will not play another regular season home game against them.

Each team has won one of the games in Cotuit, and Friday’s darkness shortened contest ended in a 3-3 tie after the Mets (5-8-1) scored all three of their runs in the sixth inning to squelch Cotuit’s shutout hopes.

“It’s getting old,” Cotuit second baseman Chris Bisson said of the scheduling. “So we’re getting ready to get back in the routine of no rain-outs.”

After back-to-back singles led off the inning, Hyannis’ Nick Crawford (UAB) and Elliot Soto (Creighton) advanced on a walk by Cody Hawn (Tennessee), and then were driven in by a single to right field by Ryan Cuneo (Delaware). Hawn was thrown out at second on the play, but Cuneo advanced to third on a double by Dustin Harrington (East Carolina), and scored the tying run on a groundout by Trent Whitehead (East Carolina).

Cuneo, Crawford and Harrington had two hits apiece of Hyannis’ 11 total. Four came in the sixth inning.
“They hit the ball pretty hard tonight,” Bisson said. “They deserved to come back and tie us, but I think we should have been a little more on point defensively.”

Cotuit manager Mike Roberts thought Crawford’s leadoff hit could have been ruled an error as the low throw from shortstop B.J. Guinn (Cal-Berkeley) could not be picked out of the dirt by first baseman Tony Plagman (Georgia Tech).

“Our pitching has been outstanding, but we probably gave up three earned runs, and they really should have been three unearned runs,” Roberts said.Cotuit (7-6-2) opened the scoring in the second inning when Rico Noel (Coastal Carolina) came in from third on a fielder’s choice. Noel was aboard after a single, then stole second and advanced to third on a base hit by Zack Cox (Arkansas).

Bisson drove in Cotuit’s other two runs in the fifth inning with a double to the left-center field fence that scored Plagman and Cox from first and second respectively. Bisson hit safely in three of his four plate appearances, and added two stolen
bases to regain the team and league lead with 15. He also raised his .160 batting average with the three-hit night, and credited hustle for breaking out of a mini-slump.

“That bunt was all right, but that infield single there was just no way. I refused to get out on that one,” Bisson said.

The Kettleers had 9 total hits in the game. Cox was the only Cotuit player other than Bisson with a multi-hit night, going 2-for-3 with a double and a single.

Four pitchers took the hill for each team. Brandon Cumpton (Georgia Tech) worked five innings for Cotuit, allowing two runs on eight hits and struck out two. Austin Hudson (Central Florida) lasted five innings as well for Hyannis, and was
responsible for all three Cotuit runs. He surrendered seven hits, struck out two and walked one.

“I thought Brandon (Cumpton) threw the ball really, really well, but when we can’t make the routine play, then you’re going to have difficulty winning,” Roberts said.

Chad Bell (Walters State JC) allowed Hyannis’s tying run after replacing Cumpton with Crawford and Soto on base. He allowed the walk to Hawn, as well as Cuneo’s single. Jake Buchanan (NC State) took over for Bell with one out in the
inning, and allowed two hits while striking out two in the next inning and two-thirds. Daniel Tillman (Florida Southern) retired the six batters he faced in order to finish the game.

Tyler Wilson (Virginia) allowed one hit and struck out two through three innings of relief for Hyannis. Mark Gormley (Brown) and Dallas Gallant (Sam Houston) combined for the ninth.

Cotuit’s July 4 game in Falmouth will start at 5:30 p.m. The Commodores will then come to Lowell Park on Sunday for a 5 p.m. game.