By Courtney Swift
Kettleers Media Intern
July 15, 2012
COTUIT – The Bourne Braves snapped Cotuit’s seven game win streak with an 11-3 blowout win Sunday at Lowell Park. Not only were Cotuit’s bats silenced, but also the pitching was weak from the start.
Bourne came out of the gates ready to swing, proving to be too much for Kettleers’ starter Cameron Griffin (Stetson). The first three Braves batters reached base before Griffin made the only out of his appearance. “We didn’t set the tone,” coach Mike Roberts said. “He didn’t set the tone for the ballgame aggressively and then you know it fell apart.” Just as it looked like Griffin could get out of the inning with little damage, he gave up two doubles and a single to put the score at 4-0.
The game didn’t get much better for Cotuit as Jordan Smith (Western Carolina) came in to relieve Griffin. Smith allowed two runs of his own in the first after giving up a single and triple to Braves’ nine batter Joe Jackson. “We were kind of timid all day long,” Roberts said. Bourne led by a 6-0 margin at the end of a half inning.
Adam Nelubowich hit a 2-run bomb in the 3rd. / Photo by Mike Buccino
The Kettleers attempted a comeback scoring in their half of the third after Adam Nelubowich (Washington State) hit a two-run bomb to right-center field. Hot hitting Mike Ford (Princeton) doubled to lead off the bottom of the fourth and scored after Tony Kemp (Vanderbilt) singled to right to bring the score to 7-3. But the deficit only grew as Bourne added four more runs in the sixth and seventh innings to put the final score at 11-3.
Newcomer Patrick Corbett (Coastal Carolina) made his first appearance as a Kettleer getting the last out of the sixth. “We didn’t know a lot about him except seeing him in the bullpen,” Roberts said. “We just have to see if he’s capable at this young stage of his college career.”
The Kettleers (now 15-11) ended their win streak after seven games, but look to get back to their winning ways Monday. But it might be difficult with some nagging injuries. “We’re beat up, and it’s just happened really quickly,” Roberts said. “We’re going to give three or four guys tomorrow off.” Roberts says there are two or three players with hand injuries that need some rest, but nothing serious.
Cotuit faces off against the Orleans Firebirds (15-11) at 5 p.m. at Lowell Park. For more post game interviews visit Official Kettleers on YouTube.