By Zach Kaplan
Penn State University
June 18, 2018
COTUIT– In a similar outcome to last Thursday’s game in Wareham, Cotuit’s bats again were quiet following a double-digit effort, as the Kettleers fell to Bourne 4-1 at Lowell Park.
“You win close games doing the little things well, and we struggled doing the little things today,” said manager Mike Roberts after the game. “When you’re up and down, its usually because of the ineffiency of the little things that make the difference in a close game.”
Both starting pitchers avoided trouble in the first inning, as the Kettleers stranded Will Robertson (Creighton) after he got aboard with a one-out double.
John Baker (Ball State) throws a pitch in the Kettleers’ 4-1 loss to Bourne on June 18, 2018 at Lowell Park.
John Baker (Ball State) went six innings for Cotuit, giving up two runs on six hits while striking out five Braves on the day. Bourne starter Jared DiCesare (George Mason) went 5 ⅔ innings, giving up one run on three hits with six strikeouts.
“He kept us in the ballgame. He did a good job of being able to keep us in the ballgame through six [innings].” said Roberts following Monday’s game.
“I felt good. I went out there with the mindset of attacking the strike zone, staying with a quick tempo,” said Baker after the game. “It seemed to work out pretty well for me.”
Bourne struck first on Monday, getting runners on base in the second. After a two-out double by Jared Triolo (Houston) and a single by Oscar Serratos (Georgia Tech), Triolo was able to steal home after Serratos took off for second, giving the Braves a 1-0 lead.
The Braves would add another run in the fifth inning, as Chase Murray (Georgia Tech) singled through the gap, scoring Alika Williams (Arizona State) and extending the Bourne lead to two.
Cory Wood (Coastal Carolina) rounds the bases after a solo home run against Bourne on June 18, 2018.
But the Kettleers would get one back in the sixth, as Cory Wood (Coastal Carolina) took Cotuit’s second hit of the game deep over the fence in right-center field. Wood’s first home run as a Kettleer got Cotuit back within one.
The defensive highlight of the game occurred in the top half of the seventh inning. With runners on second and first, the aforementioned Williams hit a ground ball to the left side.
Cotuit third baseman Eric Jones (Davidson) dove to his left and fired the ball to second, starting a double play that ended the Bourne scoring threat.
The Braves had yet another chance in the eighth inning with two runners on, but again were thwarted by the double play, this time at the hands of relief pitcher Stephen Schoch (UMBC).
Bourne would add an insurance run in the top of the ninth to seal the win. The Kettleers will get back at it tomorrow, traveling to McKeon Park in Hyannis to take on the Harbor Hawks. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m.