By Zach Kaplan
Penn State University
June 24, 2018
CHATHAM– Baseball is known for plenty of different sounds around the ballpark on a given day. The crack of the bat, the crowd reacting to a play, the “pop” that comes from the ball hitting the catcher’s glove after every pitch. But on Sunday, the Kettleers were able to put together a win with a much quieter sound.
Bunting has long been part of Mike Robert’s baseball strategy, as evidenced in this photo from 2007.
The sound of a perfectly laid-down bunt.
Of the six runs Cotuit scored in Game 1 of their scheduled doubleheader in Chatham, three of them came via the bunt, en route to a 6-1 win for the Kettleers. Beau Brundage (Portland) was able to drive in two of the RBI’s needed for the win on Sunday.
“I think the biggest thing is being a team guy. If [Coach Roberts] gives the sign, you have to get the job done so we can get ahead in the game. Its your job to just get the bunt down.”
Brundage came up to bat in the fifth inning of Sunday’s win as the Kettleers held a 1-0 lead, and had two runners in scoring position with two outs. As he faced two strikes in the count, he made sure to maintain his focus on laying one down.
“I was just trying to focus hard on seeing the ball,” said Brundage after the game. “I had to make sure I made contact that wouldn’t go foul or get caught for an out. I just try to focus and make sure I can get the bunt down.
Brundage would drive in a run via the sacrifice bunt in the fifth inning, which was the third straight bunt of the inning for the Kettleers. Zach Humphreys (TCU) reached safely, while Cory Wood (Coastal Carolina) dropped a sacrifice bunt before Brundage drove in the run with a sacrifice bunt of his own.
Beau Brundage (Portland) had two RBI’s by way of the bunt for Cotuit in a 6-1 win over Chatham on Sunday.
In the seventh, manager Mike Roberts put out a similar strategy as his team sought an insurance run or two. After Peyton Burdick (Wright State) was hit by a pitch and Humphreys reached on an error, Roberts again had Wood and Brundage lay down bunts, eventually driving in another RBI for Brundage.
“I’m a backyard coach. The objective is just to win,” said Roberts postgame. “I want to play the complete game, and to me that is part of playing the complete game.”
Cotuit will hold off from bunting on Monday as the team has the day off. They will host the Harwich Mariners at Lowell Park on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 5:00 p.m.