By Ben Fischer
University of Maryland
August 5, 2018

WAREHAM – While the Cotuit Kettleers fell short in game one against the Wareham Gatemen, the Kets received a tremendous start from pitcher Griffin McLarty (College of Charleston).

McLarty held the powerful Wareham lineup in check over five strong innings. He set a season high with seven punchouts, while allowing just one run on three hits and a walk.

Griffin McLarty (College of Charleston) worked five one-run innings in game one in Wareham

Coach Mike Roberts has stressed all season long that he wants his pitchers to change their speeds and mix their pitches. McLarty felt that doing that was the key to his effective outing.

“I thought I mixed well,” McLarty said. “I threw a lot of changeups today, and when I threw my fastball I thought I commanded it well.”

Roberts said he gave McLarty the ball in game one due to his consistency. He called McLarty the “most consistent” starter Cotuit had since ace John Baker (Ball State) left due to an innings limit.

McLarty worked out of a jam in the second inning. After a debatable call at first base, Wareham ended up with runners on second and third with one out. But McLarty induced a pop out and struck out former Kettleer Jakob Goldfarb (Oregon) to keep the game scoreless.   

The Gatemen only burned McLarty once in his five innings of work. Leading off the fourth inning, third basemen Austin Shenton (Florida International) golfed a 2-0 changeup over the right field fence to put Wareham up 1-0.

McLarty said that he felt that his pitch to Shenton was not bad and that he just had to “tip his cap” to Shenton for hitting it.

The Kettleers will need Game 2 starter Zane Collins (Wright State) to continue the streak of good starts if they want to keep their season alive Monday at Lowell Park.