By Ben Gainsboro
Stetson University
June 9, 2019
COTUIT – The trolley horn blared as the 2019 Cotuit Kettleers stepped off the vehicle and into a crowd of cheering interns and bystanders at Mashpee Commons on the morning of June 9th.
The annual Meet and Greet was a success, with players and interns alike handing out stickers, schedules, and wristbands to fans all over Mashpee, Cotuit, Barnstable, and other neighboring towns.
The event comes one day before the Kettleers opening game, marking the 73rd year of Cotuit baseball. They draw Yarmouth-Dennis in the opener, which posted the best regular season record in the CCBL last season with a mark of 27-12-5.
Getting the start for the Kettleers is right-hander Chris Farrell of William & Mary University. Farrell is coming off a strong junior season for the Tribe, posting a stellar 5-2 record with a 2.58 ERA in 22 appearances. Farrell struck out 47 across 38.1 innings pitched, while simultaneously posting three different games with 5 strikeouts in 2019.
Longtime coach Mike Roberts, as lively as ever, is still in a feeling out process with his group early in the season.
“We don’t know a lot about our pitchers,” Roberts said. “But we’ve tried to look at guys who have a little history of starting and did a good job this spring. So [Farrell will] start for us tomorrow and we are looking forward to him pitching.”
In terms of goals for the season, Roberts wants to start with the basics and work his way up.
“We want to be consistent,” Roberts said. “Play competitive every single day, [we want] every game out of the 44 to be very competitive…we’re in it right to the end.”
June 10th marks the first game for the Kettleers as they welcome in the Y-D Red Sox. First pitch is set for 5 P.M in Lowell Park.