By Will Kraus, Bates College
Photos by Josh Muir, Endicott College
Video by Jacob Cohen, Boston University
July 3, 2019
Fireworks were firing off from neighboring areas around Guv Fuller Field in Falmouth, but there were too few fireworks from Cotuit’s bats as the Kettleers fell 6-1 to the Falmouth Commodores on Wednesday night.
One firework that did come from the Kettleers came early on as Cotuit grabbed a 1-0 lead off of the first pitch in the second inning.
Loperfido rounds the bases after his home run
Left-handed Joey Loperfido (Duke) took Nick Nastrini (UCLA) deep to right center field for his first homer in the Cape League.
That would be all the runs Cotuit would score however, as the offense scuffled for just two more hits in the loss.
Cole Ramage (Arkansas) got the start and made his Kettleer debut on the mound. He looked very solid through the first three innings.
“I thought that Cole [Ramage] did a really good job in his first outing.” said Coach Roberts after the game. “I let him go probably ten pitches too far and Justice hadn’t been out there in a while.
Those ten pitches came in the fourth inning when the game started to swing in Falmouth’s favor.
Ramage prepares to throw home
The Commodores began the inning with three straight singles including a high ball that landed just in front of Parker Chavers (Coastal Carolina) in left that tied the game.
Evan Justice (North Carolina State) came in for Cotuit but struggled with control, walking the bases loaded before hitting another batter and throwing a wild pitch by catcher Cody Pasic
Justice slings it home
(Maine) that gave Falmouth a 3-1 lead.
Steven Moretto (Sacramento State) would score on a passed ball in the bottom of the sixth as Falmouth tacked on an insurance run.
Pitcher Christopher Farrell (William & Mary) entered the game for Cotuit in the seventh but found himself in some trouble as well.
A combination of walks and passed balls put the Commodores up four and a hard hit ground ball by Massachusetts native Austin Masel (Holy Cross) that bounced sharply over Loperfido at first extended the Falmouth lead to 6-1.
Farrell at Falmouth on Wednesday
“We took too many pitches tonight.” said Roberts postgame. “I’m trying to get the guys to realize that batting average with two strikes is usually around .170, that’s not very good and we got into too many two strike counts.”
Loperfido’s first pitch approach for his home run in the second inning certainly lends credence to this sentiment.
“This is a great group of guys.” Roberts continued. “They’ve played extremely well. I’m happy with them and when you play everyday you’re gonna have one of these games every once and awhile.”
The loss combined with a Wareham Gatemen win over Bourne puts the Kettleers one point back of Wareham for first in the West Division.
The Kettleers (9-8-2) will have the possibility of reclaiming the division lead as they take on the Falmouth Commodores (7-7-1) once again on Thursday for a 5 PM start at Lowell Park.