By Ben Gainsboro, Stetson University
Photos by Josh Muir, Endicott College
July 3rd, 2019
What Happened? The Kettleers (9-8-2) saw their two-game win streak come to an end at Falmouth (7-7-1) Wednesday night, losing the game 6-1.
A Few Notables:
Joey Loperfido (Duke) hit his first home run of the season for the Kettleers. Since starting the season just one for his first twelve, Loperfido is 4 for his last 7 at the plate, with two RBI and two extra base hits in the last two ballgames.
Joey Loperfido rounds the bases following his second inning home run vs. Falmouth on Wednesday night
With the recent hot streak, Loperfido has raised his batting average by close to 200 points in the process.
Nick Gonzales (New Mexico State) had a quiet day at the plate, going just 1-4. The lone hit came in his final at bat, when he singled into center.
What was noteworthy about the single? It extended Gonzales’ on-base streak to 19 games. If that number seems familiar at all, it should be, as that is how many games the Kettleers have played on the season.
That’s right, the Kettleers second basemen has reached base at least once in every game Cotuit has played.
Think that’s crazy? Of course you do, because it is. Well, what if I told you it got even crazier than that for the New Mexico State standout?
74. Nick Gonzales, from his last season at New Mexico State to the current CCBL season, is currently sporting a 74-game on base streak. He reached base in every game this season for the New Mexico State Aggies. The last game he was held off the bases as an Aggie was May 24th, 2018 vs. Sacramento State.
Even when Gonzales is “cold,” he still finds a way to impress.
Kole Ramage (Arkansas) made his Kettleer debut on Wednesday night for Cotuit, and he threw well. In three innings, the Razorback allowed just four hits and a run, while striking out two Commodores and walking zero.
Kole Ramage throws a pitch during Cotuit’s Wednesday night battle with the Commodores of Falmouth
Even more impressively, it was Ramage’s first pitching performance in 41 days, when he faced off against Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament. In that start, he threw one inning, allowing no runs.
Coach Roberts postgame emphasized the importance of starting pitching in this tough stretch, so it seems Ramage could possibly find his way into a starter’s role.
Number Fire:
1: Extra base hit for the Kettleers on Wednesday night, the early home run from Joey Loperfido. Until this statistic stops being relevant, I will continue to preach it: Cotuit is now 8-0-1 when they record three or more extra base hits on the season. When the Kettleers have recorded two or less, the record is 1-8-1. A startling, but quite relevant statistic for Cotuit is we go deeper into July.
1: Error for the Kettleers fielders on the day, a strong improvement over earlier in the season.
5: Strikeouts for Kettleer pitching on the day.
10: Runners left on base for the Falmouth Commodores. Even though the Cotuit staff ran into some trouble with walks (seven allowed), Kole Ramage, Evan Justice (NC State), Chris Farrell (William & Mary) and Matt Moore (Purdue) did a good job of escaping even more potential damage.
74: Straight games Nick Gonzales has reached base, spanning his last season at New Mexico State to the current season as a Cotuit Kettleer. His OBP so far this season for Cotuit is a modest .494. The mark is the best in the CCBL because, well, of course it is.
What’s Next?
Cotuit (9-8-2) returns home on the fourth of July to face off against the same Falmouth Commodores (7-7-1). First pitch at Lowell Park is scheduled, like always, for 5:00 P.M.