Mishra throws against the Bourne Braves in his first Cape League outing. (Photo by Alysa Rubin)
by Clara Richards
Cotuit, MA – There are forty-four games in the Cape League season, but tonight, the division title came down to the last possible matchup. After a rain delay pushed back the Kettleers’ Tuesday game against Bourne, the two teams walked into Lowell Park knowing that only one could leave with the President’s Cup.
Ultimately, Bourne emerged with the victory in a stellar offensive night for the Braves. They recorded a shutout 9-0 win, notching a leadoff hit during the first inning and then proceeding to challenge the Kettleers pitching staff all night. They hit two home runs and otherwise pelted the Ketts’ defense with singles all night. Starter Matt Joyce (Coastal Carolina) and Max Meier (Stanford) both let up three earned runs, and the Ketts saw five arms on the mound. Jaylen Paden (Georgia Southern) closed out the night as the only pitcher to throw a clean outing, retiring the three batters he faced in the ninth.
Offensively, the Ketts totaled four hits scattered across the nine frames, failing to get a runner into scoring position all night. Caleb Lomavita (California), Ryan Galanie (Wofford), Trotter Harlan (Charleston), and Ryan Ignoffo (Eastern Illinois) all hit solo shots. Even though the Ketts only struck out three times, they went 0-7 hitting two outs.
Despite the loss, head coach Mike Roberts said he is pleased with his team’s performance over the entire season. “Congratulations to Bourne for winning the regular season, and I’m happy with our second place finish,” he said. “They played really well the whole year, and to win 23 games, I feel really good about our club.”
The Ketts will return to play Hyannis at home for a 4:00 p.m. matchup against the Harbor Hawks. The Ketts have hit .287 in six matchups against Hyannis and have pitched an ERA of 4.24. They have a 3-2-1 record against their neighbor rivals, and Ketts haven’t lost a game to the Harbor Hawks at home. Ben Johnson (Georgia Southern) will be starting on the mound for the Ketts.
Caleb Lomavita looks out of the dugout; he landed one of the Ketts’ hits tonight. (Photo by Alysa Rubin)
Reporter’s Notebook
by Joe Pratt | Baylor University
The stage is set for the 2022 CCBL playoffs as the Kettleers will take on the Hyannis Harbor Hawks in round one. It will be Cotuit as the two seed and Hyannis as the three seed. Game one will begin at 4 p.m. at Lowell Park, followed by game 2 at McKeon Park and game 3, if necessary, will be back at LP for another 4 p.m. start time.
Ethan Mishra (Tulane) just finished up his first season of collegiate baseball as a redshirt freshman at Virginia Commonwealth but never experienced any time on the mound for the Rams. Next season, Mishra will join the Tulane Riptide for the fall of ‘22. “I always laugh at myself saying I’ve played Cape Cod baseball before I threw a college inning,” Mishra remarked. “It’s definitely unique, but I’m excited for the opportunity.” Mishra threw 26 innings at the Cal Ripken Jr. Collegiate Baseball League prior to joining the Kettleers in the CCBL. The righthander tossed 33 strikeouts and posted an ERA of 0.69 while allowing just 2 ER. The Ripken League All-Star pitched 3 frames in Wednesday night’s 9-0 loss to Bourne. Mishra allowed 2 earned and struck out 2 in his debut. “It’s not really what I wanted. I understand this is a much tougher caliber of competition, so I’m just reflecting on the pitches that I made and what I can do to improve for the playoffs.” Featuring a high-80s fastball to comfort a slider and changeup, Ethan Mishra is a young pitcher who could play a major role for the Kettleers in the ‘22 playoffs.
After inclement weather pushed Tuesday’s game to Thursday, Legacy Day ceremonies still commenced prior to the season finale against Bourne. Cotuit Kettleers founders Arnold Mycock and Manny Robello were celebrated pregame as Mr. Mycock’s great grandson Hayden Kelly, and great grandsons of Manny Robello, Jayden (6) and Lucas (5), threw out the honorary first pitches Thursday afternoon. Fans then directed their attention to the infield grass where Manny Rebello’s niece Vickie Viera sang the national anthem.
The festivities picked up again postgame with Youth Night. Youth Night celebrated the young Ketts fans who have supported the team throughout this season. This free event gave Cotuit kids the opportunity to hang out with the players after the game with various activities around the park, with a free meal included. Parents, clinic parents and host families joined in on the fun as the evening concluded at around 9:30. It was all capped off by a 75th anniversary themed firework show to pay homage to all who have contributed through the years.
Photo by Alysa Rubin