By Courtney Swift
Kettleers Lead Writer
June 29, 2012
HARWICH – The Kettleers have been up and down all season and were looking to bring their record back to .500 Friday against the League leading Harwich Mariners. The Kettleers fell into an early 6-0 hole after the first two innings, and couldn’t bounce back losing to the Mariners 7-2 and falling to 5-7 on the season.
“When you leave up a change up, it’s basically batting practice,” Kyle Finnegan. Photo by Joe Cavanaugh
Harwich took advantage of Kettleers starter Kyle Finnegan (Texas State) and his shaky start. Finnegan walked the first hitter he faced (who was later caught stealing) and then walked the next two hitters before clean up man, Eric Jagielo (Notre Dame) hit a bomb over the right-center field fence, putting the Eastern Conference leaders up 3-0. “When you leave up a change up, it’s basically batting practice,” Finnegan said. “In the next inning I started feeling better with my stuff but made another mistake. I made two mistakes, and they capitalized.”
Harwich piled on the runs again in the second after a single and error before the nine-hitter Mike Connolly hit a three-run homer of his own just over the fence in left. The Mariners have already hit 26 homeruns this season.
The only runs Cotuit would score came in the third inning after a double to left-center by Galli Cribbs Jr. (San Jacinto College), giving the Kettleers their first hit of the day. Angel Rosa (Alcorn State) singled to drive in Cribbs and later scored on a single to right by Tony Kemp (Vanderbilt). There were a few deep fly balls hit to the fence by Adam Nelubowich (Washington State), Jacob Valdez (San Jose State), Raph Rhymes (LSU) and Cael Brockmeyer (CSU Bakersfield), but none landed in Cotuit’s favor.
The Harwich bats were stifled through the rest of the night as Finnegan began to settle down and minimize mistakes. He struck out seven of the last ten batters he faced. “I felt like I was in control of each at bat instead of hitters sitting on pitches and stuff like that,” he said. “I felt a lot better keeping the ball down and executing all my pitches.” Finnegan allowed just three hits on the night, with eight strikeouts and four walks. Jacob Stone (Weatherford College), Adam McCreery (Arizona State), and Dusty Isaacs (Georgia Tech) all pitched in relief, allowing one unearned run on no hits and three walks.
Despite the loss, Coach Mike Roberts was happy with his team’s efforts and progression in becoming the ball club he wants them to be. “The pitching tonight was dramatically better for four guys, balls downstairs,” Roberts said. “Offensively we swung a little better early in the count tonight. We won tonight everywhere but on the scoreboard.”
Cotuit continues its ten-straight game stint Saturday at home against the Wareham Gatemen. Jordan Smith (Western Carolina) will make the start followed by Kevin Ziomek (Vanderbilt) Sunday. To see more post game interviews and information about next weeks pitching, visit Official Kettleers on YouTube.