By Courtney Swift
Kettleers Media Intern
July 4, 2012
COTUIT – Cotuit sought revenge on Western Division leading Falmouth Wednesday after losing a close game the day before. But what started as another early deficit for the Kettleers against the Commodores ended in a big sixth inning and a 7-6 Fourth of July win.
“I established my fastball on both sides of the plate and kept it down.” Jordan Ramsey (Photo by Mike Buccino)
Jordan Ramsey (UNC Wilmington) got the Independence Day start for the Kettleers. Ramsey had trouble establishing his fastball early, giving Falmouth a 1-0 lead in the first. “I struggled in the first inning with my changeup,” Ramsey said. “Today it wasn’t working and you’ve got to make adjustments. But I established my fastball on both sides of the plate and kept it down and kind of pitched off that.”
After staying away from the changeup, and he pitched brilliantly going 6 2/3 innings, the longest of any Cotuit starter all season. “I know he throws strikes,” coach Mike Roberts said. “I felt like if he threw strikes against this good a club than we had a chance to win.” Ramsey gave up three runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and zero walks.
The Kettleers recently added a power bat in Daniel Aldrich (College of Charleston). Aldrich played for Orleans earlier this season, but was released and picked up by the Cotuit. “We’re very fortunate that we were able to pick him up and to get a mature player and to get him in the middle of the order and get him in quickly after he came back from Omaha,” Roberts said.
After returning from the NCAA Home Run Derby, his bat came up big in his first game for the Kettleers. “I was just trying to relax, stay calm, see some pitches wait for something in the zone that I knew I could drive,” he said. Aldrich had four RBIs on the night with a homerun in his second at bat with the club to get the Kettleers on the board. He also hit a game tying single in the seventh and added a 2 RBI double in the eighth.
“Just trying to relax, stay calm.” Daniel Aldrich (Photo by Joe Cavanaugh)
Down 3-1 going into the bottom of the seventh, Cotuit was looking for some July 4th magic. They threatened early in the inning after Aramis Garcia (Florida International) reached on an error. Garcia scored on a wild pitch, and later Aldrich singled to score Adam Nelubowich (Washington State) tying the score. Patrick Biondi (Michigan) then singled to load the bases for James Roberts (USC) who hit a go ahead 2 RBI double putting the Kettleers on top 5-3 after seven. “I just happen to be finding the holes, you know,” Roberts said. “It’s all about placement.”
Cotuit looked to solidify their lead in the eighth after Raph Rhymes (LSU) was hit by a pitch and Jacob May (Coastal Carolina) singled. Aldrich hit a two run ground-rule double to bring the Kettleers’ lead to four runs.
After two days of rest, closer Dan Slania (Notre Dame) took the mound with a 7-3 lead in the ninth. He was met with a Commodores comeback giving up three straight hits to starting the inning. Jake Rodriguez (Oregon State) hit a solo shot over the center field fence before two Falmouth singles to put two on with no outs in the top of the ninth.
Slania recorded the next two outs before facing Falmouth’s nine hitter, Alex Maldonado (Holy Cross). Maldonado hit a two run single up the middle bringing the score to 7-6, but that was all Slania gave up getting a groundout to end the inning and game.
The Kettleers are halfway through their stretch of ten games in ten days, and sit at 8-9 on the season. Falmouth still remains at the top of the West, but falls to 10-7. Cotuit looks to move back to .500 Thursday against the Hyannis Harbor Hawks (4-13) who are tied with Bourne for last place in the Western Division. Cotuit has won both matchups against Hyannis this season and looks to take another, to get one win closer to the Barnstable Patriot Cup. For more postgame interviews, visit Official Kettleers on YouTube.