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2009
Cotuit Kettleers Game Recaps
... full
season stories
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Kettleers
sit alone in first place after 6-2 win against
Bourne
story by Steve McCarthy
August 1, 2009
BOURNE - The Cotuit Kettleers got a second chance
Saturday against the Western Division leading Bourne
Braves, and took full advantage of it. After
Wednesday’s 13-1 loss at Doran Park opened up a
three point gap between the teams, the Kettleers
returned to Bourne one point behind the Braves once
again, and this time took sole possession of the
division lead with a 6-2 win.
The Wareham Gatemen (18-17-6) were tied with the
Kettleers (19-17-5), but took just one point with a
tie away from their double-header against Orleans.
The Gatemen are now tied with Bourne (20-17-2).
“We just try to stick with our game plan,”
Cotuit infielder/outfielder Rico Noel (Coastal
Carolina) said. “Everyone’s been seeing the ball
better, hitting the ball better. All around, just
getting used to this good competition I guess, and
starting to be more relaxed and comfortable at the
plate.”
Cotuit has lost three key players in four days, but
won two of three in that time. Infielder Brandon May
(Alabama) signed a professional contract Wednesday
with the Chicago Cubs; infielder Zack Cox (Arkansas)
began rehab on an injured wrist Friday, and
outfielder Cory Vaughn (San Diego St.) departed
Saturday for an undisclosed reason. “Our talent is
just deep down the line,” Noel said. “We lost a
few guys, but we’ve got enough to fill those nine
spots on the field, and just play the ball.”
Cotuit starting pitcher Justin Grimm’s (Georgia)
0-4 record coming into the game would indicate
struggles on the mound, but a 3.16 ERA and 37
strikeouts tells he has simply been the unlucky one
in the rotation. Grimm was dominant through 7 1/3
innings Saturday, striking out 10 without giving up
a walk. He allowed five hits and one earned run. He
mixed a mid-90’s fastball with a breaking ball and
occasional changeup to keep hitters off balance.
“I don’t really worry about my win/loss
record,” Grimm said. “As long as I’m pitching
well for the team, doing my best to give them a
chance to win the ball game.”
Bourne designated hitter Kyle Roller (East Carolina)
put the only dent in Grimm’s line in the sixth
inning, when he roped a single down the right field
line that was misplayed by Cotuit right fielder
Kevin Keyes (Texas) and allowed two runs to score.
“I think I just blew too many fastballs by him,
and he finally just caught up with one,” Grimm
said.
Grimm struck out the final two batters of his outing
before handing the ball over to closer Daniel
Tillman (Florida Southern) who struck out all five
batters he faced to earn the save (5). “You know
(Tillman’s) going to come in and get the job
done,” Grimm said. “It’s just great to have
him as a teammate coming behind you from the
bullpen.”
The highlight offensively for the Kettleers was
Noel’s successful steal of home with two outs in
the fourth inning. Noel broke on a pitch by Bourne
starting pitcher Seth Maness (East Carolina) and
dove in ahead of catcher Chris Wallace’s (Houston)
tag. Noel attempted the risky play once early in the
season but did not score. He is the first Cotuit
base runner to execute a steal of home this season.
“Earlier this year I tried it, and just wasn’t
comfortable doing it, and got thrown out by a
lot,” Noel said. “All summer long I’ve been
waiting for that chance to redeem myself.”
Noel added three singles to a pair of stolen bases.
The Kettleers had 14 total hits, with just one going
for extra bases. Cody Stanley (UNC-Wilmington) drove
in B.J. Guinn (Cal-Berkeley) with RBI-singles in
consecutive at bats. Cameron Rupp (Texas) drove in
Zach Cone (Georgia) for the game’s first run with
an RBI-single, and Cone had a pair of
RBI-groundouts. Kevin Patterson (Auburn) went
3-for-5 with three singles and a run scored. “We
just come out here and try to be aggressive,” Noel
said. “We’re being more comfortable at the
plate, so that’s all it leads to.”
Maness (2-1) entered the game with just 17 hits
allowed in 27 1/3 innings, but allowed 12 through 5
2/3 Saturday and was responsible for all six Cotuit
runs. “It’s probably one of them days for him
where he didn’t have his good stuff,” Noel said.
“We seen it out of his hand good, and just put
good wood on it.”
The Kettleers tagged on three runs in the fourth
inning with Noel’s steal, an RBI-groundout by
Cone, and the first of Stanley’s singles. They
made it 6-0 through their half of the sixth inning
with repeat efforts by Cone and Stanley.
Bourne relievers Scott Oberg (UCONN), Cameron Roth (UNC-Wilmington),
and Kevin Munson (James Madison) were effective to
finish the game. Oberg allowed Cotuit’s final two
hits in the seventh inning. Munson surrendered the
first walk seen in the game in the ninth.
The Kettleers will play their second to last regular
season home game Sunday, when they host the Orleans
Firebirds at 4:30 p.m.
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