story by Steve McCarthy
July 16, 2010

COTUIT – A night after being shut out for the first time since June 18, the Cotuit Kettleers offense rebounded for an eight-run, 10-hit outburst Friday to out-slug the visiting Harwich Mariners 8-4.

Michael Yastrzemski (Vanderbilt) led the charge for the Kettleers, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a pair of runs scored. He also swiped two of Cotuit’s five stolen bases in the game.

“To get back out there and everyone’s swinging the bat good and running, it’s a lot of fun when it comes together,” Yastrzemski said.

Falmouth lost Friday night, leaving Cotuit (12-13-2) alone in second place in the Cape Cod Baseball League’s Western Division, two points behind Bourne. Harwich (14-14) remains in third in the East, despite carrying as many points as Bourne.

Cotuit will host Falmouth on Saturday at 5 p.m.

Tyler Pill (CSU-Fullerton) had three hits for the Mariners, who opened the game with a two-run inning after a leadoff triple by Ronnie Richardson (Central Florida).

Swirling winds baffled outfielders early on, particularly Cotuit center fielder Michael Faulkner (Arkansas St.), who could not catch up to Richardson’s drive over his head.

“It was nice to have an advantage (offensively) with the wind, but defensively, it’s not fun,” left fielder Yastrzemski said.

Cotuit starting pitcher Brady Rodgers (Arizona St.) was able to settle down for six shutout innings, while the Kettleers offense supported him with all eight runs posted between the second and sixth innings.

Rodgers struck out 10 and did not allow a walk after both of Harwich’s first-inning runs were unearned. The Mariners found three hits in the eighth to push two more runs across and end Rodgers’ night after seven and two-thirds innings. Seven of the nine hits off Rodgers came in the first and eighth innings.

“In the first inning, they were getting it in the air and it was carrying in the gaps,” Rodgers said. “After that, I just started keeping it low and they started rolling over, hitting it on the ground. That made it a lot easier on me.”

Cotuit reliever David Colvin (Pomona-Pitzer) finished the game.

Harwich right-hander Pierce Johnson (2-1, Missouri St.) held Cotuit off the scoreboard in just two of his five and two-thirds innings of work. He was responsible for seven of the eight runs scored during that time and all 10 hits.

Clint Moore (West Point) and Kyle McKenzie (Tulane) combined to shut the Kettleers down for the remainder of the game.

Cotuit’s Brooks Pinckard (Baylor) scored in the second and fourth innings after stealing third twice. He was plated by Jordan Leyland’s (UC-Irvine) single in the second and credited with stealing home in the fourth after escaping a rundown.

Yastrzemski drove in Leyland in the fourth and sixth innings with a pair of base hits. He scored on a John Hinson (Clemson) groundout in the third and Chad Wright’s (Kentucky) double in the sixth.

Cotuit catcher James McCann (Arkansas) had two RBIs to go along with two hits. Faulkner also had two hits out of the leadoff spot.

“To score eight runs in this league is real tough,” Rodgers said. “We did a really good job today.”