By Nick Solari, Kettleers Beat Writer
June 14, 2013
(Kettle Talk with Alexa Galloway PREGAME and POSTGAME)
(Video Game Recap by Connor Sullivan HERE)
CHATHAM – After tying the game in the top of the ninth inning at Veteran’s Field Friday night in Chatham, the Cotuit Kettleers had hoped to remain undefeated early in the 2013 season.
Their hope turned into grief only half an inning later, however, when Sheehan Planas-Arteaga (Barry) hit a one-out single that plated the winning run for the Anglers who gave the Kettleers their first loss by the final score of 5-4.
Yale Rosen: First homerun hit in the League’s 2013 season. Photo by Joe Cavanaugh
“It’s a tough one to swallow,” Yale Rosen (Washington State) said afterwards. “We just have to come right back at them tomorrow. We made a few minor mistakes that we can correct, and we have a chance to do that.” Their hope turned into grief only half an inning later, however, when Sheehan Planas-Arteaga (Barry) hit a one-out single that plated the winning run for the Anglers who gave the Kettleers their first loss by the final score of 5-4.
Josh Eldridge (Old Dominion) singled to begin the bottom half of the ninth for Chatham. After a Kenny Koplove (Duke) strikeout, Brandon Sedell (Nova SE) walked to move Eldridge to second base.
Planas-Arteaga then drove a 2-0 pitch to right field, and Eldridge scored from second to win it for the Anglers.
Rosen paced the Kettleers offense early. In the top half of the second inning the right fielder drove a 2-2 fastball to deep right center to put Cotuit on top 1-0.
“I got a few fastballs on a 2-2 count and followed them back,” Rosen said. “Then I got another fastball, and I was able to take advantage of it.”
The visitors held that lead until the bottom of the third, when Chatham scored three runs. Eldrige scored on a passed ball, and Richard Prigatano (Long Beach State) drove in two more by smacking a double to left center.
All three of those runs were charged to Cotuit starter Ben Smith (Coastal Carolina). Smith went 2.2 innings, gave up only one hit, struck out two and walked three.
The Kettleers got one back in the top half of the fourth, however, when Patrick Mazeika (Stetson) hit a sacrifice fly to right. Will Remillard (Coastal Carolina) had the other RBI for Cotuit when he grounded out to the second basemen to tie the game in the top of the ninth.
Tim Kiene (Maryland) had two hits on the night for Cotuit, a double in the fourth and a single in the sixth.
Patrick Corbett (Coastal Carolina), James Connell (Kennesaw State), Chris Murphy (Millersville), Liam Rafferty (Florida Gulf Coast), and Ryan Grant (Wheaton) all pitched in relief for the Kettleers. The five combined for 5.2 innings and only two runs, one earned.
Murphy was charged with the loss.
“I told them (the players) that I want to try and get quite a few guys in the ballgame for these next couple of weeks,” head coach Mike Roberts said. “I don’t want guys to just sit.”
The Kettleers (1-1) look to bounce back tomorrow night at 5 p.m. They host the defending champions of Wareham at Lowell Park.
“What I’m looking for is no walks, no errors, being able to get our bunts down and to play a clean professional game,” coach Roberts said. “If we do that, we’ll be all right (tomorrow).”