By Jon Mettus
June 14, 2015
YARMOUTH-DENNIS — Cotuit Kettleers starter Daniel Brown (Mississippi State) had a no-hitter going through 4 1/3 innings, but the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox (2-4) scored four runs in the fifth inning to beat the Kettleers (3-3), 4-1, in game one of a double header at Merrill “Red” Wilson Field on Sunday.
Red Sox pitcher Jake Devries picked up the win for his one run allowed and six strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.
Through the first four innings, Yarmouth-Dennis couldn’t touch Brown. He struck out two batters and only allowed one base runner on a walk.
The Kettleers struck first in the top of the fifth. Spencer Gaa (Bradley) singled on a ground ball to the middle then moved to second on a Will Haynie (Alabama) bunt. Matt Dacey (Richmond) flew out to center before Tanner Stanley (Richmond) hit a line drive the opposite way into left field, scoring Gaa.
Next up, Michael Paez (Coastal Carolina) ran out a ground ball to short to put runners on the corners. Gene Cone (South Carolina) walked on five pitches to load the bases, bringing Stephen Alemais (Tulane) to the plate.
Devries’ pitch got away from the catcher and Stanley ran home from third, but was tagged out as he dove headfirst. He tossed his helmet into the grass and looked at the umpire in disbelief.
The Red Sox responded in the next half inning, however.
Brown got the first batter to ground out. He surrendered a single to Stephen Wrenn (Georgia) on a line drive to right-center field. The Kettleers replaced Brown with Jack Anderson (Penn State), who conceded a single on a line drive to right, before Matthew Kinney (Florida State) took over on the mound.
With runners on first and second, Brady Conlan (Cal State Dominguez Hills) hit a grounder to third that squirted underneath Gaa’s glove and loaded the bases. Nick Ruppert (Dartmouth) smacked a liner into right for a single. Matt Albanese’s (Bryant) throw from right rolled through the infield and two runs scored on the play.
Another single made it 3-0 before Cole Billingsley (South Alabama) knocked in the final run with a sacrifice bunt.
In the top of the seventh, Haynie rocketed a ball off the wall in left-center for a double and Stanley drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Paez drew a walk after an 11-pitch at-bat to load the bases, but Cone popped out in foul territory to end the game.