By Matt Feldman
Syracuse University

July 8, 2016

Quinn Brodey (Stanford) posted two hits in the tie, including a ninth-inning RBI single that tied the game at three-all. Photo by Brigitte Rec

The Kettleers (7-16-1) came back from a 3-2 deficit Friday night, eventually tying the Wareham Gatemen (12-10-2), 3-3, at Lowell Park. The tie came after 10 innings of play, at which point the umpires and managers deemed it too dark to continue the game.

First tie of the season for Cotuit

After three runs apiece through ten innings of baseball, the Kettleers found themselves with their first tie ballgame final of the season. Wareham tied Bourne a couple of weeks ago, so the Gatemen now how two ties, the highest tie total in the league. Roberts said the game was so close and the mistakes and umpires were so shaky, it was a “flip of the coin” at the end of the night.

“I didn’t like (tying) at all,” Ryan Rigby (Mississippi State) said. “But oh well, it wasn’t a loss, wasn’t a win, we just have to try to win every day.”

A positive for the Kettleers, though, is that even with a tie, Cotuit still earned a point. The tie puts Cotuit three-and-a-half games behind Hyannis for the playoff-clinching fourth spot in the east division. Had Cotuit not tied Wareham last night, instead losing, the Kettleers would be four games behind the Harbor Hawks.

“It’s weird, I haven’t tied in a baseball game since probably Little League,” Quinn Brodey (Stanford) said. “But it’s good that we got the one point.”

Brodey has another stellar night

In the bottom of the ninth inning, after Clay Fisher (UC Santa Barbara) reached second base on a Colton Shaver (BYU) error, the Kettleers were down 3-2 with one out on the scoreboard. Brodey stepped to the plate, representing the winning run for Cotuit.

Brodey saw himself fall quickly into an 0-2 hole, but fouled off what would’ve been strike three to stay alive. He then crushed Ryan Wilson’s (Pepperdine) next offering into right-center field.

Fisher scored from second, tying the game at three-apiece, and though that was where the score would stay for the remainder of the game, Brodey was the hero of the night for Cotuit.

“He went to the fastball, on the inner side of the plate, and I got my hands to it and poked it over the second baseman’s head,” Brodey said.

Brodey continued, saying that he has developed into just as strong of a hitter against left handers as he is against right handers, and a lot of that comes thanks to Roberts stressing to him that he needs to keep his back knee down through his swing. This allows Brodey to get to lower pitches, instead of standing up when he swings.

Ryan Rigby (Mississippi State) threw four innings in relief Friday, allowing just one earned run. Photo by Brigitte Rec.

Rigby strong in relief

Rigby was exceptional in his relief appearance on the mound Friday night against the Gatemen. The right hander threw four innings for Cotuit after Colton Hock’s (Stanford) four and two-thirds inning start. Rigby allowed two runs on just one hit in his four innings of work, and only one of the runs was allowed.

“That’s the best he’s pitched since he’s been here,” Roberts said. “I’m very very pleased with Ryan, he threw the ball extremely well.”

Roberts continued, saying that Rigby possibly could have thrown another inning two, but he was sitting around 45 or 50 pitches, which Roberts says is a long time for a reliever to be out there.

“I came in, tried to get the fastball around the knees, thats ‘where I was successful,” Rigby said. “I’ve been locating my slider pretty well, and that’s what worked for me today.”