Highlights by Jon Perez and Halley Harris
By Matt Feldman
Syracuse University
July 2, 2016
Quinn Brodey scored a run in Cotuit’s loss at Wareham. Photo by Brigitte Rec.
WAREHAM — With Cotuit leading, 1-0, and the bases loaded in the top of the third inning, Wareham slugger Colton Shaver (BYU) grounded a routine double play ball towards Cotuit second baseman Alonzo Jones (Vanderbilt).
Jones approached the ball and attempted to field it, but bobbled it as it bounced around his glove. He then attempted a last second throw to shortstop Ryan Hagan (Mercer) who was covering second, but the ball sailed over Hagan’s head and into left field.
One run scored. Another run scored. Just like that, the Kettleers had squandered their one-run lead, and now trailed the Gatemen, 2-1.
Jones’ double-error at second base highlighted a game which saw Cotuit fail to put a number of pieces together on the field, eventually losing to Wareham, 3-2, Saturday night at Spillane Field.
Cotuit got on the board early Saturday, thanks to a second-inning solo home run from Jason Delay (Vanderbilt).
After working himself into a full count against Gatemen starter Hogan Harris (University of Louisiana Lafayette), Delay drove the payoff pitch to deep left center field. The ball carried out of the park, just missing the bleachers as it fell to the ground a few feet behind the outfield fence.
Colton Hock started for Cotuit Saturday, allowing three runs on nine hits. Photo by Brigitte Rec.
“I was looking fastball, something to drive,” Delay said. “I got it, and it was something I was looking for.”
Delay’s home run put the Kettleers up 1-0, but the lead wouldn’t last.
In the bottom of the third inning, Jones’ error on a potential double play ball allowed two runs to score, giving Wareham the lead. It was a lead the Gatemen wouldn’t relinquish the rest of the game.
“I don’t think you can look at one play,” Roberts said. “There’s no blame on any player.”
But the error put Cotuit behind, and as Cotuit trailed, its offense trailed with it, posting just four hits in the final six innings of the game.
Though trailing 3-1 late in the game, Cotuit threatened the Gatemen in the eighth. After back to back singles from Quinn Brody (Stanford) and Greyson Jenista (Wichita State), Jack Klein (Stanford) moved the runners ahead on a sacrifice bunt.
From there, it was up to Cal Stevenson (Arizona), and Stevenson delivered, smashing a high fly ball to left field, which scored Brody on the sacrifice fly.
“Those are the little things you have to execute,” Roberts said. “You’re going to see us bunt guys, you’re going to see (small ball) quite a bit more.”
But Brody’s run was the final run Cotuit would score, as the offense failed to put any other opportunities together, despite a stellar relief performance from Josh Roberson (UNC – Wilmington) on the mound.
Roberson relieved starter Colton Hock (Stanford) who got the loss, and allowed no runs on no hits in the final two innings of the game. Nonethless, Cotuit fell to the Gatemen, 3-2.
“When you get in the airplane and you fly out of New York, and you’re one degree off, instead of landing in Tokyo, you kind of land in Australia,” Roberts said. “Right now, (Cotuit) is one degree off. You can look at the defense, you can look at the offense.”