By Ben Fischer

University of Maryland

June 14, 2018

Two games into the 2018 season, the Cotuit Kettleers starting pitchers have established themselves as one of the biggest strengths of the squad.

John Baker delivers a pitch during the Kettleers 10-1 opening day win over Brewster

In the opener at Lowell Park, John Baker (Ball State) dominated the Brewster Whitecaps, throwing five shutout innings, allowing just six hits and striking out eight. In the Kettleers’ second contest at Wareham, Zane Collins (Wright State) was not quite as sharp, but still held the Gatemen scoreless over five frames.

“They’re just filling up the strike zone,” catcher Zach Humphreys (TCU) said. “If you fill up the strike zone and throw strikes, you’re going to get outs.”

Humphreys referenced the “rule of 68” which says that 68% of balls hit in play are outs. Humphreys said that Cotuit pitchers and catchers keep that philosophy in mind in order to remember to pound the strike zone.

Humphreys sentiments echoed those of his head coach Mike Roberts, who said that the key for his pitchers was throwing strikes and said after Tuesday’s win that doing so “set the tone,” for his team.

Humphreys also mentioned the impact of coach Jerry Weinstein who has worked closely with the pitchers and catchers.

“He’s a baseball mastermind,” Humphreys said of Weinstein. “He knows more about baseball than anyone I’ve ever met…when I’m around him I just open my ears and just try to soak up as much as I can.”

While Humphreys praised Collins’ performance in Wareham and Collins said he felt “very good” about his start, both agreed that Collins needed to throw more strikes and start ahead in more counts his next time out.