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Cotuit offense too much for Wareham to handle in emphatic 22-2 rout forcing a game 3


Cotuit offense too much for Wareham to handle in emphatic 22-2 rout forcing a game 3


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Wareham suffered worst loss of the season at the worst possible time. After an emotional game 1 victory it looked as though all of the momentum was with the Gatemen. However, the train fell off the rails rather fast in game 2.
Cotuit scored immediately in the first inning on a double, but the flood gates truly opened in the third and fourth inning. Casey Schmitt (San Diego State) smashed a two-run home run over the left field fence. Cotuit continued to find success with the long ball in the fourth inning as Parker Chavers (Coastal Carolina) ripped a solo-shot himself.
Things went from bad to worse for the Gatemen in the inning. four singles, three walks, a hit by pitch, and just like that the Gatemen found themselves in a 9-0 hole. As a result the bullpen was depleted at a rapid rate.
Levi Prater (Oklahoma) started on the mound and struggled slowing down the Kettleers offense. He posted a final line of 3.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO. Lukas Veinbergs couldn’t manage to record an out finishing with a line of 0.0 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 1 BB. Tevin Murray (Rutgers) finally ended the fourth inning but he was tagged as well 1.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO.
Cole Stetzar (St. Josephs) took over on the bump for the Gatemen in the fifth  inning and ironically was lights out. He neutralized the Kettleers offense in his two innings of action not allowing a hit. Stetzar was taken out after the sixth inning and this is when things got out of hand.
Chris Mauloni (Jacksonville) was called upon in relief efforts and similar to Veinbergs, couldn’t find a way to record outs. Two straight walks, a double, passed ball, error, and single ended Mauloni’s day after only forcing one out.
Quinn Cleary (Yale) July 30th allowed 5 runs in 0.2 innings of work and had similar problems against Cotuit. He was hit hard allowing a walk, two doubles, before forcing an out. Cotuit ended the inning with its fourth home run, this time Matt Mervis (Duke) going yard.
Mike Antico (St. Johns) hit a consolation home run in the 8thinning, but that bright spot fell to wayside as Cotuit poured on 2 more runs in the bottom half of the inning. Wareham also scored on a Pete Derkay (Tennessee) double in the fifth inning but that run was lost in the fold of what Cotuit did.
Several Cotuit players had amazing stat lines. Mervis was 2-5 with 3 RBI, Oraj Anu (Kentucky) was 3-4 with 5 RBI, Donta Williams (Arizona) was 3-6 with 3 RBI, and Cody Pasic was 2-3 with 3 RBI.
The Gatemen tallied 12 hits but couldn’t convert the hits into runs as Jacob Teter (Florida Southern) explained.
“We never had anyone in scoring position. One of our hits was an extra base hit, but the rest of them were singles that didn’t lead to anything” Teter said.
Teter had to give credit where credit is due. Cotuit was the better team on the day and that was one of the craziest offensive performances he has witnessed.
“When their guys are hitting balls to the moon off our pitchers it is hard to come back from” Teter said. “They came out with a chip on their shoulder and they proved it so good for them but see you tomorrow Cotuit.”
The last line Teter said harkens to what kind of a group of guys this Wareham roster has. The Gatemen are not a team to go down without a fight and it should be expected a fire will be lit under the squad with their backs against the wall. Game 3 is for all the marbles with the winner moving on to round 2 and the loser going home. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. tonight at Spillane Field.
SMLXL

 Photo by: Kristin Ostrowski