Stay Connected:

Search Here

Cotuit Takes 2nd Place in West After Defeating Wareham 6-1


By Barrett Hodgson

The Cotuit Kettleers visited the Wareham Gatemen at Spillane Field on July 14th with both teams in a tie for the 2nd seed in the west division. The Kettleers left with sole possession of the 2nd spot in the division behind a convincing 6-1 victory. 

Cotuit took the lead early on during the top of the 2nd inning. Brooks Baldwin (UNC Wilmington) led off the inning with a gap-shot double to right center. He advanced on a pass ball during Drew Compton’s (Georgia Tech) walk, putting runners on 1st and 3rd. Jace Grady (Dallas Baptist) then stepped up and lined an RBI single to right. The bases were then loaded up after Ryan Ritter (Kentucky) drew a walk. The Kettleers catcher Matthew Donlan (UConn) then grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored Compton and gave the visitors a 2-0 lead 

The Kettleers tacked on another run in the 4th inning to grow their lead. Grady reached base on a walk and stole 2nd to put himself in scoring position. Donlan stepped in with two outs and delivered an RBI single into center. This gave Donlan his 2nd RBI on the night and Cotuit a 3-0 lead. 

The Gatemen got on the board in the bottom half of the 4th to cut the lead to 3-1. After two fast outs Owen Diodati (Alabama) stepped in and crushed a ball to dead center for a solo home run. This was the first ball hit out of Spillane Field to dead center during the 2021 season. 

Cotuit put the nail in the coffin in the early half of the 8th inning. The top of the Kettleers order came up to start the inning and Eric Brown (Coastal Carolina) singled before stealing 2nd. After an out, the number three batter RJ Schreck (Duke) singled which put runners on 1st and 3rd. Baldwin then stepped up and delivered with an RBI single to center. A fielder’s choice moved the runners over to 2nd and 3rd for Nathan Martorella (Cal Berkeley). Martorella subbed in at 1st base mid-game and slapped a huge two RBI single in the 8th to put Cotuit up 6-1. 

Wareham starter Elias Saul (Sacramento State) was tabbed with the loss in his two innings of work. He gave up two runs while striking out just two Cotuit batters. The Kettleers reliever Ryan Long (Pamona-Pitzer) was credited with the win in his three and third innings of work while giving up just two hits. Zachary Fruit (Eastern Michigan) got the save as he faced the tying run way back in the 7th inning and went the rest of the way. 

The Gatemen will visit the Falmouth Commodores July 15th looking to get back above .500 on the season.