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June 24, 2023 10:57 pm | by Joanna Dwyer
The Gatemen returned to Spillane Field Saturday night to faceoff against the Cotuit Kettleers. The two meetings between the teams so far this season have been a tale of two different stories. The first game featured a big pitchers duel with a low hit count, but the second was much different.
10 of 17 hits were claimed by the Gatemen en route to their win over Cotuit including big plays from Landon Wallace (West Virginia) and Bobby Boser (USF).
“Always huge,” Boser said. “Big nights offensively keep us moving. They keep us on a roll and hopefully we get hot from it.”
The first few innings mirrored the first night at Cotuit until Wallace broke the scoring drought with a solo shot over the centerfield wall. Boser immediately attacked the next pitch and hit a double into the same spot.
Cotuit tied the game up in the top of the fifth with a two-out RBI single and took the lead with another.
Aidan Major (West Virginia) made his debut on the bump for the Gatemen and worked through 18 batters,only giving up two hits and two runs on the night.
A couple walks and a Nick McLain (Arizona State) single put catcher Ryan Campos (Arizona State) up to bat with no outs. Campos was able to force a bases loaded walk in a frustrating inning for Cotuit.
“I’m just trying to square up a ball trying to get the guy across,” Campos said. “Try and keep it simple and try to get a team at-bat.”
The score sat at two apiece going into the top of the sixth as Keegan Allen (West Virginia) took the mound. Allen looked to get into a groove after a shaky outing against the Falmouth Commodores. As Cotuit had the go-ahead runs on the bags, the ball sailed deep into right field to McLain. The Sun Devil duo struck again as a McLain missile was shot to the dish to Campos for the tagout to send the game into the bottom half.
“Nick’s got a great arm out there so I do my part and just catch the dang thing,” Campos said.
Boser came up to his first plate appearance since his standup double in the fourth. Boser followed his typical mantra of “see ball hit ball”, and similarly to his first hit, he pounced on the first pitch he saw and hit his second home run of the season to give Wareham the lead.
“I really needed that one,” Boser said. “I’m just hoping to carry it into the next few games and the rest of the season.”
The Boser bomb sparked a big offensive onslaught for the Gatemen. Sebastian Murillo (Georgia) reached on a single before Zack Stewart (Missouri State) came in as a pinch hitter and hit one of his own. Josh Stevenson (LSU) came up and increased the lead with a two RBI double to bring in Murillo. McLain’s RBI single and Campos’s hustle to reach on a fielder’s choice gave the Gatemen a four run lead over the league leader Kettleers.
The defense made quick work of the Cotuit lineup, including catching a runner stealing and a big double play in the eighth.
Lucas Mahlstedt (Wofford) came in to close the game out and in 20 pitches, collected two strikeouts to give the Gatemen their second straight win.
The back-to-back wins come after a three game losing streak. Boser said the team was ready to move on and get back into the win column.
“We gotta flush the losses and keep rolling with the wins,” Boser said. “That’s our approach.”
The Gatemen will face the Hyannis Harbor Hawks for their third meeting of the season on Sunday night; this time on the road at McKeon Park with first pitch set for 6 p.m.
Ryan Campos (Arizona State) tags out a runner at home on an outfield assist by Nick McLain (Arizona State) during Wareham’s 7-2 win over the Cotuit Kettleers, June 24, 2023 at Spillane Field in Wareham. Photo by Maddy Djuric.
Aidan Major (West Virginia) mid-pitch during the 4th inning of Wareham V. Cotuit on June 24th 2023 Photo by Will Bradley
Sebastian Murillo (Georgia) turns an unassisted double play during Wareham’s 7-2 win over the Cotuit Kettleers, June 24, 2023 at Spillane Field in Wareham. Photo by Maddy Djuric.
Landon Wallace (West Virginia) rounds second after hitting a home run during Wareham’s 7-2 win over the Cotuit Kettleers, June 24, 2023 at Spillane Field in Wareham. Photo by Maddy Djuric.
Keegan Allen (West Virginia) pitches during Wareham’s 7-2 win over the Cotuit Kettleers, June 24, 2023 at Spillane Field in Wareham. Photo by Maddy Djuric.
Landon Wallace (West Virginia) makes a great throw to second base to close an out during the 3rd inning of Wareham V. Cotuit on June 24th of 2023. Photo by Will Bradley
Grant Hussey (West Virginia) sprints towards first base after a quick infield hit during Wareham V. Cotuit on June 24th 2023. Photo by Will Bradley
