BREWSTER, Mass. — The Kettleers did a lot of things right in their game against the Whitecaps. From stealing a season-high three bases to snatching the lead in the 10th inning, Cotuit looked like it might earn its second win in a row.
Instead, the Kettleers saw their lead vanish as the Whitecaps scored in the bottom of the 10th, resulting in a 4-4 tie on Saturday in Brewster.
“Our guys really played hard and battled, (and) you're one out away from getting a win,” Cotuit coach Rob Cooper said. “To have it end the way it did because of the Cape Cod rules is a little bit deflating, but we went on the road, we played hard (and) we had a chance to win the game.”
Many people view a tie as a step above a loss, yet Cooper still described the mood as deflated. Landon Beaver (UAB) used a similar word — “bummed.”
“You hope your team wins, and then (the Whitecaps) even the score,” Beaver said. “If you don't win, you kind of lose in my opinion, so that's how I'm feeling right now.”
Before Brewster tied it up, Beaver wasn’t feeling bummed at all. He was feeling good, and he had every reason to.
In the top of the 10th inning, he stepped up to bat with Ryan Tyranski (Cincinnati) on third base. Beaver singled on a ground ball to center field, bringing Tyranski home and giving the Kettleers a 4-3 lead.
He wasn’t happy with his previous at-bat in which he grounded out to the pitcher in the eighth inning, so he was determined to redeem himself.
“I was a day late on a heater, so I told myself I'm just going to free swing at the first pitch I see,” Beaver said. “It worked out, luckily.”
Even though Beaver recorded the critical hit to give Cotuit its fourth run, he also committed a costly mistake in the fifth inning.
With the Kettleers holding a 3-2 lead, Brewster’s Dane Harvey (Ohio State) singled. After Beaver’s throwing error, the Whitecaps brought in a run to tie the game 3-3.
“If I just make a good throw, then we probably win, but it happens,” Beaver said.
He emphasized the necessity to play cleaner baseball, which was on full display in the fourth inning. Cotuit scored three runs courtesy of doubles from Will Plattner (Alabama) and Jesse DiMaggio (Dallas Baptist) to claim a 3-2 lead.
Outside of the scoring, Aiden Aguayo (UCLA) represented a bright spot for the Kettleers. He recorded two hits (a single and a double) and stole second base. He also made some impressive plays in the field, and it didn't go unnoticed.
“He's starting to really get comfortable and play,” Cooper said. “He’s a guy who played a lot as a true freshman at UCLA…. He’s just a really good baseball player.”
Despite the frustration of not capitalizing on the late lead by turning it into a win, the Kettleers feel like things might be starting to click.
“We're becoming more of a team,” Beaver said. “We're together all the time, so I think we’re getting more comfortable. Everyone's starting to catch up and just be the best they can be.”
Cotuit returns to the field to take on Harwich at 4:30 p.m. EDT Sunday in Cotuit.
