COTUIT, Mass. — The Kettleers were off on Monday but returned to the diamond Tuesday against the Orleans Firebirds. It was a low-scoring affair, but an eighth-inning home run put Cotuit ahead as it appeared it would escape with the victory.
However, Orleans fought back in the ninth and tied the game on an RBI single. The game was called before the 10th inning due to darkness and rain. Cotuit didn't play horribly, but a down game from the offense and bullpen led to a 2-2 tie.
"I thought we were uncharacteristic from a pitching standpoint because we walked too many people. We're fortunate that we were even in a 2-2 game, because they (Orleans) had multiple opportunities," Cotuit manager Loren Hibbs said. "We played just good enough to tie, let's put it that way."
The Kettleers got on the board in the bottom of the second inning when Jack Natili (Cincinnati) launched a solo home run, his third home run in as many days.
Orleans answered it when it loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the third. A sacrifice fly by Anthony Potestio (UC San Diego) scored the tying run before Cotuit hurler Payton Manca (Florida State) walked a batter to load the bases again. The left-handed pitcher struck out a Firebird, then forced a groundout to limit the damage to just that run.
Manca threw another scoreless frame in the fourth and was pulled for Wyatt Halvorson (Arizona State) in the fifth.
Halvorson walked the bases loaded with two outs but forced a flyout to keep the game tied at one apiece heading into the bottom of the fifth. He surrendered back-to-back walks in the top of the sixth before being pulled.
Charlie Walker (Northeastern) entered the game and got out of the frame in four pitches, finishing with a strikeout.
Cotuit threatened in the bottom of the inning when Ryne Farber (Auburn) collected a one-out single, and then Natili doubled to the left field wall with two outs. Runners would have been in scoring position, but the Kettleers’ third base coach was aggressive and sent Farber, who was out easily at home plate, to end the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, Case Sanderson (Nebraska) collected an infield single, followed by a Luke Lavin (Stanford) double to put runners in scoring position with two outs. Orleans intentionally walked Jarren Advincula (Georgia Tech) to load the bases for center fielder Caden Bogenpohl (Missouri State).
The 6-foot-6 outfielder battled with the Firebirds pitcher but struck out on a foul tip to end the inning and strand the bases loaded.
With two outs in the eighth, a tie game and a full count on Natili, he stood in the box with a choked-up grip on his bat. Orleans reliever Ryan Oshinskie (Brown) released the pitch, and the Cincinnati Bearcat crushed it over the center field wall for a go-ahead homer. The Kettleers dugout exploded while Natili flipped his bat in excitement as he gave his team the lead with three outs to go.
“The approach is always the same for me. I’m looking for a pitch that I can do damage on, and I got one in both scenarios. I’m slowing down my at-bats, I think that’s been the biggest thing for me,” Natili said.
Tyler Albanese (San Jose State) returned to the mound for his second inning of work in an attempt to record the final three outs.
With two outs, Robbie Lavey (George Washington) collected an infield single, then was replaced by a pinch-runner who stole second base. After a long at-bat, Alejandro Garza (Cal Poly) ripped an RBI single to tie things again. Albanese recorded the final out of the ninth to give Cotuit a final chance.
The Kettleers went 1-2-3 in the ninth, with two outs being fly balls to the warning track. Due to the darkness and light rain, the umpires called the game as Cotuit and Orleans tied, 2-2.
Notes
Tuesday’s game was called due to weather. It’s the fourth game since last Tuesday that’s ended early.
Natili is on fire at the plate. The Cincinnati backstop is batting .471 with four home runs, eight RBIs and a 1.818 OPS in the last week.
Manca threw four innings of one-run ball. It’s the third consecutive outing with at least four innings of work and one or fewer runs allowed.
Looking ahead
Cotuit is on the road again; this time it’s at Y-D for the third matchup of the summer between the Kettleers and Red Sox. First pitch from Red Wilson Field is at 5 p.m.
