ORLEANS, Mass. — In the inaugural game of the Loren Hibbs era, the Cotuit Kettleers lost to the Orleans Firebirds, 5-4, in extra innings.
“We got some production off the bench,” Hibbs said. “We gotta be able to finish games, and we will.”
The Kettleers started scoring early after a Jackson Natili (Cincinnati) RBI single brought Camden Johnson home in the top of the first. Anderson French (Virginia Tech) kept the scoring going, looping an RBI single into left field to drive Natili home.
Orleans answered quickly after Robbie Lavey’s (George Washington) RBI single brought Michael O’Shaughnessy (Georgia) home to cut the Ketts’ lead to just one run in the first.
The Firebirds tied the game in the third inning with the help of a Dawson Bryce (Charlotte) RBI single. The home team threatened to score more with the bases loaded, but back-to-back strikeouts from Kenton Deverman (Evansville) ended the inning.
Firebirds starter Cal Scolari (San Diego) was taken out in favor of University of Hawaii pitcher Sebastian Gonzalez after 2 1/3 innings pitched.
As for Cotuit, starter Deverman went three innings, surrendering two runs on four hits and striking out five batters. Zane Coppersmith (Stetson) was given the ball in relief.
Coppersmith worked his way into trouble in the bottom of the fourth inning, with the Firebirds getting runners on the corners with one out. Jordan Taylor (Stetson) was thrown out at home on a fielder’s choice, and O’Shaughnessy lined out to Jarren Advincula (portal) to end the inning.
Charlie Walker (Northeastern) relieved Coppersmith after three innings of two-hit, no-run baseball. Coppersmith pitched for the Wareham Gatemen last summer but chose to pitch for the Kettleers this year.
Pitchers on both sides kept bats quiet until Javar Williams (Wake Forest) singled to lead off the bottom of the seventh. The sophomore right fielder swiped second for the second time in the game, putting him in scoring position for O’Shaughnessy.
The recent Georgia commit, who had two hits Saturday, grounded into a fielder’s choice to French to bring Williams home, giving the Firebirds a 3-2 lead.
Logan Reddeman pitched the eighth inning with no faults, but the Kettleers' bats threatened in the top of the ninth. Nolan Stevens (Oklahoma) led off with a single and French walked. Ryne Farber (Auburn) dropped a single into right field to load the bases.
Case Sanderson (Nebraska) was called on to pinch-hit. Stevens was brought home on a sacrifice fly to tie the game at three.
Max Knight (Missouri State) pinch-hit for Ryan Jaris but struck out swinging to end the inning.
Walker retired the Firebirds in order to force extras.
“(He) was really good,” Hibbs said. “He may have gone three or four or five pitches more than we thought he would, but he’s rolling pretty well.”
To face the top of the Ketts' order, the Firebirds called on Western Kentucky lefty Lucas Litteral. Knight advanced to third on a passed ball, and Advincula gave the Ketts the lead on a sac fly to center field.
A long flyout to right by Stevens ended the top of the 10th inning, and Hibbs gave the ball to Tyler Albanese (San Jose State) to close out the game.
The right-hander struck out Bryce and forced Lavey to ground out, but walked Abbrie Covarrubias to put runners on the corners. Covarrubias swiped second with Chris Barr (USMA) at the plate.
A slow ground ball to PJ Moutzouridis seemed to seal the game, but a dropped ball at first allowed not only the tying run to score but the winning run as well.
“We’re gonna have to do a better job of making adjustments in the middle of the game,” Hibbs said. “We got to finish the game, so we will do that as time goes on.”
The Kettleers will host the Gatemen at Lowell Park at 5:30 p.m. Sunday.
