Kettleers record second straight win behind a pair of home runs

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Rintaro Sasaki embraces his teammates after his home run. The two-run shot put the Kettleers up 5-1. (Photo/Finn Murphy)

HYANNIS, Mass. – There’s almost nothing that beats the Cape Cod sunset fans saw in Hyannis tonight.

The one thing that does? Two home runs, including a grand slam, in one night from the Cotuit Kettleers.

In a matter of just 26 hours, Cotuit quadrupled its home run total on the season.

In an 11-1 win over the Harbor Hawks, the Kettleers locked down their first win streak of the season in dominating fashion..

Scoring for the Kettleers started early yet again. In the first inning, Jarren Advincula (Georgia Tech) scored on a passed ball, and Dean West (UCLA) quickly followed on a sac-fly from Andrew Wiggins (Portal) to put the Kettleers up 2-0.

Hyannis answered back quickly in the bottom of the first with a solo shot by Jaxon Willits (Oklahoma) off of Payton Manca (Florida State).

After that home run, Manca was lights out. In five innings of work, he surrendered just five hits, struck out four and didn’t walk a single batter.

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Payton Manca (Florida State) takes the mound for the Kettleers. Manca shut down the Harbor Hawks' offense in five innings. (Photo/Dennis Theoharidis)

“I know I’d rather let up hits than give up walks,” Manca said. “We gave up zero the rest of the game, so it was good.”

Zane Coppersmith (Stetson) relieved the Seminole and pitched two shutout innings, striking out two.

The Harbor Hawks, however, gave up 11 hits to the Kettleer offense. After four quiet innings, Caden Bogenpohl (Missouri State) started the sixth with a single, and Cam Johnson (Oklahoma) brought the Bear home on a single of his own.

Rintaro Sisaki (Stanford) stepped up to the plate with one on and two outs. The rising (YEAR) has struggled this summer, with only two hits in 27 at-bats. In one swing, the infielder ignited the Kettleer dugout, launching a two-run home run over the right field wall and the Ketts led 5-1.

In the seventh, back-to-back walks, plus a stolen base from Advincula, Ryne Farber (Aubirn) doubled on a bloop shot into left field and gave the Kettleers a 6-1 lead. Bogenpohl followed with his third walk of the game to load the bases.

Up stepped Andrew Wiggins. Still seeking his first extra-base hit of the season, he fouled off three of the first four pitches of the at-bat. On the fifth pitch, ball and barrel connected and the former Hoosier not only hit his first home run of the season, but Cotuit’s first grand slam of the summer.

The moon shot, which was 100 mph off the bat, put the Kettleers up 10-1.

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Andrew Wiggins (Portal) rounds the bases after a grand slam in the sixth. The first home run of the season for Wiggins gave the Kettleers a demanding 10-1 lead. (Photo/Dennis Theoharidis)

“Obviously, I would want to hit something hard,” Wiggins said of his plate approach. “I tried to get my pitch, I got it and I hit it pretty well.”

A sac-fly from Advincula brought Luke Matthews (Kent State) home to give Cotuit a ten-run lead.

After Hyannis failed to answer in the seventh, the game was called due to the (mercy) run-rule, and the Ketts secured their second straight win.

“We’re gonna be as good as we can be and keep moving forward,” head coach Loren Hibbs said. “I’m honestly just concerned about what we’re going to do tomorrow.”

Tomorrow, the Kettleers return to Lowell Park at 5:00 to face the Falmouth Commodores for the first time this season.