HYANNIS, Mass. — Both the Cotuit Kettleers and Hyannis Harbor Hawks opened the game hot Tuesday night, but neither could score runs when they had the opportunity.
In the 3-3 tie, the teams left a combined 18 runners on base.
“We get the chance to put the ball in play and move guys and score,” Cotuit manager Loren Hibbs said. “We have to be able to do that.”
Caden Bogenpohl (Missouri State) got the Kettleers on the board early. On the first pitch he saw, the center fielder launched the ball over the right field fence with Ryne Farber (Auburn) on first, giving the Kettleers a 2-0 lead.
The Harbor Hawks cut the lead in half on a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the first, and took a 3-2 lead on a two-run shot from Sawyer Black (North Carolina) in the second.
Even though Nolan Stevens (Oklahoma) led off the fourth with a double, he was thrown out on the basepaths on a fielder’s choice from Luke Matthews (Kent State).
Despite the baserunning miscue, Cotuit was able to even the score when Matthews scored from second on a wild pitch and a throwing error from the Hyannis catcher.
That run in the fourth would be the last of the game, as the contest turned into a true pitchers' duel.
Ryan Buckler (Florida Atlantic) kept his consistency on the mound, despite the hiccups in the first two innings. After that, he had 2 ⅔ innings of no-run work.
“He really competed,” Hibbs said of his starter. “He did not have anywhere close to his best stuff tonight.”
The bullpen competed in a game where there was little room for error. Wyatt Halvorson (Arizona State) relieved Buckler with two on in the fifth and only needed one pitch to get out of the jam and force a groundout.
The Sun Devil was pulled in the eighth inning in favor of Chase Carson (Charlotte), who carried the team all the way to the 10th inning.
“Going into my fifth year of college, I’ve been in these scenarios a lot,” the lefty said. “It’s always best to go out with your best stuff and be fully convicted when you’re throwing.”
Carson did just that against the Harbor Hawks. In two innings of work, he struck out four batters and shut down the opposing offense in a game, and point in the season, with little room for error.
Both teams had bases-loaded opportunities in the 10th inning, but neither could plate a run, and the game ended in a draw.
The Kettleers return to Lowell Park on Wednesday for a date with the Harwich Mariners at 4:30 p.m.
