WAREHAM, Mass. — Playoffs are a clean slate for everyone. Each team entered Tuesday with an 0-0 record.
The Cotuit Kettleers walked out of the night 1-0 in a 5-4, extra-inning win over the Wareham Gatemen, and a 1-0 lead in their best-of-three playoff series.
The Kettleers found themselves down early, when Wareham scored on a bases-loaded walk in the first. The home team tacked on another run in the third on an RBI single, putting them up 2-0.
After four silent innings from the Cotuit bats, they came to life in the fourth.
Caden Bogenpohl (Missouri State) and Zan Von Schlegell (St. Thomas) pieced together back-to-back singles, and Jack Natili (Cincinnati) worked a walk to load the bases.
Up stepped Landon Beaver (UAB), who ripped a single to center to tie the game at 2-2.
Luke Matthews (Kent State) followed up with an infield single to give Cotuit a 3-2 lead.
Unfortunately for Wareham, that would not be the only time Matthews made a key play at the plate — or in the field — Tuesday night.
Cotuit tacked on another run in the fifth, when Johnson scored on a wild pitch, taking a 4-2 lead.
Wareham cut the Cotuit lead to 4-3 on an RBI groundout in the sixth.
After a leadoff double by Colby Turner (Michigan) in the ninth, Ketts' reliever Zane Starling (North Florida) was pulled for Chase Carson (Charlotte), who retired the first batter he saw.
Jack Kail (Columbia) lined an RBI single down the left field line, and the game was tied.
Beaver led off the 10th inning with a single. The Alabama native has made an immediate impact on the Kettleers’ lineup, with seven RBIs already.
“I don’t even know if Beaver knows the signs or not,” Hibbs said. “But he’s swung the bat well, and he’s one of (UAB’s) good, young players.”
Beaver quickly swiped second and advanced to third on a balk, and Matthews knocked him in with a single.
“I was trying to get a good pitch to hit and put it in play with no outs,” Matthews said. “I got one, and the bat broke, but it died a hero.”
Matthews’ reflexes also played hero in extras. First, he cut off a Christopher Ramirez (Cal Baptist) ground ball to get the first out of the 10th.
Cotuit pitcher Greaney later found himself in a bases-loaded jam with two outs. On a 3-1 count, Hayden Yost (Florida) lined a ball up the middle. The speedy Matthews was there, fielded the ball himself and stepped on second for the final out of the game.
“You are not going to see two any better defensive plays than what Matthews made right there,” Hibbs said. “The ball was left and then it was right. Seriously. You will not see any two better defensive plays by anybody in baseball right now.”
The Kettleers will look to take the series Wednesday at Lowell Park, with first pitch at 4 p.m.
