Kodie Kolden. Photo by Chris Jones (High Point University).
Bourne, Mass. – It was another day and another group effort for the Cotuit Kettleers as they looked to continue the hot stretch against the Bourne Braves. Even though Cotuit was without five key bats, and manager Mike Roberts, it got key contributions from just about everyone to boost it to a 7-3 win against the Braves.
“It felt really good to manage for the first time,” acting Cotuit head coach Kodie Kolden said. “Our assistant coaches do a really good job with scouting reports and the guys make it really fun to be around. Wasn’t too hard for me.”
Bourne came out of the gate on fire, plating three runs across the first two innings as newly activated Thatcher Hurd (LSU) couldn’t find his footing. Going 3 2/3 innings while giving up three runs, only one earned, and walking two.
After the first three innings, Bourne held a commanding 3-0 lead. That wouldn’t last long, though, as the Ketts rallied in the fourth and plated three runs, highlighted by an RBI single by brand-new Kettleer Temo Becerra (Stanford).
It wouldn’t take long for Cotuit to take the lead as in the sixth, Jarren Advincula (Cal Berkeley) delivered just like he’s done all year long, with an RBI double to take the lead. Advincula has been exceptional at the plate this season, batting .441 (best average in the CCBL) with six RBI and a 1.015 OPS.
“I’ve just been trusting myself at the plate and allowing myself to get a good swing off on pitches that I want to hit,” Advincula said. “I was proud of our guys today, we did a good job of getting deep into counts, getting big hits and being able to draw walks. Bourne has a good pitching staff, but I think we did a really good job of getting to them.”
Cotuit would score two more in the inning to take a 6-3 lead with just nine more outs to get. In that spot, Kolden would turn to righty Mikey Ebner (Southern California). Ebner would dominate per usual by going 3 1/3 innings of no-hit baseball.
In the eighth, Advincula would get on via a single, and then come around to score on two wild pitches to give the Kettleers a four-run cushion. Jacob Shafer (Duke) would then come out of the bullpen and would retire the final six batters to punctuate a 7-3 victory for the Kettleers, its seventh in the last eight games.
Cotuit will return to the diamond Saturday evening as they face the Wareham Gatemen at Lowell Park. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.
“Our baserunning was phenomenal, we put up seven runs on 11 hits, and I thought we pitched well. I can’t ask for much more from the guys, really proud of them,” Kolden said.
