With both teams near or at the bottom of their respective divisions in the CCBL, Tuesday night was anyone’s game at Lowell Park in Cotuit.

The box score suggests just that, as it was a punch-for-punch battle between both squads until the game’s conclusion, ending with a 2–2 tie.

The game was ultimately called before the tenth inning due to rain and darkness. However, for the Birds, a draw is better than a loss when sitting fifth in the CCBL East.

Orleans got off to a rather slow start.

Thankfully, for both defensive squads, neither team was ultimately able to get much going, as only four total runs were put up on the board in the matchup.

Peyton Manca (Florida State) held Orleans to a 1–2–3 inning to start the first inning.

Leadoff pitcher Logan Reddemann (San Diego) must have taken notes for the Birds, as he also kept the Kettleers to a 1–2–3 inning.

Not much changed for the Birds in the top of the second, as Manca quickly sent Robbie Lavey (George Washington), Alejandro Garza (Cal Poly), and Cashel Dugger (UCLA) back to the dugout.

However, something changed for the Kettleers in the bottom of the second, thanks to a Jack Natili (Cincinnati) homer off a fly ball to left field, giving Cotuit a 1–0 edge over the Birds.

Natili has been a bright spot for Cotuit on the plate. The backstop has four home runs, eight RBIs and a 1.818 OPS in the last week. Not to mention that the Cincinnati star is batting .471.

It didn’t take Orleans too long to respond, though. Loading bases with no outs in the top of the third inning, the Birds mustered a run of their own off an Anthony Potestio (UC San Diego) RBI, bringing Jonathan Mendez (UC Santa Barbara) home on the play.

Just like that, the score was knotted 1–1 in front of a packed Lowell Park, as the sky turned a gloomy color, alluding to the incoming rain that was about to hit.

But Ryne Farber (Texas State) would beat the rain to it. Singling on a pop up to left field, Lavey was unable to come up with the catch, as the Kettleers started heating up.

While more damage could have been done, the Birds closed the inning off with no new Kettleer runs after a Natili ground out and Farber was caught stealing second base.

As Wyatt Halvorson (Arizona State) replaced Manca on the mound in the top of the fifth, things appeared to be on the up for Orleans.

Until they weren’t.

After Halvorson allowed three consecutive walks for the Birds—Potestio, Michael O’Shaughnessy (Georgia), and Garza, bases were seemingly loaded for Orleans.

With three outs on the board, all eyes were on Dugger’s attempts to put up another run for Orleans. Unfortunately, he was unable to do so, flying the ball out to center fielder Caden Bogenpohl (Missouri State).

Both team’s scoring droughts continued for another three innings.

The Kettleers were the first to strike in the bottom of the eighth inning, though.

Yet again, Natili was the answer for Cotuit, notching his second home run of the day off a fly ball to center field.

And Natili had himself a night for the Kettleers, tallying two home runs, three hits, and two RBIs, he threatened the Birds’ in just about every possible way.

Now, Cotuit had a narrow 2–1 lead over Orleans.

In the top of the ninth, the Birds had their shot at knotting the game. A Lavey single with two outs on the board symbolized a ray of hope for Orleans.

With Luke Nixon (NC State) pinch-running for Lavey, Nixon managed to steal second almost instantly.

Garza took the plate next. In Garza fashion, he made something happen for the Birds. Just like he always does.

Off a Garza RBI, Nixon bolted home, as Garza advanced to second, tying up the game 2–2 apiece.

His words rang true, yet again.

“I’ve been trying to simplify things and help the team win as much as I can,” Garza said. “It’s been working so far, so I have to keep it rolling.”

Garza did in fact, keep his momentum rolling on a rainy Tuesday night, as the Birds avoided their eleventh loss of the season.