The Gatemen were so close yet so far to winning Saturday’s game against the Y-D Red Sox. It was tied 3-3 going into the ninth, when the Gatemen allowed three runs to score, putting the game out of reach.
It was a crushing defeat that left a sour taste in the team’s mouth, and they are motivated to right the ship before June comes to an end.
Tonight, the Gatemen will have an opportunity to do that against the Orleans Firebirds (6-6). The Firebirds are coming off a 4-3 win against Harwich, which got them back to .500 on the season. These two teams met not too long ago at Spillane Field when Orleans defeated Wareham 7-5 on Wednesday.
It was a game the Gatemen were looking to win, ahead 5-0 after four innings. However, the Firebirds scored seven unanswered runs to secure the win.
Tonight, the Gatemen get a chance to avenge their loss on Wednesday and redeem themselves from their previous game’s collapse with a win to close out the month of June.
Starting Pitchers
The Gatemen will once again start left-hander Cooper Consiglio (NC State). Consiglio makes his third start of the season tonight. So far, he has started two games, pitching 7.2 innings, allowing 6 hits, 6 runs (4 earned), and 2 walks while recording 7 punchouts and a 4.70 ERA.
In his last start against the Harwich Mariners on June 22, he pitched 4.1 innings, allowing 2 hits and 2 unearned runs with 4 strikeouts. He has been a solid starter for the Gatemen so far this summer, so look for him to set the tone early.
On the other side, the Firebirds will throw right-hander Itsuki Takemoto (Hawaii). The second-year Firebird has started two games for Orleans this summer, pitching 7 innings, allowing 5 hits, 3 runs, 6 walks, striking out 3 batters, and posting a 3.86 ERA.
In his last start against the Brewster Whitecaps on June 22, Takemoto finished 4 innings scoreless, allowing only 1 hit and 3 walks. He is more of a pitch-to-contact type of pitcher, but his proneness to walks could give the Gatemen opportunities, so look out for that.
Players to Watch
Some players to look out for on the Gatemen are Brayden Randle (Ole Miss) and Levi Clark (Tennessee). Randle has been taking up the lead-off spot for the past few games and has done a good job of setting the tone for the offense.
In Saturday’s game against the Red Sox, he scored in the bottom of the first to tie the game 1-1. Look for him to set the tone again tonight as the lead-off man.
Clark was also the one who drove Randle in during that first inning. It was just part of Clark’s 2 for 4 night with an RBI and a run. Plus, Clark’s two throw-outs to second base have shown his capabilities as a catcher. Look for him to once again be impactful tonight.
The Firebirds, on the other hand, got a great performance from Elijah Ickes (Hawaii) on Saturday. Ickes went 2 for 4 with 2 runs against the Mariners.
Robbie Lavey (George Washington) did not have a great night against the Mariners, but fared well in the Firebirds’ last meeting with the Gatemen on Wednesday. He went 3 for 3 with 4 RBIs, 2 walks, and a run scored. Look for both of them to make an impact tonight.
First pitch for tonight’s game will be at 6:30 p.m. at Eldredge Park in Orleans. You can attend the game for free, or you can tune into the Gatemen’s radio broadcast with Cory Miller, Josh Richardson, and Rayna Maggelet on the call by clicking HERE.
