Kets Lose to M's 5-3

Cotuit Falls to Harwich Mariners, 5-3

By John S. Condakes

JUNE 21, 2008

COTUIT — The Cotuit offense produced their lowest output of the season in a 5-3 loss to the Harwich Mariners on Saturday night. Starter Brandon Cumpton of Georgia Tech was less than perfect from the start as he got himself into early trouble as two Mariners reached in the first but Cumpton pulled off a Houdini-like escape involving two pick-offs to get out of the inning unscathed.

The Cotuit bats were unable to put runs on the board before the other team for the first time all season as Harwich broke through against Cumpton with three runs on two doubles. The Kettleer offense was unable to answer the outburst and Cumpton was chased in the following inning going only three and two thirds of work with a disappointing five walks along with three strikeouts and three runs and suffered his first loss of the young season. Danny Meszaros (College of Charleston) came on in relief and induced a line-out unassisted double play to third baseman Jeff Kobernus of Cal Berkeley to end the inning. Cotuit got on the board in the fifth inning on an RBI single by center fielder Brett Jackson of Cal Berkeley to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Harwich would answer right back with another run in the bottom of the sixth to up the score to 4-1. The Kettleer offense found a bit of luck in the top of the seventh as Auburn’s Mike Bianucci reached base after being hit by a pitch. After stealing second base, Bianucci was driven in on a ball hit by shortstop Robbie Shields (Florida Southern) that should have resulted in an out. The Harwich error cut the Mariners’ lead in half making it 4-2 heading to the bottom of the seventh. Harwich’s third baseman Joe Sanders of Auburn led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo homerun to put the home team back up by three making it 5-2. It was the first home run of the year surrendered by Cotuit pitching. Harwich pitching quieted the Kettleer bats until the top of the ninth inning when Cotuit rallied to add another run on an RBI single by Shields that scored catcher Robert Stock (USC). The Kettleers loaded the bases with one out but Mike Morrison of Cal State Fullerton shut the door striking out the final two batters to earn the save. The now 4-2 Kettleers are back in action tomorrow evening at Lowell Park against the Orleans Cardinals at 5 p.m.