Cotuit’s Pitching Prowess
By: James Middleton | West Chester University
Cotuit, MA — Over the past eight games, the Cotuit offense has been the talk of the town, averaging almost ten runs per game, but let’s not forget the pitching, as they have shut down the opposing offenses during this win streak.
“Yeah, you can never overlook the pitching and the defense; it has been key. You have to throw strikes; you have to throw quality strikes against really good teams,” said Roberts on the pitching.
While the pitching staff has been impressive throughout these eight games, the last four games have really stuck out. The Ketts pitched a six-hit shutout against Wareham and allowed one run in both contests against the top two teams in the eastern division, the YD Red Sox and Harwich Mariners. In the recent game against the eastern division leader, YD Red Sox, Cotuit allowed four hits and posted zeros on the scoreboard for eight innings. In the tilt with Harwich, the Mariners couldn’t score a run until the eighth inning, their only tally in the contest.
The first four games of the Ketts win streak didn’t feature the offensive explosion we have seen the past few games, but clutch pitching performances from the starters and bullpen. In Cotuit’s win over Falmouth, the staff twirled six scoreless innings before the Commodores brought one home in the seventh. The bullpen would then shut them down as Jacob Shafer (UNC-Wilmington) picked up the save. The Kettler bullpen had to once again shut the door in the game against Orleans as the Ketts took a one-run lead in the eighth, leading to the two-way player Cole Mathis (Charleston) taking the hill in the ninth and earning the win.
Cotuit faced off against Hyannis twice in the first four games, and the Ketts pitched a total of thirteen scoreless innings between the two games. In game one, it was Camron Hill (Georgia Tech) who pitched five shutout, and in the second game, Cullen McKay (Virginia) and Cam Schuelke (College of Central Florida) tossed a combined five scoreless at Mckeon Park.
With fourteen games to go, Cotuit will need both sides of the ball firing on all cylinders. The offense has been on fire all season, as they have scored 182 runs this year. The pitching and defense have been lockdown allowing 122 runs, the lowest in the Cape League. The Ketts will need both as they look ahead to the playoffs and the goal of bringing home the eightieth championship in Kettleer history.