Wareham defend West Division lead against Cotuit on home turf
WAREHAM- Coming off an 11-3 loss to the Cotuit kettleers the Wareham Gatemen look to enact some revenge and keep control of the Western Division hosting the Kettleers at 6:30 p.m.
Yesterday was a wake-up call for the Wareham Gatemen. Not in the sense that change is needed, but in the sense that the Gatemen got a taste of their own medicine and are in for a tough race in the Western Division.
Wareham has thrived on playing small-ball all season but Cotuit managed to out-small ball the Gatemen yesterday. As Javik Blake, Wareham gatemen broadcast producer said yesterday, It was as though we were watching a National League MLB game rather than a CCBL game with the small-ball tactics.
Nick Gonzales (New Mexico State) was the one exception the small-ball strategy. Gonzales was 4-5 with 5 RBI and a home run and now leads the CCBL with a batting average of (.368). Besides him every Kettleer besides one reached base and 11 runs were scored on only 3 extra base hits.
Wareham has 3 players ranked in the top 10 for best batting average in the CCBL. Jacob Teter (Florida Southern), Benjamin Sems (Kansas), and Braiden Ward (Washington) are all ranked in the top 10 for best batting average in the CCBL so expect a different performance tonight from the Wareham offense.
It may all come down to the pitching for Wareham to bounce back with a win. William Fleming (Wake Forest) allowed 4 runs in 2 innings yesterday, and Eric Torres (Kansas State) allowed 3 runs in his 2 innings of work. Meanwhile Reid Johnston (NC State) threw 5 innings of scorless baseball only allowing 2 hits.
Ian Bedell (Missouri) will look to have better luck of things on the mound tonight for the Gatemen. Bedell has 2 appearances for the Gatemen this season and is 1-0. In 9.2 innings pitched Bedell has a perfect 0.00 ERA striking out 9 batters and has only allowed 6 hits.
Jackson Wolf (West Virginia) gets the start for the Kettleers. Wolf has appeared twice for Cotuit and has a record of (0-1) Wolf has a 3.72 ERA in 9.2 innings pitched striking out 11 batters.
Here are the lineups:
Wareham:
1. Braiden Ward, CF – Washington
2. Darren Baker, 2B – Cal Berkeley
3. Jacob Teter, 1B – Florida Southern
4. Adrian Del Castillo, DH – Miami
5. Matt McLain, 3B – UCLA
6. Benjamin Sems, SS – Kansas
7. Dallas Beaver, C – UCF
8. Mike Antico, LF – St. Johns
9. Matt Rudick, RF – San Diego State
SP: Ian Bedell – Missouri
Cotuit
1. Nick Gonzales, 2B – New Mexico State
2. Robert Martin, DH – Florida State
3. Oraj Anu, RF – Kentucky
4. Mason McWhorter, 1B – Georgia Southern
5. Parker Chavers , LF – Coastal Carolina
6. Casey Scmitt, 3B – San Diego State
7. Donta Williams, CF – Arizona State
8. Adam Oviedo, SS – TCU
9. Cody Pasic, C – Maine
SP: Jackson Wolf – West Virginia
Photo by: Kristin Ostrowski