Chatham (1-0) was still shaking off the rust in its 10-2 win over Orleans (0-1) at Eldredge Park on Wednesday night, but a combined effort from the offense and pitching staff staved off the four errors the team made. 

The Anglers’s lineup was able to plate 10 runs on only nine hits, while starter Andrew Chin (Boston College) and the team’s bullpen held the Firebirds to two runs — only one of them earned — and just one legitimate threat that came in the bottom of the seventh. 

At the plate

Blake Butera (Boston College), who began his second summer with the Anglers Wednesday night, started at shortstop and ignited the offense out of the leadoff spot. He scored in the first on a sacrifice fly by Chris Shaw (Boston College), plated two runners by hustling out a swinging bunt and then all but sealed the Anglers’ win with a three-run double in the top of the eighth. 

Along with Shaw and Butera, Mitchell Gonsolus (Gonzaga), Ryan Meidiros (Massachusetts-Dartmouth) and Patrick Mazeika (Stetson) also collected RBIs. Matt Peters (California-Pennsylvania), while not collecting an RBI, proved to be a tough out for any pitcher Orleans put on the mound. The third baseman started in the seventh spot and went 3-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored. 

“I felt comfortable at the plate,” Peters said. “I saw a lot of fastballs and was able to put some good swings together.”

Lou Distasio threw two perfect innings which earned him
the win against Orleans. Full photo gallery (click). 

On the mound

Chin started the game for the Anglers and used two strikeouts and a pickoff to retire the Firebirds in his first frame. He didn’t run into much trouble in the four innings he pitched, giving up one unearned run, striking out three and yielding six hits. But he still wasn’t completely satisfied with his performance. 

“I didn’t have my stuff tonight,” Chin said. “So I had to battle and make pitches in big spots. I did have my fastball command at times which really helped.”

Lou Distasio (Rhode Island) relieved Chin and set down the six batters he faced in two innings, an effort that earned him the winning decision. After Jake Dorris (Texas A&M Corpus-Christie) got into trouble in an error-filled bottom of the seventh, Kyle Davis polished off the Firebirds with one pitch before striking out the order in the eight. Then Mitch Leeds (Lafayette) closed out the game with a one-two-three ninth. 

Aside from Dorris’ hiccup in the seventh, the combination of Distasio, Davis and Leeds faced and retired 13 hitters across the final five innings. 

“It’s nice to have a good first appearance for the team,” Davis said. “That felt good.”

Up next

The Anglers will take on Wareham (0-1) for its home opener at Veterans Field at 7 p.m. on Thursday. The Gatemen fell 4-2 in their first game of the season against Bourne in Bourne on Wednesday night, and will face Chatham starter Jeff Burke (Boston College).

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Butera leads offense, provides big punch in Anglers' 10-2 win over Orleans in opener