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Chatham surrenders 3 home runs in 11-5 loss to Cotuit
Two days ago, Chatham’s matchup with Cotuit ended prematurely. A back-and-forth battle ended somewhat anticlimactically in the eighth inning due to a lack of light at Lowell Park.
The Anglers blew a late two-run lead as the Kettleers plated five runs across innings 6-8 — including three in the eighth. With the game called early, Chatham didn’t get the chance to fight back one last time in the top of the ninth.
Light wouldn’t be a problem for either team Saturday night with the game at Veterans Field. The matchup provided the Anglers with a chance at revenge and to make a statement against the team with the best record in the CCBL. Though early on, it was clear the A’s wouldn’t pull off a major statement win.
For the second time in three days, Chatham (15-14, East) fell to Cotuit (19-9-1, West). This time it wasn’t as close with the Kettleers defeating the Anglers 11-5. Cotuit’s lineup overpowered Chatham with three home runs and it couldn’t keep up. For the second straight game, Cotuit had at least 10 hits against the Anglers. Chatham did secure 10 hits of its own but left a litany of runners stranded on base.
“We did a good job of competing to the very end and that's all we can ever ask,” Chatham manager Jeremy “Sheets” Sheetinger said. “It's not about the scoreboard it's about our guys and their effort and I was really proud that we fought to the last pitch.”
The tension-filled contest Thursday set the stage for more potential fireworks at Veterans Field. Each team provided early highlights with Cotuit throwing the first punch — a major haymaker.
Easton Winfield tattooed a Ryan Jenkins (St. Mary’s) fastball over the right-field fence and onto the road overlooking Veterans Field. Winfield’s first home run of the season put the Kettleers in front 1-0 in the opening frame.
In the bottom half, Chatham answered right back. Ike Irish (Auburn) slapped a two-out double down the right-field line off Joey Volchko. Chayton Krauss (Dallas Baptist) knocked a single the ensuing at-bat to knot the game 1-1. Aiva Arquette put two runners in scoring position with a ground-rule double into the right-center field gap, but Volchko retired Robin Villeneuve (Texas Tech), ending the threat.
Jenkins settled in with a one-two-three second. The righty doesn’t possess overpowering velocity unlike his counterpart, Volchko. Jenkins tried forcing batters into softer contact and let his defense make plays.
It worked for him the first time through Cotuit’s lineup, not the second. Devin Taylor — Cotuit’s cleanup hitter — stepped to the plate for a second time with two outs. Runners planted themselves at second and third, as Taylor crushed a fastball to straightaway center field. Ty Johnson (Baylor) attempted to track the ball and ran out of room, watching it fly over the fence as Cotuit grabbed a 4-1 lead.
The Kettleers' aggressiveness continued into the fourth frame. Three straight singles loaded the bases before Jenkins recorded an out.
He forced Temo Becerra into a sacrifice fly to bring home Cotuit’s fourth run in two innings. Tyler Cerny was doubled up at third on the same play and Tanner Thach struck out, but the damage was already done. The Kettleers provided Volchko with enough of a cushion.
The 6-foot-4 righty stood as an imposing figure on the mound. His high leg-kick windup created a forceful fastball which often fooled Chatham’s hitters. Volchko’s fastball sat comfortably in the mid-to-high 90 mile-per-hour range and outside of the first inning flurry, the Anglers couldn’t catch up.
Volchko occasionally struggled with his command, spiking a ball into the dirt or tossing pitches which Chatham batters had to duck out the way of. Yet it didn’t build into anything greater, walking just three batters.
Campbell Smithwick (Ole Miss) had the chance to cut into Cotuit’s lead in the bottom of the fourth. Villeneuve was at second with two outs. Volchko spiked a pitch, advancing Villeneuve to third. The next toss was polar opposite. Volchko blew a 3-2 fastball right by Smithwick for his third consecutive scoreless frame.
“Anytime (Volchko) can be effective and pitch in the zone it forces our guys to have to be ready,” Sheetinger said. “Trying to compete against 97 makes it tough, he’s just he's really good arm.”
Chatham continued to be befuddled with Volchko on the mound. Irish’s third-inning single was the A’s only base knock against Volchko outside of the first inning. Johnson’s lead-off walk provided a sliver of promise in the fourth.
It was soon squashed as Will Bermudez (UC Irvine) grounded into a 4-6-3 double play. Volchko’s night ended following a walk to Ashton Larson (LSU). The righty exited after 4.2 innings where he allowed one earned run and struck out six.
Brycen Parrish replaced Volchko and picked up right where he left off. Parrish let up one hit through his first two frames, fanning four batters.
The Anglers looked for stability following Jenkins’ rocky start. Devin Pressley (Gardner-Webb) entered in relief for Jenkins and tossed two scoreless innings to keep Chatham’s deficit manageable — until the top of the seventh. Pressley walked Winfield, making it first and second with one.
Chatham pitching coach Eric Beattie made his way out of the dugout to talk with Pressley. Beattie stuck with Pressley, but the decision proved costly on the next pitch. Brandon Compton blasted Cotuit’s third home run of the night, increasing Cotuit’s lead to 8-1.
Bermudez provided the Anglers with some life in the bottom of the inning. He worked an 11-pitch at-bat, blasting the final offering onto the hill in right field, cutting Chatham’s deficit to five. However, Bermudez’s homer was quickly canceled out. Thach sent a double over Bermudez’s head in left field, plating two runs and restoring Cotuit’s seven-run advantage.
Villeneuve and Krauss had RBI doubles in the eighth and ninth innings, but they proved to be consolations.
Despite the defeat, Sheetinger knows Chatham’s fate will be decided against its East Division foes. The Anglers face seven East opponents across their final 11 games, starting with Brewster Sunday. Chatham currently sits 2.5 games ahead of the Whitecaps for second place in the East, but a loss could prove costly in its race to host a postseason game.
“Those are the ones that are going to determine our future,” Sheetinger said. “Anytime you have a chance to control and dictate your future, you have to show up.”
The Anglers blew a late two-run lead as the Kettleers plated five runs across innings 6-8 — including three in the eighth. With the game called early, Chatham didn’t get the chance to fight back one last time in the top of the ninth.
Light wouldn’t be a problem for either team Saturday night with the game at Veterans Field. The matchup provided the Anglers with a chance at revenge and to make a statement against the team with the best record in the CCBL. Though early on, it was clear the A’s wouldn’t pull off a major statement win.
For the second time in three days, Chatham (15-14, East) fell to Cotuit (19-9-1, West). This time it wasn’t as close with the Kettleers defeating the Anglers 11-5. Cotuit’s lineup overpowered Chatham with three home runs and it couldn’t keep up. For the second straight game, Cotuit had at least 10 hits against the Anglers. Chatham did secure 10 hits of its own but left a litany of runners stranded on base.
“We did a good job of competing to the very end and that's all we can ever ask,” Chatham manager Jeremy “Sheets” Sheetinger said. “It's not about the scoreboard it's about our guys and their effort and I was really proud that we fought to the last pitch.”
The tension-filled contest Thursday set the stage for more potential fireworks at Veterans Field. Each team provided early highlights with Cotuit throwing the first punch — a major haymaker.
Easton Winfield tattooed a Ryan Jenkins (St. Mary’s) fastball over the right-field fence and onto the road overlooking Veterans Field. Winfield’s first home run of the season put the Kettleers in front 1-0 in the opening frame.
In the bottom half, Chatham answered right back. Ike Irish (Auburn) slapped a two-out double down the right-field line off Joey Volchko. Chayton Krauss (Dallas Baptist) knocked a single the ensuing at-bat to knot the game 1-1. Aiva Arquette put two runners in scoring position with a ground-rule double into the right-center field gap, but Volchko retired Robin Villeneuve (Texas Tech), ending the threat.
Chayton Krauss drops his bat and sprints to first base after lacing a single to left field that scored Ike Irish in the first inning against Cotuit. The hit was one of two RBIs for Krauss on the night. / Photograph by Ella Tovey
Jenkins settled in with a one-two-three second. The righty doesn’t possess overpowering velocity unlike his counterpart, Volchko. Jenkins tried forcing batters into softer contact and let his defense make plays.
It worked for him the first time through Cotuit’s lineup, not the second. Devin Taylor — Cotuit’s cleanup hitter — stepped to the plate for a second time with two outs. Runners planted themselves at second and third, as Taylor crushed a fastball to straightaway center field. Ty Johnson (Baylor) attempted to track the ball and ran out of room, watching it fly over the fence as Cotuit grabbed a 4-1 lead.
The Kettleers' aggressiveness continued into the fourth frame. Three straight singles loaded the bases before Jenkins recorded an out.
He forced Temo Becerra into a sacrifice fly to bring home Cotuit’s fourth run in two innings. Tyler Cerny was doubled up at third on the same play and Tanner Thach struck out, but the damage was already done. The Kettleers provided Volchko with enough of a cushion.
The 6-foot-4 righty stood as an imposing figure on the mound. His high leg-kick windup created a forceful fastball which often fooled Chatham’s hitters. Volchko’s fastball sat comfortably in the mid-to-high 90 mile-per-hour range and outside of the first inning flurry, the Anglers couldn’t catch up.
Volchko occasionally struggled with his command, spiking a ball into the dirt or tossing pitches which Chatham batters had to duck out the way of. Yet it didn’t build into anything greater, walking just three batters.
Campbell Smithwick (Ole Miss) had the chance to cut into Cotuit’s lead in the bottom of the fourth. Villeneuve was at second with two outs. Volchko spiked a pitch, advancing Villeneuve to third. The next toss was polar opposite. Volchko blew a 3-2 fastball right by Smithwick for his third consecutive scoreless frame.
“Anytime (Volchko) can be effective and pitch in the zone it forces our guys to have to be ready,” Sheetinger said. “Trying to compete against 97 makes it tough, he’s just he's really good arm.”
Chatham continued to be befuddled with Volchko on the mound. Irish’s third-inning single was the A’s only base knock against Volchko outside of the first inning. Johnson’s lead-off walk provided a sliver of promise in the fourth.
It was soon squashed as Will Bermudez (UC Irvine) grounded into a 4-6-3 double play. Volchko’s night ended following a walk to Ashton Larson (LSU). The righty exited after 4.2 innings where he allowed one earned run and struck out six.
Brycen Parrish replaced Volchko and picked up right where he left off. Parrish let up one hit through his first two frames, fanning four batters.
The Anglers looked for stability following Jenkins’ rocky start. Devin Pressley (Gardner-Webb) entered in relief for Jenkins and tossed two scoreless innings to keep Chatham’s deficit manageable — until the top of the seventh. Pressley walked Winfield, making it first and second with one.
Chatham pitching coach Eric Beattie made his way out of the dugout to talk with Pressley. Beattie stuck with Pressley, but the decision proved costly on the next pitch. Brandon Compton blasted Cotuit’s third home run of the night, increasing Cotuit’s lead to 8-1.
Bermudez provided the Anglers with some life in the bottom of the inning. He worked an 11-pitch at-bat, blasting the final offering onto the hill in right field, cutting Chatham’s deficit to five. However, Bermudez’s homer was quickly canceled out. Thach sent a double over Bermudez’s head in left field, plating two runs and restoring Cotuit’s seven-run advantage.
Villeneuve and Krauss had RBI doubles in the eighth and ninth innings, but they proved to be consolations.
Despite the defeat, Sheetinger knows Chatham’s fate will be decided against its East Division foes. The Anglers face seven East opponents across their final 11 games, starting with Brewster Sunday. Chatham currently sits 2.5 games ahead of the Whitecaps for second place in the East, but a loss could prove costly in its race to host a postseason game.
“Those are the ones that are going to determine our future,” Sheetinger said. “Anytime you have a chance to control and dictate your future, you have to show up.”
