Hyannis Loses Third Straight as Comeback in Cotuit Falls Short

By: Matt Coates

Trouble struck early for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks as they faced their division rival Cotuit Kettleers. Cotuit (16-7) entered the game fresh off a victory against the Falmouth Commodores, helping maintain their healthy lead in the West Division. 

Kettleers starter Camron Hill set the tone early in this matchup, putting down the top of the Hyannis (10-11-1) lineup for a one-two-three inning. 

Unfortunately, Harbor Hawks starter Bradley Hodges could not duplicate the same performance on the bump. He struggled with command early, allowing a leadoff double and walking three batters in the first inning. He threw 29 pitches in the inning and walked in a run.

Zach Ehrhard reached on an error in the top of the second inning, asserting himself as Hyannis’ first baserunner. Unfortunately, he would be stranded on first as Hill sat down the three other batters he faced in the inning. 

The bottom of the second would be the last we saw out of Hodges for the night. He allowed two singles to lead off the inning. One out later, Cotuit’s third baseman Ryan Galanie ripped a triple to right field, bringing in two runs for the Kettleers. The next batter up kept his foot on the gas, hitting a hanging breaking ball over the fence in left field, making the score 5-0 Cotuit. 

Hodges ended his night after two innings, allowing seven hits and five earned runs, with three walks and strikeouts. 

The game settled down after the second inning as both teams were held scoreless through the sixth inning. The Kettleers starter continued to dominate this match, lasting five innings and fanning five batters in the process. He walked two and allowed two hits without allowing a run. His stuff was clearly working for him, as he didn’t need to see more than four batters in any of his five innings. 

Nick Mitchell prevented a no-hitter for the Harbor Hawks with a single in the third inning. That hit extended Mitchell’s hitting streak to six games. The two-out single would be to no avail, however, as Jonathan (or Jon Jon as you may hear around the ballpark) Gazdar flew out to right field to end the inning. This was only the second game for Gazdar, as he hit second and earned himself the start at shortstop. 

William Armistead made the most of his outing today. After Hodges only lasted two innings, Armistead was trusted to go on the mound and get outs. And that he did, he lasted four innings with five punchouts. He only allowed two walks and two hits in that time.  

“I expected [Armistead] to go out and make an adjustment from the last game, and he did that,” head coach Eric Beattie said. 

This was a nice bounce-back appearance for Armistead. He allowed two earned runs in two-thirds of an inning pitched in his only other appearance of the summer.

Hyannis would not stay silent for much longer, as Ehrhard blasted his first home run of the season in the seventh inning. He pulled the ball out to left field, as it stayed fair and found its way over the fence. 

Trey Lipsey got the second hit of the seventh inning for Hyannis, hitting a single through the right side of the infield as he pinch-hit for Will Taylor. Eric Snow grounded out to short to end the inning in his next at-bat.

Unfortunately for the Harbor Hawks, Cotuit responded in the bottom of the inning. Josh Pyne hit a three-run homer over the left field fence, in an almost identical spot to Ehrhard’s, stretching the Cotuit lead to 8-1.

Things heated up in the top of the eighth inning as Hyannis brought home three unearned runs. Smith helped Mitchell score with a hard-hit ball to the right side of the infield that was ruled an error. With the bases loaded, Hainline hit a ball that the third baseman couldn’t handle, which brought in two more Hawk runs. A Lipsey bloop single over the left side of the infield allowed Hainline to make his way across the plate for the first earned run of the inning. The good times kept rolling for Hyannis, as a wild pitch allowed catcher Brody Donay to score. With five runs in that half inning, the Harbor Hawks only trailed the Kettleers 8-6.  

Hiroyuki Yamada did his part in the bottom of the eighth, holding the score and giving Hyannis a chance to complete the comeback. 

Unfortunately, the Hawks were struck down in the bottom of the ninth, falling 8-6. 

This season, Hyannis is 1-3 vs. Cotuit. The Kettleers lead the season series with a score of 28-14, proving why they are the team to beat in the West division. 

The Harbor Hawks will look to get back to .500 as they host the Brewster Whitecaps tomorrow at McKeon Park.