The Falmouth Commodores were able to defeat their rivals, the Cotuit Kettleers, on the road Friday evening by a score of 5-2. The bats heated up for the Commodores in this matchup, who lost two games prior to this victory.
The Commodores began the scoring with a bang in the top of the second inning. Right fielder Heath Quinn (Samford) led off the inning with a swinging bunt for a hit as the third baseman unsuccessfully waited for the ball to go foul. One out later Tate Blackman (Ole Miss) blasted the ball well over the left field fence to get the early 2-1 lead.
The scoring continued in the next Commodores offensive inning. The top of the third brought the lead off batter, shortstop Caleb Hamilton (Oregon State), to first with a walk. Two outs later Hamilton found himself scoring from third off of another ground ball single from Heath Quinn.
The Kettleers got that run back in the bottom of the bottom of the third inning. The first pitch of the inning was blasted out of the park to set the score at 3-1.
After five uneventful innings the fireworks began at the beginning of the eventful eighth inning. Kettleers head coach Mike Roberts appeared to be chirping at the home plate umpire Jeff Kinney over balls and strikes before Kinney turned and threw Roberts out of the game. An agitated Roberts flew out of the dugout and began to loudly ask Kinney why he was ejected and exclaiming that the official should get out of his face. This was the first ejection the Commodores have seen all season.
Following the ejection, the Commodores turned up the heat. The lead off batter, left fielder Boomer White (Texas A&M), managed a single, and after a walk Heath Quinn hit another ground ball base hit to score one run. With one out Tate Blackman got his third RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly, extending the Commodore lead to 5-1.
Trouble arose in the Kettleer half of the inning when two singles and a walk meant a bases loaded and no out hole for the Commodores. A subsequent line drive single scored one run for Cotuit, but a double play and a strike out ended the inning with minimal damage done and a 5-2 Commodore lead.
Despite a one out with runners on second and third, situation closer Stephan Villines (Kansas) managed to get out of the inning without a run scored and earn the save.
The victory can be credited to the offensive performances of Heath Quinn and Tate Blackman. Quinn got three ground ball singles in four plate appearances, scoring one run and driving home two. Blackman managed to drive home the other three runs with his home run and sacrifice fly. Blackman’s home run was his first in his college career.
“I just tried to put a good swing on a pitch that was elevated and I was able to take advantage of a bad pitch,” Blackman said.
Alex Phillips (Baylor) pitched the first six innings beautifully, giving up one run on three hits. Phillips was able to pitch effectively to contact, only logging two strikeouts in his outing.
The Commodores are back in action Saturday evening against the Cotuit Kettleers once again, this time at home. For more information visit the Commodores website at http://www.falmouthcommodores.com
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