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Nolan Traeger’s 2-homer day powers Chatham’s 8-5 win over Cotuit
CHATHAM, Mass. — All the power at Veterans Field was saved for the Chatham Anglers’ bats on Wednesday night.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, Nolan Traeger (Arkansas) mashed a two-run home run that squeaked over the right field wall. Under normal circumstances, it would’ve been a crucial blast to get the A’s back within one run in the later innings and a huge opportunity to stack some momentum after mustering just one hit in the first five innings.
It was not normal circumstances.
Right as Traeger trotted toward second base, lights shut off at Veterans Field, part of citywide power outages Wednesday night. It put the game under a darkness delay for about 20 minutes.
It proved to be the jolt of energy the Angler offense needed Wednesday night. When play continued, the A’s bats came alive to the tune of five runs in the seventh inning — including another home run from Treager and one more from Harlin Hovater (Mississippi State). It paved the way for Chatham’s (8-6-2, East) 8-5 win over Cotuit (5-9-2, West) Wednesday night.
Mashing even one home run — let alone three — isn’t a luxury the Anglers have had much of this season. Entering Wednesday’s matchup, Chatham ranked ninth of 10 CCBL teams with just five home runs on the campaign. It hadn’t mattered too much, considering the A’s still ranked top-5 in the league in scoring.
Through its previous two games entering Wednesday, most of those runs came early off of walks, singles and the occasional extra-base knock. The A’s enjoyed stability in two things: early offense and strong starting pitching. And with a relatively identical lineup and Oliver Pudvar (UConn) — the reigning CCBL Pitcher of the Week — on the hill Wednesday, the A’s hoped that would continue.
That wasn’t the case this time around.
On Pudvar’s first look at the Cotuit lineup, it looked like Chatham’s streak of strong starts would persist. He retired eight of nine batters and was spotless through three innings. But after allowing a single to lead off the fourth, Jake Hanley (Georgia) — who played for the Anglers last season — mashed a two-run homer to right-center in his return to Veterans Field.
Then, four straight singles helped Cotuit extend the lead to three. The A’s only escaped the frame due to a pinpoint throw from Armani Guzman (West Virginia) to cut down Noah Coy (Notre Dame) at the plate.
For the first time in four games, Chatham wasn’t the first team on the scoreboard. But, with how the previous two games went, perhaps that wasn’t a bad thing.
Two innings later, Traeger’s homer gave the Angler offense some life. Down by just a run after the delay, Chatham managed to load the bases with three consecutive walks, but Tyler Lichtenberger (Clemson) grounded into a double play to momentarily halt the A’s momentum.
The key word being “momentarily.” When Chatham next headed to the plate, two errors allowed Rob Rispoli (UConn) and Cooper Neville (Alabama) to reach base, and with two outs, Traeger blasted another ball well over the right field wall. This one gave the Anglers a 5-3 lead late.
Six pitches later, Hovater gave them some extra insurance. After a walk from Cole Johnson (Georgia), Hovater smacked a fastball onto the berm in right field on the first pitch he saw from Cotuit reliever Josh Halcisak (Mount St. Mary’s). His first homer of the year put Chatham up 7-3.
And those runs proved crucial after a two-run eighth inning from the Kettleers. Coy drove in Aiden Aguayo (UCLA) with a single to center and Jesse Di Maggio (Westmont) knocked a two-out hit to plate JJ Moran (Stanford) and trimmed the Angler lead to two. After Mikey Ragusa (NC State) replaced Collins Black (NC State), though, the right-hander punched out Isaac Sturgess (Wake Forest) to end the inning.
Soon after, Bino Watters (LSU) was a foot or two away from being the third Angler to homer in the bottom of the eighth, but he settled for a double on a deep fly ball into the right field corner. Neville then drove him home with a liner up the middle to give Chatham some more breathing room.
But the Anglers didn’t need it. Ragusa blew through three of four Cotuit batters in the top of the ninth, sealing the A’s first win in three days.
Upon the final out, a ground ball that Rispoli handled at second, Chatham’s bullpen celebrated in the outfield. Coaches shook hands.
Then, the lights could finally turn off on a jubilant Veterans Field. This time, the Anglers’ job was done.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, Nolan Traeger (Arkansas) mashed a two-run home run that squeaked over the right field wall. Under normal circumstances, it would’ve been a crucial blast to get the A’s back within one run in the later innings and a huge opportunity to stack some momentum after mustering just one hit in the first five innings.
It was not normal circumstances.
Right as Traeger trotted toward second base, lights shut off at Veterans Field, part of citywide power outages Wednesday night. It put the game under a darkness delay for about 20 minutes.
It proved to be the jolt of energy the Angler offense needed Wednesday night. When play continued, the A’s bats came alive to the tune of five runs in the seventh inning — including another home run from Treager and one more from Harlin Hovater (Mississippi State). It paved the way for Chatham’s (8-6-2, East) 8-5 win over Cotuit (5-9-2, West) Wednesday night.
Mashing even one home run — let alone three — isn’t a luxury the Anglers have had much of this season. Entering Wednesday’s matchup, Chatham ranked ninth of 10 CCBL teams with just five home runs on the campaign. It hadn’t mattered too much, considering the A’s still ranked top-5 in the league in scoring.
Through its previous two games entering Wednesday, most of those runs came early off of walks, singles and the occasional extra-base knock. The A’s enjoyed stability in two things: early offense and strong starting pitching. And with a relatively identical lineup and Oliver Pudvar (UConn) — the reigning CCBL Pitcher of the Week — on the hill Wednesday, the A’s hoped that would continue.
That wasn’t the case this time around.
On Pudvar’s first look at the Cotuit lineup, it looked like Chatham’s streak of strong starts would persist. He retired eight of nine batters and was spotless through three innings. But after allowing a single to lead off the fourth, Jake Hanley (Georgia) — who played for the Anglers last season — mashed a two-run homer to right-center in his return to Veterans Field.
Then, four straight singles helped Cotuit extend the lead to three. The A’s only escaped the frame due to a pinpoint throw from Armani Guzman (West Virginia) to cut down Noah Coy (Notre Dame) at the plate.
For the first time in four games, Chatham wasn’t the first team on the scoreboard. But, with how the previous two games went, perhaps that wasn’t a bad thing.
Two innings later, Traeger’s homer gave the Angler offense some life. Down by just a run after the delay, Chatham managed to load the bases with three consecutive walks, but Tyler Lichtenberger (Clemson) grounded into a double play to momentarily halt the A’s momentum.
The key word being “momentarily.” When Chatham next headed to the plate, two errors allowed Rob Rispoli (UConn) and Cooper Neville (Alabama) to reach base, and with two outs, Traeger blasted another ball well over the right field wall. This one gave the Anglers a 5-3 lead late.
Six pitches later, Hovater gave them some extra insurance. After a walk from Cole Johnson (Georgia), Hovater smacked a fastball onto the berm in right field on the first pitch he saw from Cotuit reliever Josh Halcisak (Mount St. Mary’s). His first homer of the year put Chatham up 7-3.
And those runs proved crucial after a two-run eighth inning from the Kettleers. Coy drove in Aiden Aguayo (UCLA) with a single to center and Jesse Di Maggio (Westmont) knocked a two-out hit to plate JJ Moran (Stanford) and trimmed the Angler lead to two. After Mikey Ragusa (NC State) replaced Collins Black (NC State), though, the right-hander punched out Isaac Sturgess (Wake Forest) to end the inning.
Soon after, Bino Watters (LSU) was a foot or two away from being the third Angler to homer in the bottom of the eighth, but he settled for a double on a deep fly ball into the right field corner. Neville then drove him home with a liner up the middle to give Chatham some more breathing room.
But the Anglers didn’t need it. Ragusa blew through three of four Cotuit batters in the top of the ninth, sealing the A’s first win in three days.
Upon the final out, a ground ball that Rispoli handled at second, Chatham’s bullpen celebrated in the outfield. Coaches shook hands.
Then, the lights could finally turn off on a jubilant Veterans Field. This time, the Anglers’ job was done.
