Cumberland drops second straight I-B road contest
1st-place South Kingstown shuts out Cumberland for second time
SOUTH KINGSTOWN – While the weather, date and location were all very different, the rematch between Cumberland and SK played out much like the first meeting. The Clippers failed time and again to get the timely hit, and lost by an identical score of 2-0 as the first time around.
Back on April 30th, it was Greg Kay keeping the Clipper order quiet. On Wednesday, it was a combination of Greg Ballinger and Bo Brutti limiting the Clipper bats to three hits, only one of which left the infield.
“Ballinger did a great job, [Brutti] came in and did a great job throwing strikes,” said Cumberland head coach Andrew Tuetken. “Two straight times [against SK] not being able to get a big hit with guys in scoring position. That's not who we've been all year, so we're definitely in a bit of a funk here. We have to pick ourselves up and get out of it.”
Cumberland's offensive frustrations at the hands of Rebel pitching seemed destined for an end early in the second inning. After Chris Wright walked to lead off the frame, starting pitcher Mike Bogolawski collected his team's first hit of the afternoon, and designated hitter Addison Kopack drew a walk to load the bases.
A fly out led the Clippers to send Wright tagging home, but the first baseman was thrown out by Rebel right fielder Sam Kenyon. Catcher Liam McGill's grasp on the ball seemed tenuous at best, but the argument of Coach Tuetken fell on deaf ears and the inning came to an abrupt end.
Zach Fogell limited the Rebels to one run the first time the teams met, and Bogolowski matched his teammate's previous effort on Wednesday. Bogolowski pitched five innings, giving up four hits and walking three, allowing just the two runs.
“He didn't have his best stuff, but he battled,” said Tuetken. “Gave us five innings, two runs, really did a good job for us. Really pleased, [especially] against an offense like this.”
SK has scored eight or more runs six times this season, but managed a cumulative four runs against the Clippers.
The Rebels scored their only two on Wednesday in the third inning. Leadoff hitter Liam McGill raked the first SK hit of the day inbetween short and third, and Kevin Roberts drove in him with a blasted triple to the fence.
Roberts himself came around to score on the same play when the Clippers throw to third missed the mark and flew out of play.
Bogolowski allowed two SK runners to reach in both of the next two frames, but worked around the jams and kept his team within two runs. The Clippers put runners on in every inning but the first and fifth, but stranded all of them. In total, the team stranded six runners, two of which were in scoring position.
“It all comes back to doing those little things, getting those runs in,” said Tuetken. “Getting those hits in clutch situations. We just didn't do it. The kids work, they're hard working guys, but right now it's just not getting the good pitches, and when we do get the good pitches, we're just not coming through.”
The Rebels used their second victory of the year over the Clippers to run their winning streak out to 10 games, and improve their league record to 10-1. The Clippers extended their losing streak to three, and fall to 6-5 in D-I games.
“This is a tough stretch,” said Tuetken. “Three straight losses at this time of the season is difficult. Tough game against North Kingstown [next]. Zach Fogell on the mound, who's been giving us his best stuff all season. Hopefully we can right the ship on Friday.”