Wareham, Mass. — The sounds of thunder were heard, and the sights of lightning were seen at Spillane Field on Friday. A few hours before first pitch, raindrops began to fall from the sky, and it started to pour over the field. 

The decision was made to push the game back from its original start time at 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. to give time for the storm squal to pass. Once the weather cleared up, the Gatemen were able to square off against the Kettleers. 

It was the fourth bout between the West Division rivals this season, and Wareham held a 2-1 season series lead. They were also the favorites coming into Friday, winning 11 of their last 13 games and standing atop the West. 

However, Cotuit was not afraid and delivered a shock to Wareham. The Gatemen (17-15) lost to the Kettleers 2-1 after a tight pitcher’s duel on Friday. 

The loss gives Cotuit some momentum, as it is their third consecutive win; however, the Gatemen still hold a four-point lead over both Bourne and Cotuit for the top spot in the West. Losses from both Bourne and Falmouth helped the Gatemen keep a good lead in the standings. 

The game was a defensive battle from start to finish. Both teams combined for only four hits, with the pitching being the star of the show. Starting Pitcher Tate McGuire (Arkansas) was stellar for the Gatemen as he finished five and two-thirds innings with two hits, one run, and two strikeouts. 

“When it's a tight ball game, for the majority of the game, you just don't want to give them anything free. Try to limit walks, try to limit your mistakes as a whole team and get a chance good, a good shot to win,” said McGuire.

It was also a special night for McGuire as he announced it would be his last time in a Gatemen uniform. He pitched in both 2024 and 2025, making a huge impact for his Gatemen teammates.

“This means everything. After my freshman year, it wasn't much of a season at school, and the fact that Coach Smyth still invited me out here to have a summer was awesome. I think he changed me as a person and a player. I can't put into words how thankful I am for that,” said McGuire. 

“We took a chance on a kid that, last year didn't throw a whole lot at school. And he came out here with a chip on his shoulder and performed well. I think he performed above expectations of what I thought I was getting out of him. He made himself an All-Star and put his name on the map there, I think he's going back to Arkansas and, hopefully, has a big year for them,” said Gatemen Field Manager Ryan Smyth. 

However, it was the one run that did the Gatemen in. McGuire left the game with two outs in the sixth and Cotuit’s Luke Matthews (Kent State) on second base. Relief Pitcher Ty Starke (Louisville) came into the game to finish the inning, but on the first pitch he threw, Matthews attempted to steal third. 

This prompted Catcher Drew Rogers (Georgia Tech) to try and throw him out; however, the throw was offline, slipping past Third Baseman Vance Sheahan (Miami) into left field. Matthews would then score on the error by Sheahan to put the Ketts on the board. 

In a scoreless game, the simple mistake felt like a gut-punch and set the Gatemen back. Their offense had been stagnant, getting fewer than five hits for the first time since July 8. 

Cotuit Starting Pitcher Payton Manca (Florida State) was fantastic for the Kettleers. He threw six innings scoreless, allowing only one hit and striking out two batters. No matter what, the Gatemen could not find an answer for Manca. 

As the Gatemen struggled to get on base, the Kettleers threatened with runners in scoring position in the eighth. Case Sanderson (Nebraska) hit a ground ball to shortstop Chris Ramirez (California Baptist) who could not field the ball cleanly, resulting in an error and a 2-0 Cotuit lead. 

The Gatemen then faced their final three outs in the bottom of the ninth. Pinch Hitter Hayden Yost (Florida) crushed a lead-off double to right field to give the Gatemen some hope. However, two sacrifice groundouts are what it took for Yost to score, cutting Cotuit’s lead in half with Wareham down to its final out. 

The game rested on the bat of Left Fielder Chris McHugh (NC State), however, he popped up to center field, ending the game at 2-1. It was a tough loss for the Gatemen, but their pitching performance and their recent overall successes make it an easier pill to swallow.

“There were a couple of plays that did not go our way defensively, but overall that was a well-pitched game. We will think about this one tonight, get up in the morning, and go to Falmouth,” said Smyth.

The Gatemen will get right back at it on Saturday as they take on the Falmouth Commodores. First pitch for that game will be 6:00 p.m. at Guv Fuller Field in Falmouth.