Nick Tropeano threw some of the first pitches of the 2010 Cape Cod Baseball League season. He got the opening night start as Cotuit visited Wareham.
A lot has changed since then. The opposing pitcher that night left for Team USA, along with more than a dozen others. Headline-making players came and went. Teams got hot and cooled off. Tropeano himself had his ups and downs.
On Friday, in game three of the championship series, Tropeano threw the last pitch of the 2010 Cape Cod Baseball League season.
And it was a good one.
With his team taking advantage of four Y-D errors to get an early lead, Tropeano came out of the bullpen in the third inning and slammed the door. He went 6.2 innings and finished the game without allowing a hit. When he struck out Matt Watson on a 2-2 pitch in the ninth, he gave Cotuit the league championship, its first since 1999.
It was an incredible finish to an incredible run. Cotuit lost its last six regular-season games but found a way to make things click in the playoffs.
Against Y-D, they were the underdogs. The Red Sox scored 44 runs in their first four playoff games — 36 of them in the Eastern finals series alone.
But Cotuit’s pitching staff dominated the championship series. Matt Andriese delivered the performance of the summer in game one, and Tropeano wasn’t far behind on Friday.
Brady Rodgers actually got the start for Cotuit, but he left in the third with an injury. Tropeano, who was pitching on three days’ rest, came in, potentially to serve as a bridge to the rest of the bullpen.
He didn’t need the help. The righty from Stony Brook had his chance and he didn’t let go. Tropeano struck out seven, walked three and didn’t surrender a hit.
On the other side, Cotuit had 14 hits, and with Y-D struggling defensively, the Kettleers had plenty of chances to make those hits count. Mike Yastrzemski hit a home run, Joey Hainsfurther had three RBI and Jordan Leyland went 2-for-4 and drove in a run. Leyland, who was inserted into the leadoff spot in the postseason, was named the Playoff MVP.
Those performances helped Cotuit finally get over the hump. Harwich and Bourne won the last two Cape League championships, and both teams beat Cotuit to do it.
It sure looked like Y-D would do the same thing this year, but the Kettleers didn’t let it happen. A lot has changed since Tropeano threw those first pitches in June — the starting lineup that night had exactly one player who was in the lineup on Friday — but in the end, it all worked out.
The Cotuit Kettleers are your 2010 Cape Cod League champions.
Congrats to the Kettleers and to an outstanding CCBL season. Thanks for all the hard work and updates this season, your work is certainly appreciated.
Will – thanks for your coverage of the season. I always look at your blog first thing! Congrats to Cotuit as well. They certainly earned their championship
Will, thanks for another great season covering the best amatuer baseball league in country! I started everyday reading your daily writeups and appreciate all you do to better my experience! Great Job Cotuit, at last the championship is yours!
Will, I found this bog very good on the scouting of this years players, check it out. http://ccblprospects.blogspot.com/
Will – Been a while…like 6 months! Are you still going to continue Right Field Fog???
CapeMan – Yes, I’m still going to do it. Took a little break and it lasted longer than I thought it would. Probably be back in action soon, though.
Great site, Will. I’m a big fan, and I can’t wait for you to start posting on the new season.