Falmouth Falls to Brewster in Exciting Season Opener
Colleen Loftus/Web Reporter

The Commodores were unable to pull out a win yesterday as they squared off against Brewster in their first game. Despite taking an early lead, Falmouth could not hang on as the Whitecaps brought a string of hits and steals in the later innings.

Falmouth pitcher Matt Hall (Missouri State) led off for the Commodores, pitching 5 innings and totaling five strikeouts. Cody Ponce (CSU Pomona) started on the mound for the Whitecaps, pitching 4.5 innings with four strikeouts.

Both teams took the first inning slow. Falmouth’s Kevin Newman (Arizona) and Connor Marabell (Jacksonville University) both grounded out to the infield. Tate Matheny (Missouri State) gave the Commodores their first hit of the season, dropping the ball into centerfield. Falmouth managed to end the first inning in just three batters, with Hall reeling in the first strikeout of the season against Brewster right fielder Gio Brusa (Pacific).

With the swift first inning under their belt, the Commodores offense dominated the top of the second. With one out, Sam Gillikin (Auburn) ripped a single to left field. Jake Madsen then followed suit with a bouncing hit up the left line. With runners on first and second, catcher Audie Afenir (Oral Roberts University) stepped up to the plate. At Afenir’s 3-2 count, Gillkin sprinted from second base and slid into third before Whitecaps catcher Danny De La Calle (Florida State) could reach third baseman John Sansone (Florida State). A strikeout from Afenir then sent Madsen to second, as De La Calle was unable to beat yet another Commodore to the base.

Matt Eureste (San Jacinto) took the plate with two outs, a man on third, and a man on second. With a 1-2 count, Eureste hit a ringing single up the midfield, scoring Gillikin and giving the Commodores a 1-0 lead. Second baseman Leon Byrd (Rice) was walked by Ponce, loading the bases for shortstop Kevin Newman (Arizona). Newman grounded a single into left field, earning himself two RBI as Madsen and Eureste touched home.

“I was just looking for something up in the zone,“ Newman says, “and thankfully I got it and was able to put some wood on it.” The Commodores led 3-0.

The Whitecaps responded right away, earning two runs in the bottom of the second. With two men on base, Brewster catcher Danny De La Calle hit a two RBI double into right field, scoring Travis Maezer (Michigan) Dalton DiNatale (Arizona State). Trailing one run in the bottom of the third, right fielder Gio Brusa tied up the game reaching home after a wild pitch from Hall to DiNatale.

The Commodores made their first pitching change in the fifth inning, as Brad Labozella (Florida Gulf Coast University) recorded one strikeout for Falmouth. The Whitecaps took the lead as center fielder Jackson Glines (Michigan) singled with two men on base, bringing home shortstop Travis Maezer. With bases loaded third baseman Sansone dinged a ringer into center field, nearly clearing the back fence of the park. Sansone earned himself a three RBI with this triple, bringing home Dinatale, Glines, and Lee in the bottom of the sixth. The Whitecaps lead 7-3.

In an attempt to regain the lead, Mike Eckelman (St. Louis University) took the mound for the Commodores at the end of the sixth inning and into the bottom of the seventh. He struck out two batters before closing pitcher Kyle Zimmerman (Wayne State) was brought out, holding off the Whitecaps from furthering their lead. The final score was 7-3 Brewster, leaving the Commodores without a win so far this season.

The Commodores travel to Yarmouth-Dennis this evening, with the game starting at 5:00 p.m.. For more information, visit the Falmouth Commodores website at http://www.falmouthcommodores.com.