Commodores Lose 6-3 in Home Opener

Colleen Loftus/Web Reporter

The Falmouth Commodores were unable to maintain their early lead against the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox last night in Falmouth’s first game at Guv Fuller Field. Despite a home run and eight hits, the team could not prevent the impressive Red Sox offense that dominated the diamond.

Right-handed pitcher Charles Mulholland (South Florida) started his second game on the mound for the Commodores, pitching 5.1 innings and striking out four YD batters. Righty Cody Poteet (California Los Angeles) led off for the Red Sox, pitching 4.2 innings and totaling an impressive six strikeouts.

The game remained scoreless for the first three innings of play as the starting pitchers threw heat. Mulholland struck out both Donnie Walton (Oklahoma State) and Michael Foster (Northeastern) swinging in the top of the first. Poteet responded by striking out three Commodores batters in a row, as Connor Hale (Louisiana State) and Cameron O’Brien (West Virginia) swung away and Steven Duggar (Clemson) was caught looking.

The Commodores scored first in the bottom of the fourth with Conor Costello’s (Oklahoma State) first home run of the season. Costello made his first appearance with the team last night, and proved to be a valuable asset to the offense as he hit two for four.

“I was just trying to get my rhythm,” Costello said of his homer, “and I happened to put a ball in play and it happened to go out of the park.”

Yarmouth-Dennis struck back in full force in the top of the sixth, trailing 1-0. Mulholland allowed three consecutive singles and walked one batter from the top of the Red Sox lineup. As a result, relief pitcher Chandler Eden (Oregon State) faced loaded bases as right fielder Foster stepped up to bat. Eden walked Foster after a 3-1 count, forcing second baseman Walton home from third and tying the score 1-1. With bases still loaded, catcher Jason Goldstein (Illinois Champaign) approached the plate. Goldstein cracked a three-run double into left field, putting the Red Sox ahead 4-1. Next at bat was designated hitter Hunter Cole (Georgia). With a 3-1 count and one out in the inning, Cole singled and a speedy Goldstein managed to round third and reach home before the Commodores defense could get the ball back to the infield.

After delivering only twelve pitches, Eden was replaced by lefty Spencer Herrmann (Fisher) in the top of the sixth. Herrmann struck out one batter and prevented further scoring by YD in the inning. The Red Sox led 5-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth. Unfortunately, the Commodores could not keep their hits off the ground and out of the infield.

YD scored for the final time in the top of the seventh, as center fielder Andrew Stevenson worked his way around the diamond after being hit by a pitch from Herrmann. With Stevenson on third and third baseman Jordan Tarsovich (Virginia Military Institute) at the plate with a 2-2 count, Herrmann threw a wild strike behind catcher O’Brien. This allowed Tarsovich to advance home, putting the Red Sox ahead 6-1.

The Commodores made their final stand in the bottom of the eighth. Pinch hitter Jake Madsen (Ohio) drove a speeding single between first and second, and stole second with a 1-1 count to O’Brien. Left fielder Costello doubled to center field, moving Madsen to third and putting two runners in scoring position for the Commodores. First baseman Connor Marabell (Jacksonville) cracked a line drive into left field, earning a 2-RBI double. Unfortunately, the Commodores could not close the remaining gap in the score, and lost 6-3.

The Commodores will host Chatham tonight, June 20, 2014, at 6:30 p.m. on Guv Fuller Field. For more information, visit the Falmouth Commodores website at http://www.falmouthcommodores.com.