Falmouth Continues Winning Streak, 9-3 Over Bourne

Colleen Loftus/Web Reporter

The Falmouth Commodores earned a win tonight over the first place Bourne Braves. Slotted in second place, Falmouth hoped to transfer positive vibes into this tough matchup after last night’s 14-3 win over Hyannis. The team succeeded, defeating the Braves 9-3 and proving that well-placed hits could be the answer to the Commodores’ past offensive struggles.

Righty Ryan Moseley (Texas Tech) made his second appearance and first start for the Commodores. He delivered three strikeouts in five total innings.  Starting on the mound for the Braves was righty Andrew Sopko (Gonzaga University), who had shut out the Commodores in the game at Sandwich High School. Tonight he lasted three innings giving up five runs while striking out four and walking two.

Falmouth read Sopko’s pitches extremely well in the first as Trever Morrison (Oregon State) and Kevin Newman (Arizona) hit back-to-back infield singles with one out in the inning. Morrison’s ball dropped just behind shortstop. Newman followed suit by sending a bouncing grounder to shortstop, placing runners on base for Conner Hale (Louisiana State). Hale drilled a two RBI double to the center field fence, putting the Commodores on the board 2-0.

The Braves wasted no time in tying the game 2-2, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first after Blake Davey (Connecticut) shot a skidding two RBI single down the left field line. Luckily, Falmouth was just getting warmed up. In the top of the second, Jake Madsen (Ohio) hit a lead-off double to center, and was followed by Conor Costello’s (Oklahoma State) perfectly placed line drive into right field. With runners on first and third, Shaun Chase (Oregon) hit a three-run home run and put the Commodores up 5-2.

“I was just looking for a pitch up in the zone to at least score one run,” Chase says, “I just happened to have a pretty good (swing) and it went over.”

The Braves scored in the bottom of the third, as Davey knocked a home run over the center field fence. Falmouth’s timely hits allowed for a  bases loaded opportunity in the top of the fourth. Newman drove a single between center and right field off the first pitch from Braves relief pitcher Thomas Hatch (Oklahoma State). With men on first and second, Boomer White (Texas Christian) grounded to shortstop and reached base on a fielder’s choice. This left the bases loaded for Madsen, who faced a similar situation the night before as he pinch hit against Hyannis. Just as before, Madsen waited patiently for his pitch and was walked by Hatch, forcing Morrison home from third and advancing the Commodores’ lead 6-3.

The eighth inning proved, once again, to be massively eventful for Falmouth. Chase dribbled a lead-off infield single to shortstop, and was forced to second after Sam Gillikin (Auburn) was hit by a pitch from the Braves’ second relief pitcher Lucas Laster (Mississippi State). Next at bat was Morrison, who reached first on a fielder’s choice. Shortstop Richard Martin (Florida) handled Morrison’s grounder to second, forcing out Gillikin but allowing Chase to reach third. With runners on first and third, Newman stepped to the plate. Newman poked a single to deep center field, earning an RBI as Chase crossed home with ease. In this same play, Morrison reached home due to an error by Martin, giving the Commodores a 8-3 lead in the bottom of the eighth. Costello ended the game on a high note in the top of the ninth, drilling a lead-off home run with a 0-0 count. The final score was 9-3 in favor of the Commodores, who totaled an impressive 13 hits in the nine innings of play.

Kevin Newman ended the game having gone four for six at the plate, knocking out four singles to help work his team around the diamond. Jake Madsen demonstrated his great focus and strength at first base, snagging two balls wide of the bag in the second and seventh innings. Moseley was credited with the win for Falmouth as the team earned a 12-9-1 record.

The Commodores will travel to Cotuit tomorrow, July 7, 2014, for a 5:00 p.m. game. For more information, visit the Falmouth Commodores website at www.falmouthcommodores.com.