BOURNE – In a win or go home game, the Commodores turned to Jake Bird (UCLA) to even the series at one a piece with the Braves and to send the series back home to The Guv to take advantage of their home field.
And once again, the Commodores used strong starting pitching and timely hitting to down the Bourne Braves and force a Game 3 in the West Division Championship.
For the second night in a row, the Commodores plated All-Star Michael Gigliotti (Lipscomb U)in the first inning. Arizona’s JJ Matijevic added to his team leading 5 RBIs in the playoffs by hitting a sac-fly giving the ‘Dores the 1-0 lead.
Bourne would strike back in the second inning, with John Jones and Grant Williams both hitting RBI singles to make the score 2-1 Bourne entering the 3rd inning.
The lead didn’t last long, however, due to Falmouth’s RBI machine, JJ Matijevic, hitting another sac-fly into left field which scored Michael Gigliotti for the second time, tying the score, 2-2 going into the bottom of the third.
Jake Bird was phenomenal after allowing the two runs in the bottom of the second, not allowing a run to cross home in his three additional inning. His final line read: 5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 K and 2 BB.
The Commodores took the lead once again in the top of the 4th, this time by way of a bases loaded RBI fielder’s choice by Oregon St.’s Cadyn Grenier making the score 3-2 Falmouth.
All seemed to be going well for the West Division Champions until the bottom of the 7th when, after a quick 1-2-3 6th, Jacksonville St’s Justin Hoyt came out for his second inning in relief for Bird. A lead off single to Grant Williams and a 6 pitch walk to Brennan Breaux was all he’d see in the inning until giving way to Kansas’ Stephen Villines. The side-armer allowed the two base-runners to come home after a 2 RBI single by Evan Mendoza, giving Bourne the 4-3 advantage.
The Commodores were in a familiar position at Doran Park. Trailing entering the top half of the 8th inning, something they had experienced just a few days prior during the final game of the regular season, before coming back and losing in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the 9th after Jake Mangum’s 2 RBI double.
Up came Falmouth with the bottom three due up. Kansas’s Matt McLaughlin led off with a single and stole a base to put a runner in scoring position for Cadyn Grenier who came up with one out. The shortstop slapped a single into left field bringing McLaughlin to third but after a wild throw from the left fielder, brought him home to tie the game at 4. McLaughlin made his way to third during the throw home.
Up stepped the ever consistent Michael Gigliotti who, at that point was 1-2 with two walks and a strike out. Gigliotti pounced on a 1-2 fastball for an RBI double to give the Commodores the lead once again.
Bourne threatened with the lead off man making it to second base in the bottom of the 8th but it was the last baserunner they’d get. As Stephen Villines and Corbin Martin combined for 5 strike outs between the two of them in the 8th and 9th and secured a decisive Game 3 at The Guv, Wednesday night. Winner goes on to face Yarmouth-Dennis for the Cape League Championship.
The Commodores Corner 