SOUTH YARMOUTH, Mass. — Bourne for August.
Exactly 364 days ago the Braves watched the Harwich Mariners celebrate on their field at Doran Park after they won Game 3 of the Championship Series. The previous two years Bourne won it all, but last year, a different team hoisted the trophy at the end of the season.
A campaign removed from an agonizing defeat, field manager Scott Landers led his team to a fourth straight championship appearance, but this team the result was different than in 2024.
After a Game 1 win against Yarmouth-Dennis on Monday, the Braves travelled to Red Wilson Field on Tuesday and took over, leaving no doubts on the way to winning the Championship Series in dominant fashion, 19-2.
Bourne got out to the lead in the first, where Ryker Waite (Vanderbilt) reached second after a force out and a missed catch by Dean Carpentier at first, scoring on an RBI single from Braden Holcomb (Vanderbilt) to make it a 1-0 game.
Y-D then responded in the bottom of the frame, having runners on second and third after a pair of singles from Jayce Tharnish (St. Bonaventure) and Chris Hacopian (Texas A&M). The tandem moved over after a throwing error from Holcomb to first. An RBI groundout hit by Armando Briseno (Long Beach State) scored Tharnish, and another one-base knock by Ryan Niedzwiedz (Southern Illinois-Edwardsville) made it 2-1.
Then the Braves took the lead right back in the second, loading the bases for Ryan Cooney (Oregon). Cooney knocked in Cal Sefcik on a groundout, and an RBI force out hit by Gavin Kelly (West Virginia) cashed in Sebastian Mexico (Louisiana Tech) to make it 3-2.
Bourne then tacked on four in the fourth. Cooney and LeGrande both reached on a free pass, both scoring on a two-run double from Kelly. Kelly then stole second, and after a pair of walks from Waite and Holcomb, an RBI walk from Sefcik scored Kelly to extend the lead to 6-2.
Then the long ball ensued for the Braves in the fifth, with Mark Quatrani (Notre Dame) leading off the inning with a solo home run. Following Cooney getting hit by a pitch, Kelly ripped a two-run shot over the wall.
Waite and Holcomb then singled, and after an RBI single from Kade Lewis (Wake Forest), an RBI force out from Sefcik made it an 11-2 game.
The Braves continued to pour it on in the sixth, with Kelly ripping an RBI double, which was followed up by a two-run double from Waite. A pinch-hit force out from Jason Torres (Alabama) scored Waite, pushing the lead to 15-2.
Two more came the Braves' way in the eighth, as Sefcik poked a two-run double with bases loaded. Then Luke Costello (Wake Forest) got in on the action in his second at-bat after pinch-hitting, piecing an RBI single.
Everyone continued to get involved, as Aidan Paradine (Sienna) netted an RBI single. Bourne left the frame up 19-2.
Bourne Braves Player of the Game
Kelly continued his hot postseason with his best game of the playoffs, going 3-for-6 at the plate that included a two-run home run to go along with six RBIs and three runs.
Key moment
The eight runs between the fourth and fifth gave the Braves a comfortable lead, and they never looked back.
A look ahead
Bourne’s season comes to a close as the winners of the Championship Series.
The team will return to the diamond next summer.
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