HARWICH, Mass. — For the third game in a row for Bourne, there wasn’t a lot of hitting from either side.
Entering the bottom of the seventh, both sides had just one run and five hits, until Harwich cashed in two with two outs.
The two tallies ended up being a difference-maker, as the Harwich Mariners emerged victorious, 3-1.
"We got a lot to improve on," field manager Scott Landers said. "We're in a slide right now."
Bourne got out in front first in the second, starting with a Campbell Smithwick (Oklahoma State) single. He advanced to second after a pitch hit Mark Quantrani (Notre Dame) in his first at-bat as a Brave, and then scored as Jon LeGrande (St. John’s) drove him home on an RBI single to make the score 1-0.
Harwich answered in the bottom of the fourth when Jack Brown (Louisville) subbed in for Zack Konstantinovsky (Rutgers) on the mound. Maddox Molony (Oregon) got into scoring position after a single and a walk from Dee Kennedy (Kansas State). Molony touched home plate as Shinatro Inoue (Kansas State) knocked him in on an RBI single to tie it up at 1-1.
The Braves had runners in scoring position in the next three innings, but couldn’t get anybody to cross home plate. LeGrande reached second after a single and a steal in the fifth, and Braden Holcomb (Vanderbilt) reached third in the sixth after a single and a ground out from Cam Kozeal (Arkansas), but neither could touch home plate.
"I thought we played better baseball, cleaner baseball tonight," Landers said. "We're just not getting timely hits or enough quality at-bats throughout the game."
LeGrande once again found himself in scoring position in the seventh, but couldn’t draw blood after a walk and another stolen base.
The Mariners broke the tie in the seventh, as runners reached second and third after a single from Matt Conte (Wake Forest) and a double from Tanner Marsh (Liberty). The pair both scored shortly after, as Niko Brini (Wofford) drove the tandem in on a two-run double.
Christian Rodriguez (Florida) closed it out for Harwich to push the losing streak to three for the Braves.
"Hopefully, we can clean it up after the off day and get back on the winning side," Landers said.
Bourne Braves Player of the Game
Jon LeGrande was a positive presence at the plate for the Braves, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk.
Key moment
The two-run knock for Niko Brini in the seventh for Harwich was the pivotal moment, pushing the Mariners over the top, not giving up the lead after the hit.
A look ahead
The Braves (9-13-1, 19 points) will have an off day on Monday before hitting the road to face Falmouth (11-12-1, 23 points) on Tuesday. The last time the two teams met the Commodores won 8-6.
First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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