BOURNE, Mass. — It’s well-documented that adjusting to summer ball, specifically the Cape Cod Baseball League, is a difficult process that isn’t completed quickly.

Hitting with a wooden bat — especially after spending the entire spring using a metal bat — can take time, often multiple weeks. Over the two games prior to Saturday’s matchup with the Wareham Gatemen, Bourne showed signs of finding its groove, going 1-0-1 while logging 12 runs on 14 hits.

But it became clear on Saturday that one week of games might not be enough to fully adjust. The Braves (2-4-1) were outhit 12-3 in a 7-3 defeat to the Wareham Gatemen, representing their lowest single-game hit total of the season.

“We didn’t hit very well,” field manager Scott Landers said. “We got some runs early, but we didn’t string anything together and just didn’t hit real well.”

Outfielder Braden Holcomb (Vanderbilt) got the scoring started in the first inning by drawing a bases-loaded walk, sending infielder Jack Penney (Notre Dame) across the dish. Wareham punched back in the third, though, as catcher Jacob Jarrell (Clemson) deposited a solo shot into left-center field.

Catcher Caden Bodine (Coastal Carolina) put the Braves back in front during the bottom of the inning, knocking a double into the right field corner that brought in designated hitter Marek Houston. Infielder Camden Kozeal (Vanderbilt) followed up Bodine’s knock with an RBI double of his own, this one into left field, to make the score 3-1.

Starter Connor Wietgrefe (Minnesota) held the Gatemen scoreless through the rest of his six innings of work, dishing out six strikeouts in the process. But almost immediately after lefty Zach Crotchfelt (Texas Tech) entered the game in the seventh, he encountered some trouble.

After relinquishing a ground-rule double, Crotchfelt induced a 6-4-3 double play that put Bourne in prime position to escape the inning unscathed. However, three consecutive singles from infielder Eli Putnam (Davidson), outfielder Michael Lippe (Louisville) and outfielder Brendan Summerhill (Arizona) turned a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 lead for Wareham in the blink of an eye.

When lefty Beau Bryans (Alabama) took the mound an inning later, the issues continued. Wareham logged two more hits and capitalized on an error to plate three more runs, virtually putting the game out of reach for Bourne. Bryans looked far more comfortable in the ninth, working a 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts.

“With [Crotchfelt], he just threw too many strikes,” Landers said. “He had a bunch of guys, three or four hits with two strikes, so he’s just got to put those hitters away. [Bryans] didn’t get hit hard in that inning… So we’ll be alright.”

Pivotal sequence

Following a flyout from outfielder Chris Stanfield (LSU) to lead off the first inning, Bourne showed off its plate discipline to spark some offense.

Penney and Houston (Wake Forest) worked back-to-back walks, and Bodine wore the first pitch of his at-bat to load the bases. Holcomb then drew a four-pitch walk to drive in Penney and give the Braves the lead.

Pitcher of the Game — Connor Wietgrefe

For the second straight outing, Wietgrefe delivered in a big way, recording six strikeouts and allowing five base runners in six innings — the longest start by a Brave this season.

After a seamless first inning, the Minnesota native faced a small dose of adversity early in the second, conceding a leadoff homer and a single in succession. However, he quickly redeemed himself, using his slider to pick up two strikeouts and retire three consecutive Gatemen hitters to end the inning with minimal damage.

In the three remaining frames, Wietgrefe was flawless, allowing just two base runners the rest of the way.

“I had all my pitches working towards the end and felt good,” Wietgrefe said. “Especially got that changeup working towards the end, got a lot of swing and miss on that, which I haven’t in the past.”

A look ahead

After falling to the Gatemen, Bourne has a 2-4-1 record. The Braves currently sit in fourth in the Cape Cod Baseball League’s West Division and will visit the Eastern Division-leading Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox on Sunday.

On the other hand, the Gatemen move to 5-2 and are in sole possession of second place in the West.

Sunday’s probable starter for Bourne is right-hander Nolan Sparks (Boston College), who pitched to a 2.25 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with a staggering 80 strikeouts in 60 innings for Rochester this season. Sparks made a two-inning relief appearance last Sunday at Brewster and tossed four strikeouts while holding the 'Caps off the basepaths.

Yarmouth-Dennis will likely go with righty Braden Osbolt (Kennesaw State) on the bump against the Bravos. Osbolt dealt in his team’s win over Chatham last Sunday, as he went six innings strong with eight strikeouts and no earned runs to his name. The Georgia native was solid for the Owls, recording a 4.48 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 70 1/3 frames.

First pitch is slated for 5 p.m.

Notes

The families of outfielder Landyn Vidourek (Cincinnati), Penney, infielder Garrett Michel (Virginia Tech), catcher Adonys Guzman (Arizona), Sparks, infielder Nick Roselli (Binghamton) and Wietgrefe were in attendance Saturday… 812 fans made the trip to Doran Park on a rainy Saturday night… Infielder Clay Grady (Virginia) has the second-most stolen bases in the CCBL… Houston has the fourth-highest batting average in the league, hitting .450. Houston is also tied for the best on-base percentage (.593)... With six strikeouts Saturday, Wietgrefe leads the Cape in strikeouts with 12.