BOURNE, Mass. — The Braves trailed by a little — then they trailed big.
What seemed to be a back-and-forth contest just like the night before against Wareham turned the other way, as the Cotuit Kettleers exploded for a six-run seventh inning.
The big frame put the game out of reach and handed Bourne its second straight loss, 10-3.
Cotuit struck first in the third, starting with an infield single from Camden Johnson (Wichita State). He then advanced to third on a single from Andrew Wiggins (Indiana), scoring shortly after on an RBI single from Case Sanderson (Nebraska).
Wiggins reached third on the knock from Sanderson and crossed home plate on a close play on an RBI bunt single from Dean West (UCLA). The lead extended to 3-0 on another RBI single, this time from Caden Bogenpohl (Missouri State).
Ryker Waite (Vanderbilt) sparked a comeback effort in the sixth with a single. A one-base knock from Cam Kozeal (Arkansas) advanced Waite to third, and he became the first run of the day for the Braves after a passed ball from Kettleers catcher Jack Natili (Cincinnati) to make the score 3-1.
It started out as a close contest, but then Cotuit erupted in the seventh. The bases became loaded quickly as Johnson singled, Sanderson walked and West took a free pass. The momentum-changing inning began with an RBI walk from Bogenpohl, and then another run scored courtesy of help from a Braves miscue as Colin Fisher (Arkansas) hit Natili to score another run.
The Kettleers then blew the game open with one swing from Nolan Stevens (Mississippi State). He slugged a grand slam over the right field fence, pushing the lead to 9-1.
Cotuit tacked on another in the eighth. Johnson singled and reached with a steal and a wild pitch from Joshua Gunther (South Carolina). He scored to make the game 10-1 after an RBI double from Wiggins.
Bourne was able to put two across the board in the eighth, as Ryan Cooney (Oregon) singled and Waite walked. Both scored on a two-run double from Braden Holcomb (Vanderbilt), cutting the deficit to 10-3.
Dylan Scudder (Bryant) closed it out for the Kettleers to hand the Braves their second straight loss.
Bourne Braves Player of the Game
Waite was responsible for two of the Bourne scores, going 1-for-3 with a pair of runs.
Key moment
The difference-maker in both wins and losses for the Braves has been the big inning, and this time it was the difference in a defeat as Cotuit cashed in six runs in the seventh.
A look ahead
Bourne (9-12-1, 19 points) will hit the road and face the Harwich Mariners (14-8-1, 29 points) at Whitehouse Field. The Braves lost, 2-0, at Doran Park last time the two teams faced off.
First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
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