WAREHAM, Mass. — For the third straight Friday Bourne traveled to Spillane Field to take on the Wareham Gatemen.
After putting up seven runs on Thursday in the win against the Brewster Whitecaps, the Braves exceeded their run total from the night before in the first inning, scoring eight runs off and getting to Wareham starting pitcher Lazaro Collera (Miami) early.
The damage was done early, as Bourne used the big first frame to propel itself to a fourth win in a row despite a late push by the Gatemen by a score of 9-8.
It started with Jon LeGrande (St. John’s), Gavin Kelly (West Virginia) and Kade Lewis (Wake Forest) loading the bases with nobody out. LeGrande and Kelly cashed in on a two-run single from Kuhio Aloy (Arkansas), then the bases would clear in the ensuing at-bat as Camden Kozeal (Arkansas) sent a 342-foot shot over the fence for a three-run home run.
The momentum continued, as Campbell Smithwick (Oklahoma State) singled, forcing Collera out of the game as Shea Wendt (Creighton) subbed in to pitch. Drew Wyers (Mississippi State) then got on after a fielding error by Christopher Ramirez (Cal Baptist).
Smithwick scored on an RBI double by LeGrande — Wyers and LeGrande touched home plate shortly after on a two-run single from Kelly to have the inning end with the Braves in front by a whopping score of 8-0.
Bourne tacked on another run in the fourth, as Aloy found himself on third after a single and another one-base knock from Kozeal. He scored to make it a 9-0 ballgame after Cal Cefcik put together an RBI groundout.
Colin Fisher (Arkansas) was lights out for the Braves as the starter, tossing five innings of shutout ball with five strikeouts, giving up just two hits.
Wareham finally cashed in a run with a single swing in the seventh, as Hunter Carns (Florida State) knocked in a home run to left field to make the score 9-1 in favor of the Braves.
The Gatemen cut the deficit in the eighth, starting with a Colby Turner (Michigan) single and Easton Breyfogle (Arizona) getting hit by a pitch. Ramirez then knocked in Turner on an RBI single, and after a Brayden Randle (Ole Miss) walk, Breyfogle trotted in behind him after Carns got hit by a pitch.
More runners would cross home plate, as both Ramirez and Randle scored on a two-run single by Chris McHugh (NC State). Another run scored on an RBI single from Caden McDonald — two more followed immediately after Hayden Yost (Florida) ripped a two-run double. The scoring spree ended there, as Wareham trailed 9-8 after the monster frame.
Dominic Mauro (Cincinnati) held off the late push by the Gatemen, closing the game out in the ninth as the Braves took the 9-8 win for their fourth victory in a row headed into the All-Star break.
Bourne Braves Player of the Game
Kozeal went 3-for-4 at the plate with a trio of RBIs from his home run, a walk and a run.
Key moment
The eight-run first inning for the Braves was what they needed to emerge victorious, as the bullpen struggled in relief after a dynamic start from Colin Fisher.
A look ahead
Bourne (13-13-1, 27 points) will have two days off with the All-Star break before returning to action on Monday to face Orleans (13-13-2, 28 points). The last time the two teams met the Braves won, 7-3.
First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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