BOURNE, Mass. — It’s best not to count out the Braves, no matter the situation.

Wednesday night was another of many examples this season of the Bourne Braves proving their grittiness with a come-from-behind victory. This time, the Bravos pulled off a 9-8 victory over the Cotuit Kettleers.

“We didn’t quit,” said Landers about the Braves’ comeback on Wednesday. “Every time they [Cotuit] took the momentum, we took it back. I can’t say enough. That was a really big win for us in that situation.”

The Braves found themselves immediately in a hole against the Kettleers. After striking out back-to-back batters looking to start the game, Bourne starting pitcher LHP Aiden Stillman (Vanderbilt) received a rude awakening from Cotuit. The next seven hitters successfully reached base for the Ketts as Stillman seemingly lost his command and was pulled from the game. Replacing him was Owen Hancock. Coming in with the bases loaded and two outs, the Braves’ reliever was able to work his way out of the jam.

“The fastball up in the zone and cutter below the zone, my two best pitches, were clicking,” said Hancock after the game. “I was attacking the zone, attacking the hitters and trusting myself.”

After escaping the first, Hancock went on to shut out Cotuit over the next four innings. The righty allowed only two hits, struck out five, and didn’t walk a batter.

“He pitched great,” said Field Manager Scott Landers about Hancock. “He’s going to be gone for the next four days, so we knew we were using him tonight. He did an awesome job for us, keeping us in the game.”

Facing a four-run deficit before they had the chance to bat, the Braves started to chip away. Leadoff hitter SS Blake Schaaf (Wake Forest) sent a first-pitch double to right and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. Later in the frame, C Andrew Costello demolished the first pitch he saw for a two-run home run. Costello’s fourth long ball of the season cut the Kettleers’ lead to 4-2 after the first inning.

“I was just trying to do my job,” said Costello. “I went up there looking for a heater, so when I saw the spin, I reacted.”

In the third, Bourne took the lead for the first time Wednesday night. The Bravos strung together five hits and a sacrifice fly to put four runs on the scoreboard, giving them a 6-4 lead.

“We played inning by inning,” said DH Burke-Lee Maebus (Mississippi State), who hit his second triple of the season in the third-inning rally. “We did a really good job of capitalizing on the momentum that we created for ourselves and taking advantage of those innings that presented opportunities to score.”

Right when it looked like the Braves were in control, though, the momentum swung again. Down two runs, Cotuit built their own four-run rally in the sixth inning thanks to a string of walks and well-placed hits. Bourne got out of the frame thanks to one of the three times on Wednesday that Andrew Costello caught the Kettleers trying to steal.

Now down by two runs for the second time of the night, the Braves started to build another signature late-game rally. Burke-Lee Maebus drove in his second run of the night with a double down the left field line and advanced to third and home on a pair of wild pitches, tying the game at eight.

In the eighth inning, Bourne sealed the deal. With the bases loaded and two outs, Maebus once again came in clutch. After getting down in the count 1-2, the Braves designated hitter fought back in the count and drew a walk to force in the go-ahead run.

“All I was really focused on was just competing pitch to pitch,” said Maebus about his eventual game-winning walk. “That pitcher had some real stuff on the mound. I had a plan before two strikes, but once I got down 1-2 I was just trying to compete and not give away my at-bat by swinging at a bad pitch.”

WHAT IT MEANS

Bourne’s 16th victory of the season extends their lead atop the West Division standings. Combined with a loss by the Wareham Gatemen, the Bravos are just three wins away from clinching a spot in this year’s playoffs.

BOURNEBRAVES.ORG PLAYER OF THE GAME

Andrew Costello is tonight’s Player of the Game. In his last game for the Braves this summer, Costello got the offense rolling with a two-run home run in the first. Bourne’s best hitter finishes the season arguably in the lead for league MVP, leading the CCBL in batting average (.361), OPS (1.005), and total hits (35). Costello also has the second-most RBI and extra-base hits in the league.

NEXT UP

The Braves have another home game on Thursday, taking on the Hyannis Harbor Hawks for the third time this summer. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. ET.