BOURNE, Mass. — Bourne Braves field manager Scott Landers has harped on the importance of momentum all season long.
Whenever his group put up a crooked inning — or let one up — he often pointed to the momentum shifting as a main reason. Such swings can make or break games, as they usually lead to a team running up the score and putting games out of reach.
The Braves (15-16-2) did just that on Thursday, breaking a 3-3 tie with a five-run fifth and never looking back, handily defeating the Chatham Anglers (16-16), 9-4. Every starter in Bourne’s lineup recorded at least one hit in a complete offensive effort, with the team reaching base 20 times.
“When you’re balanced through the lineup, it always helps,” Landers said. “We had a bunch of walks, 11 hits, spread out and that’s when you create big innings.”
Bourne’s bats didn’t get going until the third inning when second baseman Clay Grady (Virginia Tech) knocked a single into center field and outfielder Isaiah Jackson (Arizona State) wore a 1-0 pitch. After outfielder Chris Stanfield (LSU) flew out, shortstop Marek Houston (Wake Forest) lined an RBI single that right fielder Ashton Larson (LSU) couldn’t lay out and grab.
That lead was short-lived, with Chatham fighting back in the fourth. Two Anglers reached base with one out to set the table for shortstop Aiva Arquette (undecided), who smoked a double into center field to bring in two runs.
While Bourne reclaimed the lead in the fourth thanks to a sacrifice fly from Jackson, the Anglers knotted things up again in the top of the fifth. That was the final run right-handed pitcher Tyler Fay (Alabama) gave up in his five-inning start. Despite giving up four hits, he fanned seven batters a week after finishing with none in five frames.
The Braves took the momentum back in a massive way during the bottom of the fifth, though.
Houston and outfielder Ethan Conrad (Wake Forest) logged a walk and single, respectively, before third baseman Braden Holcomb (Vanderbilt) was hit by a pitch. First baseman Garrett Michel (Virginia Tech) drove in his second run of the day by working a six-pitch walk.
It didn’t end there. Catcher Chase Meggers (Oregon) entered Thursday with a knock in all five games he’s played this season and extended that streak with a two-RBI double, chasing reliever JD McReynolds (Central Missouri) from the game. Stanfield picked up the final RBI base knock of the frame with a single into center field, rounding out a mammoth inning.
“We just saw [the ball] well,” Grady said. “I feel like we prepared well, we got to our early work, did what we need[ed] to. And it translated into the game.”
From there, Bourne coasted to a victory, adding another run in the seventh. The Braves relievers — lefty Zach Crotchfelt (Texas Tech) and southpaw Preston Prince (Rutgers) — shut the door on Chatham the rest of the way despite allowing one more run.
Hitter of the Game — Clay Grady
Grady had been struggling at the plate a bit of late, as his average dipped below .170 less than a week ago at Wareham. However, he followed up a 1-for-4 day against Harwich with another strong outing at the plate on Thursday, going 2-for-2 with a walk, two runs and a stolen base.
As the second man up to the plate for Bourne in the third, Grady slapped a one-out single into center field and was later brought around thanks to Houston’s RBI single. He drew a five-pitch walk when he came back up an inning later.
Grady was then plucked by the first pitch of his third plate appearance of the night, putting him on base for the third time. The Virginia native struck again in the seventh with a single and advanced to third on Jackson’s double before taking advantage of a Stanfield groundout to cross the dish.
“I just simplified things in my mind, it wasn’t anything mechanically or with my swing,” Grady said. “I tried to not change the approach too much, but just simplify and try to get to the ball and put it [in] play. Whatever happens, happens, hit it hard.”
Pitcher of the Game — Zach Crotchfelt
A fiery arm that can throw strikes out of the bullpen, Crotchfelt has established himself as a spark plug for the Braves as the season has progressed. Despite his ERA being well over 10 at one point this summer, he’s pitched well enough to lower it to 7.56.
The left-hander enjoyed perhaps his most dominant outing of the 2024 campaign to date, as he went six up, six down in two innings of work on Thursday.
Facing Larson — the Anglers’ two-hitter — to start his day, Crotchfelt had no trouble, inducing a popout in five pitches. From there, he picked up consecutive strikeouts, both swinging, to get out of his first inning of work.
It was more of the same when he came back out in the seventh. He tossed another punchout and navigated the frame with ease. In total, 18 of his 27 pitches were for strikes, cementing a strong day on the bump.
“He attacked the zone,” Landers said. “He trusted his fastball and his secondary stuff has gotten much, much better throughout the summer. It was good that he went two innings tonight, I didn’t want to push it.”
A look ahead
Bourne’s win over Chatham was big for its standing in the West Division, as it increased its lead over last-place Falmouth, whose game against the Cotuit Kettleers was suspended in the third inning, to two games. The Braves will head to Lowell Park on Friday to visit the Kettleers for the second time this summer.
Landers will likely go with lefty Ethan McElvain (Vanderbilt) as his starter against Cotuit. Exclusively a starter for the Braves, he has tallied a 1.17 ERA and nine punchouts across two appearances during the 2024 campaign. McElvain looked strong in his last start on July 19, when he fanned six and only allowed two hits in 4 2/3 frames.
Cotuit’s starter is to be determined. First pitch is slated for 5 p.m.
Notes
The families of lefty Justin West (Louisville), right-handed pitcher Griffin Hugus (Miami) and Houston attended Bourne’s game on Thursday… 1,090 fans were at Doran Park for the Braves' matchup against Chatham… Recording a hit and walk on Thursday, Houston’s on-base streak is now at 10 games. He also has the highest on-base percentage (.489) in the Cape Cod Baseball League among active qualified hitters… Conrad owns the second-highest average on the Cape (.370) among qualified hitters… Bourne’s pitching staff now owns the second-lowest ERA (4.12), second-most innings pitched (281.2) and most strikeouts (330) in the CCBL.
