FALMOUTH, Mass. – Falmouth Commodore Patrick Roche (Boston College) worked a full count to get the RBI single to walk off the Brewster Whitecaps 9-8 on Friday in the 10th inning.
“Patrick just got here and he’s contributing to the team already,” Donovan LaSalle (Oklahoma State) said.
The Whitecaps made the first move with a lead-off home run from Ryder Helfrick (Arkansas) to get on the board 1-0 in the top of the first. The Commodores’ defense saved it with a pair of groundouts and a flyout.
Falmouth’s offense responded with a pair of hits and RBIs. Jayson Jones (Oklahoma State) put up a sac fly and Trent Caraway (Oregon State) had a groundout to put the Commodores up 2-1 in the bottom of the first.
A run punched in from Blake Binderup (Texas A&M) evened the game at 2-2 in the top of the second. Brewster reclaimed its lead, 3-2, with an RBI single from Helfrick.
The bats got quiet for the third with a three up, three down inning. In the bottom of the fourth, LaSalle lighted it up with a two-run homer to reclaim Falmouth’s lead 4-3.
“It was a great at-bat,” LaSalle said. “It was a 3-2 count. I was looking for a fastball and I got one and tried to put my best swing on it.”
Another two-run homer was put up by Jones this time to push the Commodores’ lead to 6-3 in the bottom of the fifth. Falmouth’s rally was cut short after the outs caught up to it with a flyout, strikeout and pop out.
The offensive tear carried into the bottom of the sixth for the Commodores with another RBI groundout to widen their lead to 7-3. The seventh was a quiet inning with no runs scored.
The Whitecaps weren’t out of it yet. In the top of the eighth, they put up an RBI single to sit at 7-4 against the Commodores. The top of the ninth went in Brewster's favor with Falmouth’s relief pitcher Gavin Wilhelm (Washburn) giving up four walks, two hits and four runs to give them the lead 8-7.
The game rolled over to the bottom of the ninth and Caraway still had steam left and got to third base with a double and throwing error. Karson Bowen (TCU) got an RBI single to bring Caraway home, 8-8, but the Commodores got wrung up on a double play to send the game into the 10th inning.
Nick Gravel (Keystone) checked in on the mound in the top of the 10th. The Whitecaps were put away with a strikeout, pop out and ground out despite the far left field light tower going out.
LaSalle started at second base for the bottom of the 10th and Jack Bell (TCU) bunted it to put himself on first and move LaSalle to third. Roche walked up to the dish and got the hit to walk off Brewster 9-8.
“The game plan was to bunt me over and then hit it in,” LaSalle said. “I’m glad my teammates could execute and we got that win.”
The Commodores (15-21) will have a doubleheader on Saturday against the Cotuit Kettleers (21-15). The first game will begin at noon to complete the July 25 game at Lowell Park. The second game will start at 6 p.m. at Guv Fuller Field.
You can get live game updates on Instagram and X @FalCommodores or tune into the live broadcasts featuring Aiden Blanc, MJ Newsom and Braden Schenck on YouTube @FalmouthCommodores.
Photo Credit: Meghan Murphy
