The Hyannis Harbor Hawks suffered another hard loss on Sunday night against the Bourne Braves, 3-1. The Braves (13-15-2) have shown the Hawks (17-12-1) a harder time than any other team on the Cape. This season Hyannis has won at least one game in each series against Bourne. There are still two more chances to compete later in the season.
In the bottom of the third, Bourne scored first. With a leadoff walk putting a runner at first base, and the next batter hitting a single up the middle, the runner advanced. With a throwing error by in the outfield, the runner made it home. On another single to the outfield, the other runner scored. The final run of the inning scored on a grounder up the middle.
Kane Kepley (North Carolina) led off the top of the sixth, reaching base on a single up the middle. Alex Lodise (Florida State) also singled on a line drive, advancing Kepley. Eric Snow (Auburn) singled on a line drive to center field, allowing Kepley to score. The score at the end of the inning was 3-1 Bourne.
“Offensively, we just continue to struggle against [the Braves] and we have to find a way to make adjustments against some good arms,” head coach Mitch Karraker said. “It was really just the one inning that got away from us. Other than that our pitching staff was really good, too.”
Despite holding Bourne to six hits, the Braves got on base and had good timely hitting. Alizaeh Gutierrez (Angelo State) pitched two complete innings and gave up only one hit in his first appearance on Cape. In the third, Paul Schmitz (University of Houston) was in to relieve Gutierrez, in for only a single inning and allowing three runs.
Kade Brown (Sacramento State) pitched his way through the sixth after coming in in the fourth. He allowed two hits but recorded four strikeouts, all while testing out a couple of new pitches.
“As a freshman coming into this league, it’s tough. [Brown’s] done a really good job of getting better and better after each outing,” Karraker said. “We are really happy for him and about his performance. We are going to need him down the stretch.”
“No real nerves around trying [the new pitches],” Brown said. “I think just stay consistent and calm … the losses are close, so if we just stay consistent, we can start grabbing more [wins] here and there.”
Chandler Dorsey (LSU) pitched two innings for the blue and orange Sunday night. He held the Braves scoreless through his time on the mound, registering five strikeouts.
The Harbor Hawks fought hard through all nine innings. The pitching staff did well and multiple defensive plays changed the game. The team struggled to piece together hits in order to score more than one run. Cannon Peebles (Tennessee) got ahold of one in the ninth, with an exit velocity of 98 mph and a 362-foot rocket off the bat, it would have been a homer at any other park, but it was caught by the center fielder, marking the second out of the inning.
“[The team] will just continue to make adjustments and hopefully the next time we get a chance against [Bourne], it goes our way,” Karraker said.
The Harbor Hawks will play again on Tuesday at McKeon Park against the Cotuit Kettleers at 6 p.m.
