It didn’t take long for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks to score a home run. In fact, it only took one pitch.

Starting for the Firebirds on the mound was Sebastian Gonzalez (Hawaii). Looking Matthew Miura (Hawaii) in the eye, Gonzalez released the ball, as it flew toward the designated hitter.

Unfortunately, for the Birds, the fly ball sailed over the reach of the outfielders and over the fence of Eldredge Park — giving the Harbor Hawks an early 1-0 lead off an explosive homer.

After a Jackson Willits (Oklahoma) walk and a Gabe Camacho (UC San Diego) single, it seemed like the Hyannis offense had found a steady rhythm.

That only intensified when a throwing error by Gonzalez on a pickoff attempt scored Willits and earned the Harbor Hawks a 2-0 edge with just one out.

Despite closing out the inning with no new runs, the Birds were already down by two before even stepping up to bat.

Nothing changed for Orleans in the bottom of the first when starting pitcher Richie Roman (Houston) held the Birds to a 1-2-3 inning.

The dent only increased for Orleans in the top of the second when Stone Lawless (Tennessee) went up to bat. Firing a ground-rule double on a line drive, Lawless put Hyannis in optimal position to get something going yet again.

That’s exactly what happened, thanks to Jason Walk (Oklahoma). Notching a double of his own off another line drive, Walk brought Lawless home on the play.

Stealing third, Walk was inching toward home.

With two outs on the board, that became a reality off a Ryan McKay (Michigan State) single, bringing the score to a 4-0 Harbor Hawks lead in the top of the second.

After Gonzalez’s 1 2/3 innings pitched in which he allowed four hits and five runs, Truman Pauley (Harvard) closed out the inning for Orleans.

Following another 1-2-3 inning for the Birds, it seemed like things couldn’t have started off worse for Orleans.

Until it did in the top of the third.

Off a double and a stolen base, Hyannis added another two runs to bring the score to 7-0.

By the bottom of the inning, while Orleans had managed to get two runs off a Luke Nixon (NC State) RBI and a Roman wild pitch, the Birds were going to need a lot more if they wanted to attempt a comeback.

Slowly but surely, it appeared that a comeback was in the works.

Despite the Harbor Hawks tallying their eighth home run in the top of the fourth, the bottom of the inning was when things started to click for the Birds.

After a Robbie Lavey (George Washington) walk, all eyes were on Sebastian Pisacreta (Pittsburgh). The catcher delivered when he homered on a fly ball, as he cut the deficit in half. Down by four runs, while hefty, Eldredge Park felt reenergized for some time.

The fifth inning looked less successful for the Birds, giving away another run to Hyannis and being held to another 1-2-3 inning.

Thanks to Abbrie Covarrubias (Southern California), that would all change in the bottom of the sixth.

After a Michael O’Shaughnessy (Davidson) single and a Lavey walk, Covarrubias had the opportunity to change the trajectory of the game.

Winding up, Covarrubias made contact with the ball and launched it over the fence, delivering a three-run homer for the Birds, narrowing the score to a 9-7 Hyannis lead.

“It was awesome, and getting my first homer in the Cape is a blessing,” Covarrubias said. “I was just looking for the fastball, and I got it.”

By the top of the seventh, Hyannis responded. Restoring its comfortable lead by scoring another two runs, the Harbor Hawks now dominated the Birds, 11-7.

Even though Orleans was unable to respond in the eighth inning, they were able to end the matchup with one last run.

That came in the bottom of the ninth, starting with a Jonathan Mendez (UC Santa Barbara) single. When Javar Williams (Wake Forest) then walked, O’Shaughnessy followed suit after being hit by a pitch.

With bases loaded, it wasn’t an RBI that scored Mendez, but rather a Hyannis wild pitch that brought the score to 11-8 Hyannis.

While the Birds weren’t able to deliver a win to a packed home crowd, they were able to showcase something that they haven’t been able to do yet this season at home — a three-run homer.

“It’s definitely a big confidence booster, and I am able to play super freely, and I’m just having fun,” Covarrubias said. “I just want to keep doing that.”