BOURNE, Mass. — In a game that they led start to finish, the Bourne Braves picked up an 8-1 victory over the Falmouth Commodores for their 13th win of the season.
The win marked the 100th career regular season win in the Cape Cod Baseball League for Braves’ Field Manager Scott Landers. Bourne’s skipper is in his fifth year at the helm of the team, but has already cemented himself among the greatest coaches in CCBL history. In his first four seasons, Landers has yet to miss out on the league’s championship series and has led the Braves to victory in three of the four.
“It’s the same as every other one,” said Landers about the team’s win. “It feels pretty good to win.”
Helping Landers reach his milestone was the Braves’ offense. The Bravos had their first multi-home run game of the season, with 2B Eliot Medlock (Quinnipiac) and C Andrew Costello (South Carolina) each contributing a long ball. Bourne had five extra-base hits in total to tie their previous season high.
The first runs of the day for the Bravos came in the second inning. With a full count and two outs in the frame, Eliot Medlock launched a two-run home run over the fence in dead center field. The long ball was Medlock’s first hit as a Bravo this season and the first home run for a Bourne player since Cal Sefcik on June 29.
“I grew up in New England, so playing on the Cape was my dream as a kid. That first at-bat felt like it was two hours long,” said Medlock about the home run in his first plate appearance. “I got a heater middle-in on a 3-2 count, so I just put a good swing on it. It felt really good.”
“He had good at-bats tonight,” said Landers about Medlock’s performance. “He’s a good player; that’s why he’s here. He put a good swing on that 3-2 pitch, and then came back with another hit later on.”
After Falmouth put up their first run of the game in the third inning, Bourne responded in the fourth. LF Matt Bolton (Binghamton) and Medlock worked back-to-back singles to kick off the inning. Then, with two outs, C Andrew Costello (South Carolina) hit a line drive over the head of the Commodores’ shortstop for an RBI base hit. After four innings, the Braves held a 4-1 lead.
From there, neither team would find the scoreboard until Bourne struck again in the bottom of the seventh. To start the scoring in the frame, Andrew Costello hit a solo shot to center for the Braves’ second home run of the night.
“Coming off yesterday, I wasn’t really seeing the ball well. I really tried to simplify things today,” said Costello about his multi-hit performance. “I got back to my approach and did a great job of sitting on the fast stuff and trusting my eyes.”
After Costello’s solo home run, the Braves rallied for four more runs in the seventh. College teammates SS Blake Schaaf (Wake Forest) and 3B Austin Hawke (Wake Forest) each doubled in the rally, and Matt Bolton tripled on a line drive to right field for his league-leading fourth three-bagger of the season.
When the Bravos weren’t driving in runs, their lockdown bullpen continued its dominating stretch. For the sixth time in July, Bourne’s relievers didn’t allow a run to their opponents.
“They come out prepared,” Landers mentioned about the Braves’ bullpen. “They’re ready to throw strikes and compete with all their pitches.”
In tonight’s contest, RHP Dallin Harrison (New Mexico State), LHP Gavin Miller (George Washington), and All-Star RHP Jackson Kircher (Arkansas) were the Braves’ relief arms. Harrison came in to relieve Braves’ starter RHP Christian Lucarelli (Virginia), who allowed just one run in his first start for Bourne. Over three shutout innings, Harrison allowed only two hits and didn’t walk a batter. Miller followed him in the seventh, throwing two frames without allowing a hit or run. Kircher took the ninth, striking out three Commodores’ hitters to close the door.
“They’re tough,” said Andrew Costello, who caught all nine innings of the victory. “They just go out there and compete. I do my best to work with them on the mental side of things and get them to believe in themselves, and that’s what it comes down to for them. Conviction and belief.”
WHAT IT MEANS
After another win over a West Division rival, Bourne continues to sit firmly atop the division standings. At 13-10-3, the Braves are the only team in the West with a winning record and positive run differential (+31).
BOURNEBRAVES.ORG PLAYER OF THE GAME
Eliot Medlock is tonight’s Player of the Game. In his second start as a Bravo, the New England native had his first two CCBL hits. His first, a two-run home run in the second inning, was the Braves’ seventh home run of the season and gave them an early 2-0 lead.
NEXT UP
The Braves will be back in action on Thursday night, taking on the Chatham Anglers at Veterans Field. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. ET.
