BOURNE, Mass. — Wrote them off. They didn't write back though.

Bourne fell behind early, then took the lead with a furious rally in the fifth, then gave it up in the seventh, tied it back up in the ninth, and then walk-off magic ensued at Doran Park.

The Braves had already escaped once in the 2025 playoff in a Game 3 setting, dethroning the Harbor Hawks in Round 1, and they were tasked with the same obstacle against Cotuit in the West Division Finals.

Thanks to the bat of Gavin Kelly (West Virginia), the Braves walked it off to win 6-5, advancing to its fourth straight Championship Series under field manager Scott Landers.

"I give them a lot of credit," Landers said. "I always say, 'winners win.' I haven't said it with this group, but they've showed resiliency through the whole year, with a lot of comeback wins, especially now in the playoffs."

The Kettleers got out to the early lead in the second, starting with a pair of base runners that reached via a free pass in Luke Matthews (Kent State) and Caden Bogenpohl (Missouri State). An RBI double off the bat of Zan Von Schlegell (St. Thomas) that scored Matthews put Cotuit in front 1-0.

More runs were poured on for the Kettleers in the fourth, as Matthews got it going with a one-base knock and then got to third on a single from Bogenpohl. The tandem touched home plate on a two-run double from Camden Johnson to give Cotuit a 3-0 lead.

Bourne didn’t have a single base runner entering the fifth with Max Haug (George Washington) tossing a perfect game. The Braves then got their first base runner, and first hit, and first run in the frame, but it didn’t stop there.

Ryker Waite (Vanderbilt) and Mark Quatrani (Notre Dame) found themselves on second and third after a walk and a single, where the pair advanced on a wild pitch from Huag. Ryan Cooney (Oregon) got the scoring started with his fifth hit of the series on an RBI single that scored Waite.

"Different guys have done it and stepped up, but they've never quit," Landers said. "Hats off to them. I'm super, super proud of them for what they did."

Jason Torres (Alabama) matched Cooney with an RBI one-base knock. Then the Braves took the lead on a two-run double from Jon LeGrande (St. John’s) that gave Bourne the 4-3 advantage.

Then Cotuit answered in the seventh, loading the bases with zero outs on Joshua Reed (Cincinnati) after a Johnson double, Ryne Farber (Auburn) single and a Landon Beaver (UAB) walk.

In for Reed came Will Whelan (Minnesota), and an RBI walk from Jack Natili (Cincinnati) that scored Johnson tied the game. The ensuing at-bat Nolan Stevens (Oklahoma) knocked in Farber on an RBI sacrifice fly, giving Cotuit the 5-4 lead to end the inning.

Kide Adetuyi (FAU) was tasked to pitch in the ninth for Cotuit, and after striking out Cal Sefcik (Cinncinnati), Waite got on base with a single. and Cooney advanced him one bag on a single after a Quatrani strikeout.

Then Torres answered the call, drilling an RBI single to left field to score Waite, tying the game up at 5-5 as Cooney was called out at third.

"Today, it took us a while to get going, and then we put up the four spot," Landers said. "Before that, I thought we were barreling balls up. They just weren't falling. And then later on, we we got some timely hits."

After a scoreless tenth pitched by Whelan, Kelly reached base with one out on a single in the bottom of the frame. Kelly then took second on a steal, putting himself in scoring position for Braden Holcomb (Vanderbilt), but Holcomb struck out looking.

Bourne had another chance in the 11th, as Waite reached on a walk and Quatrani moved him over on a single. Waite moved over to third on a sacrifice fly hit by Cooney, giving Torres an opportunity with two outs to end the game, but he flew out to leave Waite stranded at third.

Cotuit had runners on second and third with no outs to start the 12th, following a walk from Beaver and Natili getting hit by a pitch. The pair each advanced a bag on a wild pitch from Whelan.

Whelan then had his day conclude after striking out Stevens, getting subbed out for Packy Bradley-Cooney (Miami), who retired the next two Kettleers, sauntering off to the dugout with his tongue out and muscles flexed.

"We used a lot of guys on the mound," Landers said. "To get to Will and then Packy came in and cleaned up Will's mess, once Will got a little tired at the end."

LeGrande led off the bottom of the frame with a single, where he advanced to second on an error from Von Schlegell.

Then the Braves iced it, as an RBI single from Kelly cashed in LeGrande to send them to the Championship Series.

"This group got a spot in my heart, but we're not done yet," Landers said.

Bourne Braves Player of the Game

Will Whelan was electric out of the bullpen in relief, tossing a scoreless 5 1/3 innings with zero runs allowed.

Key moment

The walk-off knock from Gavin Kelly in the 12th inning sent the Braves to the Championship Series.

A look ahead

Bourne will host Y-D at Doran Park on Monday for Game 1 of the Championship Series. The last time the two teams met the Braves won 2-1.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.

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