Orleans returned to the friendly confines of Eldredge for a picturesque Father’s Day. As the Birds worked their normal pre-game duties, chatter buzzed throughout the field and dugout. A slow start certainly had no effect on the Birds’ positive vibes.

The afternoon sun played hide and seek, bouncing between scattered wispy clouds. AJ Beltré (USD) hit three homers in a row during batting practice after switching bats. Brayden Ricketts (Indiana) took his swings, still nursing a hand injury. Manager Kelly Nicholson talked music with Brayden Toro (Stetson) as he painted the lines on the field.

Casey Cumiskey (SNHU) stayed behind in the dugout as the rest of the team travelled to the fieldhouse. From New Jersey, to New Hampshire, to the shores of the Cape, the 20 year old rising senior said that it was only a matter of time before the team strings together some wins. To keep himself composed, the infielder regularly visits Cape Cod Bay — just a short stroll from his host family's place in Brewster.

It was quite the eventful night at Eldredge. In a contest that lasted nearly three and a half hours, the Birds pulled out a 5-4 win thanks to an Elijah Ickes (Hawaii) game-winning RBI double. This one had it all: great defense, solid pitching, and a slew of great at bats by Orleans hitters. For the most part, Orleans eliminated Kettleers traffic on the bases and thrived at creating their own. Firebirds hurlers struck out 15 Cotuit hitters. Birds’ bats walked six times and were hit by pitch five times.

“We needed that one,” Kelly Nicholson said. “I was super proud of our guys. We punched right back in the bottom of the eighth. Elijah smashed that ball. It was a really good team win. LJ Cormier proved tonight why the changeup is the best pitch in the game.”

LJ Cormier (Auburn) started for the Birds at Eldredge after just arriving a few days ago. Though the righty didn’t light up the radar gun, his 91 mile an hour fastball moved well. He played a deadly curveball and Nicholson-approved changeup off of it, striking out two Kettleers in the first.

Firebirds pitchers perched themselves on the floor of the Charles F. Moore Jr. bandstand just behind their bullpen in right. They watched as their teammates walked twice in the first but couldn’t capitalize.

Cormier came out firing in the second. He struck out two more Kettleers. In between that, Birds catcher Cale Stricklin (Charlotte) back-picked Hogan Denny at first with a speedy snap throw.

The sun began to set as Bub Terrell (Auburn) recorded his first extra base hit of the season — stroking a double down the left field line. Jeremy Sheffield (Georgetown) moved Terrell to third. Stricklin put the ball in play again — scoring the swift Terrell and getting the Birds another early lead.

Firebirds fathers and their families were in abundance. Cormier got back to work, delivering pitches with incredible efficiency. He worked around a free pass and a hit batter in the third — striking out two more Kettleers with runners in scoring position. An impressive Houdini act.

Andrew Cutler (George Washington) headed to the hill for the Birds in the fourth. Shadows checkered the field as Cutler K’d two more Kettleers. The Birds had handed a staggering eight strikeouts to Cotuit through only four innings.

The Birds scored their second run in the fourth without recording a hit. An error, walk, and hit by pitch loaded the bases, and Elijah Ickes (Hawaii) recorded an RBI by getting drilled with another pitch himself. Armani Raygoza (UTRGV) was given another free pass, scoring a second Bird.

The score remained 3-0 Orleans, but the team still added three to their left on base total. Firebirds arms continued punching tickets, as Cutler added two more in the fifth.

A first quarter moon rose high above the light towers in left field. Sheffield attempted a lunar landing with his broken bat, which went flying over the third base netting and narrowly avoided some opposing fans.

Cutler continued to carve into the sixth as darkness set in. He sat down another two Kettleers by way of the K, bringing his total to six and the team total to 12. Cutler was finally chased off the mound in the seventh after back to back hits allowed.

Luca Alagheband (Harvard) replaced Cutler looking for redemption. While he only faced three hitters, he only allowed one run to score via a walk. He was then replaced by Elai Iwanaga (UCLA) in the same inning. The righty induced a groundout to finally escape the bases loaded jam.

Cumiskey’s trip to first base in the seventh was far more controversial than his walks to the beach. As the lefty squared to bunt, he was blown up inside as the ball ricocheted off his hand. Though it was initially called a foul ball, Kelly Nicholson interjected, leading to an umpires conference. After the three man discussion, Cumiskey was awarded first, much to the ire of Kettleers skipper Rob Cooper.

Terrell followed with a perfect bunt to load the bases. The Birds dugout erupted with cheers. Sheffield was the next man in Tyler Brashear’s line of fire — getting hit by yet another pitch to push Raygoza across.

Jayden Stroman (Virginia) crouched for a moment behind the mound before claiming the ball for the eighth. Stroman couldn’t find the zone this time around, loading the bases and walking in a run before Nicholson handed the ball to Evan Jones (Wake Forest).

Jones was another Birds hurler looking for a bounce-back performance — having been walked off by Harwich just two nights ago. Jones still couldn’t find the answer. He did freeze Jayce Lee with 99 miles an hour for a strikeout, but allowed a game-tying two run single to knot the game at 4-4.

Elijah Ickes answered right back in the eighth, ripping a go-ahead RBI double to center, scoring Dominic Cadiz (UCLA) who had singled before him. Finally, someone had delivered the clutch hit Orleans so desperately needed.

“I was just trying to be on time for the fastball,” Ickes said. “I think it’s huge to get this win. We’ve got a good feeling going into the off day.”

Though a win seemed improbable at times, Ickes noted that the Firebirds didn’t have a doubt about recording their second victory of the year.

“It was expected,” Ickes said. “We’re playing here in the best summer league in the world. We just have to play our baseball, loosen up, and be relaxed.”

Orleans got the perfect storybook finish as Stricklin again showed off the howitzer attached to his shoulder — gunning down Dawson Park at second base for the last out of the game. Catchers are often the unsung heroes of the baseball diamond. The Orleans field general proved that today.

“My job as a catcher is to keep the pitching staff under control,” Stricklin said. “Anything I can do to get us off the field faster is what I’m going to try and do. Everyone stepped up. We’re going to get rolling soon.”

Stricklin said that the Father’s Day win was a special one for all the Firebirds.

“We had a pre-game meeting where we talked about how important it is to tell our father figures ‘Happy Father’s Day’”, Stricklin said. “It means a lot to give them this win.”