Falmouth (10-12-2) entered the Guv on Monday already disadvantaged, having to make up a three-run deficit with six outs less to work with against Wareham (6-17).
The bats were able to do the job, as the ‘Dores outhit the Gatemen. The pitching staff did its part as well, allowing only two more runs the rest of the way. But in the end, it wasn’t enough. The Gatemen came out the victors in a 5-2 ballgame.
The final score on Monday night was a reflection of “the game within the game” according to hitting coach Beau McMillan, referencing the importance of “clutch hitting, two out hitting, battling [and] getting to the next pitch, “ in his own words.
“Today, a lot of lefty-lefty action, and we got loose with our swings a little bit, got a little bit longer and went outside the zone a little bit too much…we just didn't really have much of it today,” he said.
Game 22 resumed in the bottom of the third after a pair of homers from R.J. Hamilton (Duke) and Dylan Dubovik (Miami) surged the Gatemen ahead on Tuesday. Time was left for the ‘Dores to turn the tide, and in the fourth, a pair of two-out singles and a walk seemed to do just that. A strikeout disproved that narrative, as all three runners were stranded to end the inning.
The team knew they needed to get it going early, according to McMillan, coming in with a sense of urgency. “We set the table, we just didn't clear it,” he said.
The wheels continued to fall off after the Commodores came up short in the fourth, as a fielding error added on another pair of runs to the Gatemen lead in the top of the fifth. Carter White (Mississippi State) poked an RBI single through the infield to get the ‘Dores on the board – his second straight game with a run-scoring hit and seventh RBI on the year, fourth amongst all active Commodores in about a quarter as many games as those ahead of him.
But just as the ‘Dores were beginning to build steam, Ty Starke (Louisville) stopped them in their tracks down the stretch. The submarine throwing left-hander entered the contest in the seventh and recorded the final eight outs for Wareham. Falmouth made one final push in the ninth, cutting the deficit back to two on a Brayden Jefferis (Michigan) single and brought up the tying run in the inning, but yet again, the strikeout bug bit the ‘Dores and inserted the fatal venom that killed the ninth inning rally and ended the game.
As a team, the Commodores had 16 strikeouts against Wareham and couldn’t get themselves out of the gate on Monday. A lot of this could be a byproduct of the nature of summer baseball and the chaos it brings a coaching staff.
“We've got a lot of turnover happening at the moment,” said McMillan. “Guys coming and going, so we just try to get the dudes in here that we watch video on and look like they have what it takes to come out here and put at-bats together for us.”
Despite this, Falmouth has put together a pitching staff that’s been extremely competitive with the rest of the Cape League. Over the course of the past week, the ‘Dores have pitched to a 2.86 ERA – the fourth best mark on the Cape.
“Our pitching's been keeping us in the game lately, and when they do that, we'll have a chance to win today,” McMillan said, giving his arms their much deserved credit. “If we can continue to get those outings from our pitchers and put our at-bats together and string them back-to-back and hit with guys in scoring position, we're going to be all right.”
Falmouth remains in second place with four games to go before the All-Star break, three of which come against West Division opponents. They’ll face Hyannis at home on Tuesday, July 14, at 6:00 p.m.
