The Harwich Mariners made their way to Orleans for the 16th game of the season. The Mariners had bested the Birds in their first meeting with a ninth inning walk-off at Whitehouse Field.

Between helping the Firebirds with bunting drills, Mental Skills Coach Jay Banfield discussed the “Mind Up” sessions that he hosts before each home game. Banfield noted that the key to his mental rehearsal sessions is to get the players to visualize success.

“I want all the guys to know the agency they have as players,” Banfield said. “It’s about giving them mental strategies that they can rely on during the game so they can be on their own side.”

Rowan Kelly (UCSB) and Dominic Cadiz (UCLA) discussed last night’s win. Kelly was flattered to have been intentionally walked ahead of Cadiz. Cadiz joked that the Gatemen shouldn’t have let him face Connor Mohan in the tenth — the same pitcher he had taken deep in Wareham. He was happy to have made them pay.

The book on the Harwich Mariners is simple: don’t let them steal. Going into today’s game, the Mariners had far and away the most stolen bases in the CCBL at 57. Assistant Coach Ryan Hanigan and Manager Kelly Nicholson had a clear message for the Birds’ infielders — keep runners on close and don’t allow free bases.

It wasn’t stolen bases that did the Firebirds in. Instead, Harwich enacted an offensive onslaught — scoring eight runs on 10 hits. Harwich scored at least one run in six out of nine innings. Bub Terrell (Auburn) made progress against the Firebirds’ bases loaded woes with a three run double in the eighth. Casey Cumsikey (SNHU) hit his first homer of the year. Still, the Birds have yet to have a winning streak of more than two games this summer.

Another picture perfect evening at Eldredge was underway as Brayden Toro (Stetson) made his first start for Orleans. Though he normally works as a reliever, Toro got the nod, with Brennan Seiber (Vanderbilt) expected to enter in a piggyback role.

Toro cruised through the first, but ran into traffic in the second. With runners on first and second, Quentin Coats sent a shattered bat up the middle — clipping the hand of Toro as he threw to second for the force out. With a damaged hand, Toro allowed a double down the left field line. The Birds were in an early 2-0 hole.

Toro battled back for a clean third, allowing one hit but recording his second strikeout. That would be all for him, as the righty Seiber entered for the bulk role in the fourth.

It was a laborious inning for Seiber, who walked two, struck out two and allowed two hits. Another run crossed to give Harwich a three run lead.

The oranges, reds, and yellows of sunset grazed the roof of Nauset Middle in the fifth. Though last night’s crowd was recorded at more than 2,100, tonight's crowd looked even larger. Despite the fans showing out, Seiber allowed another run in the fifth thanks to the Mariners first steal of the day and Nate Castellon’s third hit.

Through five innings, The Birds had just one hit — a single punched the other way by AJ Beltré (USD). Elai Iwanaga (UCLA) took the sixth. An error, walk, and hit put the Birds behind 5-0. Cale Stricklin (Charlotte) caught a runner stealing to end the inning.

Casey Cumiskey ended the Birds’ silence. He caught a hanging curveball out in front — sending it 350 feet over the fence in left field. Two more Orleans walks chased the starter Riley Goodman out of the game after an impressive five and two thirds innings. The Birds still needed more offense to answer back.

Iwanaga continued into the seventh. Tyler Smolinski ripped a line drive homer to right field to bring the Birds’ deficit right back to five runs. Bub Terrell almost made a highlight reel catch, but the ball was knocked loose from his glove as he crashed into the fence at full speed.

Joe Nottingham (Georgia) took the eighth. He faced only three batters, recording one K and a flyout. Luca Alagheband (Harvard) finished the inning.

The Birds made things interesting in the eighth. With another bases loaded opportunity, Bub Terrell came through with a three-run double down the left field line. With runners on first and second, Tyler Harmony (Northeastern) was hit by pitch to load the bases a second time. Stricklin, the ninth hitter to bat in the inning, grounded out to second — finally ending the eighth.

Another late rally would be all for naught. Alagheband gave up a two run homer in the ninth to make it 8-4. The Birds went 1-2-3 in the ninth as the fans streamed out.

Orleans will travel to historic Fenway Park for a workout and scrimmage against the Red Sox regional scout team on Thursday. They return to Eldredge on July 3rd for their classic two-game rivalry set with Chatham as America gears up to celebrate its 250th anniversary.