Wednesday’s game in Wareham told two vastly different stories.

In the bottom of the fourth, things couldn’t have seemed worse for the Birds. But by the top of the sixth, everything had clicked for Orleans.

“They just put together a bunch of really good at bats, and next thing we know, we have four runs and turned a 5–0 game into a 5–4 game,” manager Kelly Nicholson said. “We got right back in it.”

The Gatemen came out explosive in the bottom of the first inning.

From the beginning, Wareham put pressure on Brayden Krenzel (Tennessee), who started on the mound for the Birds.

After both a Brayden Randle (Mississippi) and Ty Dalley (Clemson) walk, the Gatemen appeared to be finding a rhythm.

This only intensified when Kollin Ritchie (Oklahoma State) doubled on a fly ball to center fielder Javar Williams (Wake Forest), who was unable to come up with the catch.

Scoring both Randle and Dalley on the play, the Gatemen had already secured a 2–0 lead before the Birds could even find their footing.

Despite a Robbie Lavey (George Washington) single on a line drive to start the second, Orleans was unable to convert on the opportunity, as the score stood 2–0.

However, Krenzel remained dominant on the mound, as he held Wareham to a 1–2–3 inning in the bottom of the second.

But by the bottom of the fourth, the bleeding only continued for the Birds, as the Gatemen notched another three runs. With one run coming off a sacrifice bunt, and the other two runs off consecutive Gatemen singles.

The top of the fifth is when the script flipped for Orleans.

After a Luke Nixon (NC State) walk, Michael O’Shaughnessy (Davidson) followed suit with a walk of his own. Michael Crossland (UC San Diego) would be right behind after being hit by a pitch.

All signs pointed toward an Orleans’ comeback with bases loaded.

That’s exactly what happened when Lavey nailed a double on a line drive to center field, bringing both Nixon and O’Shaughnessy home.

The Birds weren’t done just yet, though. Tristan Salinas (North Greenville) only ignited the Birds’ offense further when he had a double of his own, scoring Crossland and Lavey.

Slowly but surely, Orleans chipped away at Wareham’s lead. Down by just one run, the Birds had a chance to knot the score for the first time in the game.

Ryan Oshinskie (Brown) began that effort when he held the Gatemen to a 1–2–3 inning in the bottom of the fifth.

Eventually, the Birds capitalized on their opportunity for a comeback in the top of the sixth.

With two outs on the board, Nixon walked. Off a wild pitch by Kayden Campbell (Georgia Tech), Nixon advanced to second.

After a passed ball by catcher Levi Clark (Tennessee), Nixon advanced to third and O’Shaughnessy walked.

Even after a pitching change, the Gatemen were unable to stop the Birds’ next advance as Crossland reached on a fielding error by Randle, scoring Nixon and advancing O’Shaughnessy to second.

Lavey proved to be the difference maker next at bat. Nailing a double on a line drive to left field, Lavey brought home both Crossland and O’Shaughnessy. The George Washington left fielder had three hits and four RBIs on the night.

“I told him after the game that he is going to be playing a lot of left field,” Nicholson said about Lavey playing left field. “It seemed like he had been playing that position his whole career.”

With a two-run edge over Wareham, the Birds had just about figured it out.

While Wareham attempted to make a comeback of its own in the following innings, the Birds shut it down in every way, as they took a 7–5 road win.

“A swing in momentum like that, going from behind and getting the win is the best,” Lavey said. “Big things are coming.”