The Firebirds found themselves in yet another pitching duel Friday night, as the Mariners came to Orleans looking to bounce back from an 18-4 defeat to Cotuit just the night prior.
The Birds, boasting their best pitching start to a season since 2019 with only 18 hits allowed through their first five games, are waiting on the seemingly inevitable explosion of their offense, which in contrast is having its quietest start at the plate since 2011.
Inevitable might not be the word you'd use to describe the Birds' offense through their first five games, but with hitters like Roch Cholowsky (UCLA), Landon Moran (Stetson), JP Smith (Sacramento State) and others, it would be a shock if these performances become the new norm in Orleans.
In the aforementioned 2011 season, where the Birds also struggled to bring in runs early, Orleans ultimately ended up bringing home the East Division title. With things constantly changing in the Cape League, the Birds' offense of the present looks to be another turnaround story.
To start the night for Orleans, Michael Foltz (George Washington) stepped on the mound, hoping to keep the game manageable for an offense still trying to work out the kinks. Two early free passes delivered in a three-batter span from Foltz quickly put a Harwich base runner in scoring position with a runner trailing on first.
Thankfully for the Foltz, a line drive directly to the glove of Cholowsky at third, who turned the double play with a throw to Mike Mancini (James Madison), got him out of an early self-inflicted jam.
Mancini led off and got the night going offensively for the Birds after winning an eight-pitch battle with Harwich's Jacob Frost (Kansas State), earning a line-drive single to left. Mancini wouldn't travel any farther, however, as Frost struck out two of the next three Birds hitters, stranding Mancini at first.
After Foltz and Frost traded 1-2-3 innings to move the game to the fourth, Foltz found himself in another self-inflicted jam. After leadoff man Vince Fattore (Elon) gave Harwich its first hit of the night with a line-drive single, Foltz walked Ryan Weingartner, (St. Joseph's) and hit Jake Ogden (UNC Greensboro) with a pitch to load the bases for the Mariners.
With the bases loaded, the Orleans infield came to the rescue of Foltz once again, turning another double play at the perfect time, courtesy of Lorenzo Meola (Stetson) and Jack Gurevitch (San Diego).
Despite the defense consistently making plays to give the Birds offense opportunities, turning yet another double play to quickly end the fifth for the Harwich offense, Frost's dominant pitching was too much for the Orleans bats to handle.
Frost's Cape League debut came to an end in the bottom of the fifth, as Harwich was the first team to go into their bullpen. Frost ended his debut with only allowing one hit and striking out six Firebirds, all of which came consecutively.
Sam Tookoian (Mississippi) came in to relieve Frost of his duties and picked up right where he left off, immediately retiring all three hitters on strikes.
Tookoian continued his effective play throughout the sixth inning and into the seventh when the Firebirds offense finally began to see signs of life.
Cholowsky was hit by the very first pitch of the bottom frame, giving the Birds their first leadoff runner since Mancini in the first inning. Shupe then moved Cholowsky into scoring position on second with a sacrifice bunt, something manager Kelly Nicholson emphasizes the importance of and that they practice before every BP.
Power hitter Smith finally got the big hit he was looking for, and it couldn't have been more timely, as his line drive into deep center brought Cholowsky in for the go-ahead run.
Colin Tuft (Tulane) came in to run the bases for Smith and eventually advanced to third off a Daniel Bucciero ground out. Another strikeout from Tookoian ended the inning and stranded Tuft 90 feet from home.
After Brennan Seiber (Vanderbilt) was brought in to deliver the final strike of the inning for the Birds in the seventh, he was tasked with bringing Orleans to the finish line, up one.
Unfortunately, free passes handed out by the Birds pitching once again put them in a one-out jam with the bases loaded.
This time, Harwich took advantage, as Matt Scannell (Princeton) popped up a sacrifice fly to bring in Ogden, and Dickenson ran the leading run after a throwing error by the Birds outfield.
After near-flawless defense for eight innings from Orleans, Harwich was now up 2-1.
To protect their newfound lead, the Mariners sent in lefty Bryson Bales (Hendrix), as Birds hitters had previously struggled against the left arm of Frost. Bales was no different, as he retired three straight batters to send the game to the ninth.
Sean Matson (Harvard) once again came in to close for the Birds and did his job, per usual, going 1-2-3 and giving the Birds offense one last chance.
Despite a late rally with two runners in scoring position, the Birds couldn't capitalize and dropped their fifth game of the year.
Orleans has a great opportunity to bounce back Saturday night, as they travel down the Cape to visit Hyannis for a 6 p.m. showdown. This game is bound to prove a great test to the Birds' offense, as the Harbor Hawks boast the league's best record.
