With their backs against the wall, the Harwich Mariners traveled to Bourne to face the Braves in Game 2 of the Cape Cod Baseball League Championship. Harwich fell in Game 1 after giving up 11 free passes via walks.
Bryan Matuschat was given the start from head skipper Steve Englert. Matuschat has been the heart and soul of the Mariners pitching staff since Game 1 of the season. Matuschat has been a bullpen arm all season and made his first start on the biggest stage. Matuschat has pitched 19 innings for the Mariners with a 3.32 ERA.
It was the most intense pitching battle we have seen all season long. Matuschat and Bourne’s Noah Scott brought their best stuff tonight in the biggest game of their early pitching careers.
Veteran leadership
Matuschat had the game of his life tonight going 6 ⅔ innings, only allowing three hits and shutting down the Braves offense. Matuschat, a Sacred Heart University product, pitched against a team full of Power Four hitters and made them look silly. Matuschat watched “Rocky” Sunday night to prepare himself for the start.
“I’m a starter by trade, so it was comfortable for me. I knew our backs were against the wall with the boys, so I had to give it all I had, and we got the W,” said Matuschat.
The only run came in the top of the seventh inning. Niko Brini sparked an offense that seemed like they couldn't buy a hit, laying down a perfect bunt down the third-base line. Ty Smolinski then stepped to the plate and crushed a ball to deep left-center field. At first, the whole Doran Park believed it was a home run but after an umpire meeting, they decided the ball bounced before the fence and went over to rule the play as a ground rule double.
You could hear the whole Harwich faithful disagree with the call. Cade Kurland then stepped to the plate with runners on second and third. A deep fly ball to center field would be caught by Bourne’s Matt Bolton but Brini was still able to score by tagging on third to give the Mariners a 1-0 lead.
Matuschat, Kurland and Brini have all put on a Mariners uniform before the season started. Matuschat and Brini both were on the 2025 Mariners and Kurland was on the 2024 Mariners that beat Bourne in the championship.
Bryan Matuschat’s night would end in the bottom of the seventh after loading the bases. Bourne’s Austin Hawke came to the plate looking to catapult the Braves into the lead. Coach Steve Englert called upon Reese Oakley, the Murray State product, to get the Mariners out of a jam. Three pitches from Oakley were all it took to force Hawke into a groundout to Cade Kurland to end the inning.
Oakley went into the bottom of the ninth inning to face Bourne’s most talented hitter in Luke Costello. Three straight strikes went right by Costello and the South Carolina outfielder didn't even swing to get the out.
“Stevie put me in that situation, so I had confidence. Everybody in the bullpen was hyping me up and getting me ready, and I felt confident going into the game,” said Oakley.
Tommy Mitchell closed out the final two Braves but not before Bourne was able to get runners on first and third. The final out came against Eliot Medlock. Medlock’s six-pitch at-bat ended in a check swing that was appealed by the first-base umpire to end the game.
“We’ve got such a good group, so just breathing through it and trying to throw strikes, force contact, and hitters will get themselves out,” said Mitchell.
The Mariners came through with their backs against the wall and will be back at Whitehouse Field Tuesday looking to close out the recent dynasty in the Cape Cod Baseball League. Steve Englert’s recipe for a ring is simple.
“Play great defense, limit the walks, get hits with guys in scoring position and score runs. Then let the other team do what they do. That’s it,” said Englert.
First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.
