Mist rose from the infield dirt as Assistant Manager Will MacLean (Southern Maine) manned the hose. A tandem of six Firebirds formed a line behind him, draping the hose over their shoulders.

At thirty minutes before gametime, it was up to the Birds to finish their final field preparations. Everything is a group effort. Not just during the game, but for each task that must be completed from noon to 6:30. If the Birds wanted to secure their first win of the season, they’d have to keep teamwork in mind.

Dominic Cadiz (UCLA) knows a thing or two about the importance of functioning as a unit. Cadiz leaned on the outfield railing, observing the field. As a freshman on a UCLA team that went 48-6 during the regular season, he reflected on what it takes to win.

“At UCLA our vibes were great, and I think our record really reflected that,” Cadiz said. “This squad’s got a lot of potential."

Cadiz was right about the potential of this Birds’ squad. He followed up last night’s three hit performance with another two hits versus Brewster, batting in one of the team’s nine runs. The Birds’ hadn’t been able to break though with the big hit in their first two contests, but they completely flipped the script versus the Whitecaps — aided by an excellent five innings of one run ball from starter Chase Frey (Grand Canyon).

“It all starts with that guy on the mound,” Manager Kelly Nicholson said. “Chase Frey was great tonight.”

Frey delivered the first pitch at 6:30 on the nose. The tall lefty faced directly into the setting sun over the hill filled with Firebirds faithful. The ‘Caps worked a leadoff single, but Frey eliminated the next two hitters quickly with parachute changeups. Frey’s excellent reaction time was on display — deflecting a sharp liner from Owen Jenkins with his glove and making the play at first.

After a quiet bottom of the first from the Birds, Frey returned to the hill. A commanding presence on the mound, Frey worked quickly, rocking his front foot before each pitch. He worked around a walk — posting a second scoreless frame.

Cale Stricklin (UNC Charlotte) ripped one up the middle to begin the bottom of the second. Nothing would come of the strong defensive catcher’s knock, as Rex Watson (Coastal Carolina) grounded into a double play to end the inning.

The sun was firmly covered by clouds when Frey returned for the third. Adam Magpoc rifled one into the Whitecaps dugout before flying out deep to center. A nice play by AJ Beltré Jr. (USD) at second sent the ‘Caps back out to the field.

A fast bottom of the third put the ‘Caps back on offense. Frey nearly worked around multiple hits, but a diving attempt by Watson in right came up just short, resulting in a Jake Lambdin RBI single.

Down 1-0, the Birds answered back. Rayner Heinrich (Tarleton State) reached on an error, and advanced to second on a groundout by Nate Savoie (Clemson). Going on contact with two outs, the Birds’ hottest hitter Cadiz roped one down the left field line, scoring Heinrich. Despite his heroics, Cadiz was thrown out at second trying to stretch a double. The early pitchers duel was knotted at 1-1 going into the fifth.

Frankie Carney proceeded to single off Frey, but was thrown out by Stricklin when he overslid the second base bag. Sunkissed clouds floated by slowly as Frey left the mound after another scoreless inning.

Payton Manca returned for the fifth, getting one Bird to groundout before walking Watson, ending his night. Beltré put one in play for an infield single, putting runners on first and second. Jordan Regulski walked Casey Cumiskey (SNHU) to fill up the bases. A wild pitch to the backstop scored Watson, giving the birds their first lead of the season.

JD Stein (Wake Forest) broke the floodgates for the Birds, lacing one into center field, scoring two. Despite being thrown out for the second time on the base paths, he had finally delivered the Birds some much needed breathing room. The Birds continued to display excellent discipline at the plate, as Heinrich worked a big walk to put Myatt in scoring position.

That proved to be the end for Jordan Regulski, who did not record an out himself before being removed from the game. Regulski was replaced by Ty Briscoe, who walked his first batter. With bases loaded thanks to three straight walks, Cadiz returned to the plate as the ninth hitter to bat that inning.

The disaster continued for Brewster, as Briscoe plunked Cadiz, scoring another Firebird as the dugout roared in support. The Birds kept piling on. Stricklin ripped a double inside the third base bag, plating two more Birds in his second at bat of the inning. After three different pitchers and 11 hitters stepped to the plate, the fifth inning finally came to the end, but the home team was now up 7-1.

Jacob Haley (South Alabama) replaced Frey in the top of the sixth for his Orleans debut. Though he fought control problems early, some slick defense from Beltré and Heinrich helped Haley through a scoreless frame.

Dark clouds in the outfield loomed as Orleans didn’t reach in the sixth. Haley returned for the top of the seventh and retired three Whitecaps quickly.

Joshua Whritenour entered for Brewster in the bottom of the seventh. Heinrich recorded his first hit of the season, then Savoie and Cadiz singled. The Birds failed to add on though, as Stricklin grounded into a 4-6-3 double play.

Evan Jones (Wake Forest) made his Cape League debut in the eighth. The righty worked a high leg kick and was sharp with his fastball, striking out one Whitecap.

The Birds continued to tack on in the bottom of the eighth off. Cumiskey hit a frozen rope all the way to the left field wall, splitting the outfielders and scoring Watson. Stein’s third hit of the night and Myatt’s bat to ball skills scored the Birds’ ninth run.

Kelly Nicholson said that aside from the Birds’ patience in the fifth, he was especially proud of the at bats the Birds’ displayed against Whritenour, who reached the upper 90s with his fastball.

“We put some good swings on him,” Nicholson said. “Hanigan gave the ‘hitter of the game’ award to J.D. Stein, but it could have gone to anyone.”

Jones slammed the door in the ninth, claiming his second strikeout victim. Something was in the air for the Birds, who cruised to their first win of the 2026 season.

Stein wore a huge smile after the game, high fiving teammates and skipping across the foul line.

“I knew [Regulski] throws a lot of heaters — I had faced him during the season,” Stein said. “In the first couple games we’re getting used to facing pitchers again. Today we played [our] first good game of baseball. The Cape is the place to be for summer ball.”

The Birds will return to Falmouth on Tuesday, hopefully to get revenge on the ‘Dores team that spoiled their season opener.

“We don’t want to go down there and let them beat us twice,” Nicholson said. “I think there’s going to be a little extra motivation.”