BOURNE, Mass. — The Bourne Braves have been synonymous with late-game comebacks this season. Tonight, they didn’t need one.
Coming off back-to-back losses, the Braves got back in the win column Monday night with a 3-1 victory over the Orleans Firebirds. The Bravos tallied 13 hits in the contest, their most in a game this season.
“I thought we had good, quality at-bats tonight,” said Field Manager Scott Landers. “We still left a bunch of runners on base, but the bats were much much better.”
The only Braves’ hitter to come through with runners in scoring position was RF Cal Sefcik (USF). The second-year Brave went 3-for-4 in the game and drove home all three Bourne runs.
Sefcik gave the Braves’ the lead with a two-run home run in the fourth. 1B Luke Costello (South Carolina) got the action started for the Braves, lacing a double to left field for Bourne’s first extra-base hit. Later in the inning with two-outs, Sefcik sent the second pitch he saw on a rope over the left field wall.
With the Braves still ahead by just a run in the eighth, Sefcik added insurance. Following a leadoff triple by 2B Blake Schaaf (Wake Forest), Sefcik drove a sharp ground ball past the drawn-in Orleans infield for his third RBI of the night.
“Tribute to him, he’s been working on things,” said Lander about Sefcik’s performance. “He was a little frustrated earlier this season, but kept working on it and good things have happened.”
Orleans’s first and only run of the contest came in the third inning. With one out, Adrian Beltre Jr. (San Diego) started the offense with a fly-ball double down the right field line. The Firebirds’ next hitter, Rowan Kelly (UC Santa Barbara), followed by sending the first pitch he saw into right for an RBI single.
Despite the third inning run allowed, Bourne’s RHP Isaiah Shayter (Penn State) had a solid first start of the season. Over 5.0 innings, the righty allowed four hits and two walks while picking up three strikeouts. Behind him, the Braves’ defense had a bounceback game. After a three-error performance on Sunday, Bourne was clean in the field for all nine innings. SS Lee Ellis had six assists in the field, including being the start of an impressive glove-flip double play in the fifth.
“I was just trying to react to the ball and get it on the best hop,” said Ellis about his fifth inning double play. “I knew it was a good play, but I was more focused on getting the last out.”
On the offensive side, the Bravos’ run production was powered by RF Cal Sefcik (USF). The second-year Brave went 3-for-4 in the game and drove home all three Bourne runs.
Sefcik gave the Braves’ their first lead of the game with a two-run home run in the fourth. 1B Luke Costello (South Carolina) got the action started for the Braves, lacing a double to left field for Bourne’s first extra-base hit. Later in the inning with two-outs, Sefcik sent the second pitch he saw on a rope over the left field wall.
With the Braves still ahead by just a run in the eighth, Sefcik added insurance. Following a leadoff triple by 2B Blake Schaaf (Wake Forest), Sefcik drove a sharp ground ball past the drawn-in Orleans infield for his third RBI of the night.
WHAT IT MEANS
The Falmouth Commodores fell to Hyannis in their matchup, meaning the Bourne Braves now stand alone as the leader of the West Division. Cotuit is also within striking distance, sitting one point behind Falmouth in the standings for second place.
BOURNEBRAVES.ORG PLAYER OF THE GAME
Cal Sefcik is tonight’s Player of the Game. The Braves’ outfielder had his best performance of the season, going 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and 3 RBI. This was tied for the second-most hits by Sefcik in a Braves uniform, trailing only his five-hit game against Cotuit last August.
NEXT UP
The Braves will be back in action on Tuesday, traveling to Brewster to take on the Whitecaps for the third time this season. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. ET.
