ORLEANS, Mass. – The Falmouth Commodores troubles followed them to its matchup against the Orleans Firebirds to fall 0-3 on the season in a 1-0 loss last night.
“Today was a good set," catcher Karson Bowen (TCU) said. "The grass here was long, but we hit them hard and made better approaches today so I think tomorrow is going to be a good day."
The Commodores opened up the matchup with offensive movement. Blake Cavill (Western Kentucky) started off for Falmouth with a walk then Dylan Carey (Nebraska) followed with a double to put Cavill on third base and himself on second base.
Bases were loaded after Joey Brenczewski (Indiana) was able to get Orleans starting pitcher Matthew Watson (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) to give up another walk. Despite Falmouth’s offensive advances, Watson picked up three strikeouts on Donovan LaSalle (Oklahoma State), Luke Gaffney (Purdue) and Kollin Ritchie (Oklahoma State).
Falmouth continued its momentum on defense. Commodore starting pitcher Ryan McCarroll (Wheaton College) picked up a pop-out coming off the mound and dived for the ball after giving up a walk to Mike Mancini (James Madison). McCarroll was backed up by Bowen and the infield.
“I was pitching to contact and I let my defense do the work behind me,” McCarroll said.
When the Commodores returned to hitting, the same momentum wasn’t there with a quick three outs. The Firebirds came out in the bottom of the second with back-to-back doubles from Landon Moran (Stetson) and Daniel Bucciero (Fordham) to pick up a run from Moran to take the lead 1-0.
Bowen was two for two with catching runners stealing bases. Daniel Bucciero tried to steal third, but Bowen slung it to Ritchie to get the out. Coming into the top of the third, all three Falmouth hitters grounded out while racing to first base.
The momentum of the game continued through the bottom of the third with a quick three-outs from the Commodores. Falmouth continued to try and push to get runners onto bases despite troubles in the fourth and fifth innings.
In the bottom of the fourth Ritchie reached first base on a throwing error from Yamin, but in the top of the fifth, it was a quick three-and-done for the Firebirds to head back to bat.
McCarroll continued on the mound and the Commodore defense picked up two flyouts, a forceout and gave up a walk. In the bottom of the fifth, Parker Coil (Arkansas) relieved McCarroll. Coil debuted and recorded two strikeouts and gave up one walk.
The sixth and seventh innings were back and forward between Falmouth and Orleans while the scoring drought continued. To close out the game, Bowen Baker (Fairfield) took the mound.
Baker recorded one strikeout and gave up one walk. Offensively, Falmouth wasn’t able to rally it out to put more runs onto the scoreboard and ultimately fell to Orleans.
Up next, the Commodores head back home to take on the Brewster Whitecaps tonight with the first pitch set for 6 p.m. ET.
