BOURNE, Mass. — Jon LeGrande flexed once. Flexed twice. Threw up the shaka. Then emphatically clapped his hands.

He cruised to second base after a two-run double down the left field line in the fifth inning to give Bourne the 4-3 lead, which sparked the spree of celebrations, but he wasn't done there.

After reaching second to leadoff the 12th inning via a single and error from Zan Von Schlegell, LeGrande turned on the jets on the game-winning hit by Gavin Kelly in the ensuing at-bat, cruising in to touch home plate with Kade Lewis waiting with his arms stretched into the air. Following the score, LeGrande met Lewis with waiting arms, jumping into the air with a beaming bright smile.

"It felt great. We battled hard," LeGrande said. "We didn't give up."

He then lost his train of thought — the smile was still painted across his face.

"I'm just too excited to even explain it in words," LeGrande said when he resumed speaking.

He has found his stride come the playoffs. In the Game 3 win over Cotuit that featured a 6-5 walk-off knock from Kelly, LeGrande went 2-for-5 at the plate with a pair of RBIs and a run.

Throughout the entirety of the postseason, he's netted a batting average of .409 with nine hits, five runs, four RBIS and four stolen bases. That's building off a regular season where he was selected as an All-Star, where he hit .288 to go along with 38 hits, 23 runs, 21 stolen bases, 16 RBIs and 14 walks.

"Just keeping an easy approach, thinking left center field gap," LeGrande said. "It's been showing on the field. I've been putting a lot of work on it, so we're gonna keep it rolling."

With the roster turnover being a constant in the Cape Cod Baseball League, LeGrande has been with the Braves since Day 1. He arrived to Bourne with the determination to get better. He has, but he's done more than just that, becoming a key contributor on a team that's headed to the Championship Series.

"He's a spark plug every day he comes here," field manager Scott Lander said. "My hat goes off to him, because he's grinded all year. He's been an underdog coming in this league, and he's done nothing but showed great ability, and what a great person he is."

It's the aforementioned underdog mentality that drives LeGrande each and every day. He started off at Wabash Valley College, where he earned 2024 NJCAA All-American honors his sophomore year before transferring to play in his home state of New York, suiting up for St. John's this past season where he was selected for All-Big East First Team.

He arrived to Bourne with the goal of getting drafted. He had some buzz to his name in the middle to late rounds, and if he heard his name called it would be up in the air if he would accept the selection. It didn't matter. He wasn't picked.

So just like the rest of his baseball journey, he's played with a chip on his shoulder for the Braves. To add on to the adversity that he's been hit with, injuries have become a nagging issue for him during the season with Bourne.

Yet, he's persevered. Despite his ankle being wrapped with multiple layers of tape, he's gutted it out, and he still hasn't missed a beat.

"I came from junior college, so I got that grittiness from there," LeGrande said. "Shoutout Wabash Valley."

He shouted out the JUCO roots, paying homage to a place that got him started, and it's the mindset of knowing that he belongs amongst the best players in the country in the best summer league in the country that keeps him fighting even while hurt.

"I know I'm a valuable piece to this lineup," LeGrande said. "Even on the field, I'm not taking myself out. I knew I wasn't a liability, so I still gave it the best I can. It's been working out so far, so we're just gonna keep it going."

LeGrande has been in it for the long haul this summer having been a Day 1 guy. He's faced highs, he's faced lows, but it's the ebbs and flows that have made him who he is as a player and person today.

He's become a beloved figure at Doran Park, with flocks of kids hustling toward him before and after the game, asking for autographs and for him to participate in Tik Toks. LeGrande had one of the batboys, Chris Macuch, get a framed St. John's jersey for LeGrande to sign because he's his favorite player, but also due to the fact that he's fast and small just like Macuch.

It's been twists and turns for LeGrande both in his baseball story and time with Bourne, but the summer part of the journey has led to a Championship Series, which would make the final destination that much sweeter.

"It feels great, especially since I've been there since Game 1," LeGrande said. "A lot of bumpy roads, ups and downs, but we made it to the chip. It's been a long one, but we're here."