Friday, Aug. 8:
No. 1 Bourne Braves 11, No. 3 Cotuit Kettleers 5 (BOU leads 1-0)
Looking to advance to the Cape League Championship Series for the fourth year in a row, the Braves’ offense exploded to lead them to a convincing Game 1 victory over Cotuit at Doran Park. Bourne scored the first eight runs of the game. Jon LeGrande went 2-for-3 with two walks, improving his playoff average to .500 and OPS to 1.325.
LeGrande got the Braves on the board with an RBI double in the bottom of the second inning. Gavin Kelly and Kade Lewis added RBI singles in the frame. Kelly finished with three hits and three RBIs.
Bourne broke the game open with four runs in the third. Again, Kelly and Lewis came through with run-scoring singles.
Cotuit got on the board in the top of the fifth inning with a three-spot. Jack Natili doubled to left to plate a run, and Ryne Farber recorded an RBI infield single.
The Braves didn’t let the Kettleers get a foothold in the game, as they responded right away with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Ryker Waite walked with the bases loaded, and Cal Sefcik drove in a run with a single.
Each team scored a run in the sixth inning, but the offense slowed down in the late innings. Trailing by seven with two outs, Cotuit loaded the bases in the top of the ninth against Bourne righty Saxon Roberts with two walks and a hit-by-pitch. Roberts then hit Sean Martinez with a pitch to force in a run. Roberts was ultimately able to get out of the jam with a strikeout of Landon Beaver to end the game.
The series moves to Lowell Park in Cotuit for Game 2 on Saturday at 4 p.m. The Kettleers must win to stay alive, while the Braves are a win away from a return trip to the Championship.
