Overcast skies painted another summer baseball background. A thick humidity stuck to skin and home white jerseys. Players, fans, interns, and scouts stirred before taking their positions. The scent of hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill wafted across the parking lot of Nauset Middle and onto the field.

Orleans took on the Cotuit Kettleers for the first time at Eldredge. It was game two of a three game homestand.

As part of a week-long Firebirds alumni celebration, several senior Birds congregated for a pregame tailgate. Multiple members of the 1965 team reminisced on the glory days; a time when players worked day jobs, did their own laundry, and weren’t bothered by pesky interns. It was also fan appreciation night, and the Firebirds faithful had congregated in full force.

Though the festivities brought high spirits, it wasn’t enough to power the Birds to a win. Instead, they dropped their fifth straight game. Tyler Myatt (Tennessee) and Corey Nunez (UCSB) were forces to be reckoned with in the middle of the order. Myatt slugged his fourth homer of the season, going three for four with a walk. Nunez reached base all five times — singling four times and walking once. The Birds totalled eight hits — their most since July 4th. It wasn’t enough to conquer Cotuit.

Ben Rabatin (Kent State) made his first Orleans start on Friday. In his sophomore season for the Golden Eagles, he posted an ERA just over four in 74 innings. Rabatin will look to bring length and dependability to the Birds as a new starter. As the Cape season rolls on, more and more pitchers hit innings limits set by their coaches, get drafted, or go play for other squads — causing massive roster turnover for each team.

Rabatin worked from a slow windup in the first inning. He established a dependable fastball slider combo, mixing in some cutters and changeups to lefties. It was three up, three down for the righty.

Myatt broke an 0-13 stretch with a single. Nunez triumphed in an 11 pitch battle with another hit. In typical Firebirds fashion, the runners would advance no further.

Rabatin avoided damage in the second. He allowed a leadoff walk and a single followed, but a groundout and two punchouts locked things down. The Orleans hurler pumped his fist as he skipped off the rubber.

It was a short first outing for Rabatin. After just two and a third innings, he was replaced by Elai Iwanaga (UCLA), who was expected to piggyback Rabatin’s first start. With runners on first and second, Iwanaga jammed two Kettleers for popouts. The Orleans broadcast crew nearly had a chance for a foul ball, but catcher Cale Stricklin (Charlotte) took over instead.

The Birds got some action their third time up. Dominic Cadiz (UCLA) doubled past a diving JJ Moran. Myatt dropped in his second hit of the game. Nunez’s up the middle knock plated Cadiz. Jonathan Gomez (Stetson) was plunked by his third pitch of the season to juice the bases. Casey Cumiskey (SNHU) K’d looking, and three more Birds were stranded, but it was a 1-0 lead nonetheless. It was Orleans’ second run in three days after all.

Scattered raindrops fell as Iwanaga returned to the hill for the fourth. The sun’s orange flare tried its best to punch through. Iwanaga’s command faltered. He allowed a single, threw a wild pitch, and balked in the tying run.

Iwanaga suppressed the Kettleers in the fifth. In the bottom of the frame, Myatt delivered a much needed power stroke for the Birds. Sporting his bright orange Tennessee cleats that matched the color of the sky, he blasted a ball 370 feet into the Birds’ bullpen. Nunez and Bub Terrell (Auburn) singled behind him, but wouldn’t score. 2-1 Birds.

Dark clouds burned bright red as the sun set in the sixth. Iwanaga allowed two more hits. Disaster struck when Ryan Tyranski dialed up the launch codes — sending a 400 foot mortar shot 104 miles an hour off the bat and over everything. After another hit and the Birds down by two after the three run homer, Iwanaga was done. D.C. Brown (Brown) secured the last out. Whenever Orleans lands a jab, they get laid out with an uppercut in return.

Brown pitched well in the seventh, retiring the side in order with two strikeouts. He recorded his third straight strikeout in the eighth before giving the ball to AJ Beltré (USD). Beltré got the remaining two outs quickly.

Beltré got even sharper in the ninth, striking out his first batter. With Myatt and Nunez in front of him, Terrell almost had the Birds’ third walk-off of the season. He belted a fly ball all the way to the base of the left field fence, but it hung up just short.

After the game, Myatt stood raking the dirt with his teammates. As fans came up and asked him to sign bats and balls, he reflected on his massive game. For the outfield group, early preparation is key.

“Rowan [Kelly], Bub [Terrell] and I got here at 2:00 to hit,” Myatt said. “We were hitting for about an hour, just trying to talk through stuff. We noticed that the ball was flying. Tonight, we all had really great at bats. Bub’s best swing of the day was his last one.”

Some hitters have a complicated series of thoughts before executing a game swing. Myatt likes to keep things simple.

“I like to start wth my hands a little higher, so as soon as I see the pitcher raises his leg, I lower them and go. It forces me to hit down on the ball,” Myatt said. “On that homer, I didn’t get all of it — I just clipped it and got it to backspin.”

With the MLB Draft set to begin on Saturday, Myatt is another Bird hopeful to find a Major League landing spot. Much like Chase Frey discussed (Oregon), Myatt’s decision will be a tough one if selected.

“It’s God’s plan at the end of the day,” Myatt said. “Teams draft who they need, but you need to feel valued as a player. I don’t want to be just another guy on a team that doesn’t need me.”

The Firebirds’ left fielder is one of many players who appreciates Manager Kelly Nicholson’s traditional style of leadership through the highs and lows of a summer season.

“He lets us do our own thing in a professional way,” Myatt said. “It’s kind of like how minor leaguers and pros would go about their days. He’s so transparent with everything. The biggest thing is that he treats us like his kids; if he needs to tell us something, he’ll tell us.”