Down 8–1 in the bottom of the fourth, things couldn’t have started out worse for Orleans.
Fortunately, for the Birds, everything seemed to change when the Harbor Hawks squandered a seven-run lead, ultimately tying Orleans 8–8.
“It was a good time going out there and competing in the last inning, just like any other game, it means everything,” pitcher Isaiah Magdaleno (Hawaii) said.
While Orleans did not come away with a win in Saturday’s battle in Hyannis, the Birds were still able to make a statement, avoiding their eleventh loss of the season.
“We came up short, but we always have tomorrow, so we will get it back tomorrow,” Alejandro Garza said after Friday’s Fourth of July loss to the Anglers.
That rang partially true on Saturday night at McKeon Park.
With Cal Scolari (San Diego) starting on the mound for the Birds, the Harbor Hawks’ offense took flight almost instantly.
It all started with a Andrew Williamson two-run double to the right-center field gap that brought home both Jake Schaffner (North Dakota State) and Jaxon Willits (Oklahoma), giving Hyannis an early 2–0 edge over Orleans.
In the top of the second, the Birds couldn’t respond. Unable to find its footing, Orleans was held to a 1–2–3 inning by Carson Jasa (Nebraska).
However, things started to look up for the Birds after tallying two consecutive Michael Crossland (UC San Diego) and Elijah Ickes (Hawaii) singles. With Ickes up, his bat did not go cold, as he scored Anthony Potestio (UC San Diego) on the play.
Just like that, Orleans had cut its deficit in half.
That would only last so long, though.
Andrew Williamson (Central Florida) would get the best of Scolari in the bottom of the third. Driving the ball 422 feet to right-center field, Williamson propelled the Harbor Hawks to a 4–1 lead almost instantly.
Hyannis didn’t let off the gas pedal that quickly, though.
Brody Briggs only wreaked more havoc on Orleans with a three-run homer off the scoreboard, earning Hyannis a 7–1 lead over the Birds.
The Harbor Hawks’ lead only grew in the bottom of the fourth when a Ray Velazquez (Austin Peay State) sacrifice fly brought Willits home and pushed Hyannis to a seven-run lead.
While the Birds could have crashed and burned, they didn’t.
Instead, they tried to shake their scoring woes in the top of the fifth inning.
Eddie Cooper III (South Carolina) replaced Jasa on the mound for Hyannis. After a Michael O’Shaughnessy (Georgia) walk, Ickes was then up to bat.
As always for the Birds, Ickes came up big with a single off a ground ball to left field.
Off a Robbie Lavey (George Washington) single and a Hyannis missed catch, O’Shaughnessy ran home, bringing the score to 8–3 Hyannis.
The Birds capitalized off a Cooper III wild pitch that advanced Lavey to third.
Cashel Dugger (UCLA) only ignited Orleans’ offense further with a double of his own, bringing Lavey home and bringing the deficit back to four runs.
Luke Nixon (NC State) followed suit, singling on a line drive to right field and notching the Birds’ fifth run of the night.
Orleans capped it off with a sixth run in the top of the fifth after another wild pitch brought Dawson Bryce (Charlotte) home.
Giving up five Orleans runs, Hyannis’ lead had seemingly disintegrated right before its eyes.
While close, it wasn’t until the top of the seventh when a Birds’ comeback seemed inevitable.
That all started with a Bryce homer that brought Orleans within one run. And soon enough, the score was knotted after a Potestio double that scored Javar Williams (Wake Forest) on the play.
Sitting at 8–8, both squads were looking to get something started offensively. Neither team was able to do that after ten innings, though.
The Hawks had the opportunity to run away with the lead in the eighth inning when Williamson intentionally walked as Willits advanced to second. However, after calling for an unsuccessful double steal, Dugger ended those chances for the Harbor Hawks.
Replacing Cole Tryba (UC Santa Barbara) on the mound, Magdaleno kept Hyannis in check during his 3.0 IP, limiting any chance of a Hyannis walk-off victory.
Recording three strikeouts and allowing just two hits, Magdaleno led the charge in preventing the Birds from losing their eleventh game of the season.
After the tie, Magdaleno discussed the team’s mentality going forward.
“I feel like we just have to put our heads down and keep working,” Magdaleno said. “Just doing our thing. Keeping a good mentality and going out there and playing our hearts out."
