Unlike Wednesday night’s punch-for-punch battle with the Anglers, Thursday’s matchup against Falmouth couldn’t have looked any differently.

There were hardly any twists or turns for either squad in front of Guv Fuller Field, as the Commodores took the game 3–1.

“In the Cape, we win and lose games on the margins, and tonight we lost the game on the margins,” manager Kelly Nicholson said after the loss to Chatham.

That continued to hold true for the Birds against Falmouth.

Coming off a four-game winning streak, the Birds have seemingly slipped into a two-game losing streak heading into All-Star weekend.

However, to say it was a blowout, would be inaccurate.

It was Orleans’ inability to convert any hits into runs that truly cost them. Rattling off five hits on the night, the Commodores turned three of those into runs.

But the same cannot be said about the Birds. Despite tallying more hits than Falmouth, with six in the game, Orleans only managed to convert one into a run.

Most of the game could be summarized in three words: a defensive battle.

Leadoff hitter Anthony Potestio (UC San Diego) took no time getting started, singling on a ground ball almost immediately after stepping up to home plate. Next up, Alejandro Garza (Cal Poly) was unable to follow suit, grounding out.

Despite Potestio stealing second, both Elijah Ikes (Hawaii) and Robbie Lavey (George Washington) were unable to make a dent in the box score, logging consecutive groundouts.

That didn’t faze the Birds’ leadoff pitcher JT Raab (Georgetown), as he held the Commodores to a dominant 1–2–3 inning to cap off the first.

The same went for Falmouth in the top of the second, as Dawson Bryce (Charlotte), Cashel Dugger (UCLA) and Noah Jouras (Virginia) were almost instantly sent back to the dugout.

Michael Crossland (UC San Diego) brought a spark to the Birds’ offense with a line drive single in the top of the third. But that spark was dim just almost as soon as it was lit.

After a Potestio strikeout, Crossland got the boot from the Commodores’ infielders. Attempting to steal second, Crossland never made it, as Falmouth notched a strikeout double play.

The missed offensive opportunities only continued to plague the Birds as the top of the fourth inning winded down. Despite a successful Ickes single, his play was watered down by three consecutive Orleans’ groundouts.

By the time the bottom of the fourth rolled around, the script hadn’t changed. Raab remained calm and composed, as he delivered another 1–2–3 inning. In the Georgetown pitcher’s 4.2 IP, he posted three strikeouts, allowing just one run off two hits.

The top of the fifth appeared more promising for Orleans. With two outs on the board, Javar Willians (Wake Forest) mustered together a walk.

His work wasn’t done just yet though. Successfully stealing second, Williams’ heroics suggested that the Birds’ scoring drought may be coming to an end. Crossland only added fuel to the flames.

However, that all came crashing and burning down after another Orleans’ groundout to close out the inning.

While the innings flew by, nothing seemed to change in the score—until Falmouth came up to bat.

Justin Osterhouse (Purdue Fort-Wayne) led the charge, doubling on a fly ball to center field. Once the ball dropped before Williams could come up with the catch, it seemed like something was beginning to click for Falmouth.

A Ryan Zuckerman (Pittsburgh) single proved to be the puzzle piece that the Commodores needed, bringing Osterhouse home and tacking on the first run by either squad.

A fresh arm took the mound as Kyle Johnson (Virginia) replaced Raab.

All eyes were on Orleans in the top of the sixth. While both Garza and Lavey notched singles, nothing came of it. The clock continued to tick down, as the Birds were yet to touch the scoreboard.

The situation only turned more dire for the Birds once Falmouth recorded another run, thanks to a Kent Schmidt (Georgia Tech) single that scored Adrian Lopez (Southern California) on the play.

What should have been a chance at redemption turned into even greater annoyance for the Birds, as Orleans was held to another 1–2–3 inning in the seventh.

All sides indicated that the top of the eighth would be a different story. That wasn’t too far from the truth.

After being hit by a pitch, Potestio found himself on first. Only until he stole second.

A familiar face then took home plate for the Birds—Garza. Fortunately, for Orleans, his bat didn’t go too cold. Garza launched a single to left field, as Antonio Morales (Wake Forest) was unable to come up with the stop, earning the Birds their first and last run of the night.

Down by just one run, all Orleans needed to do was contain Falmouth. But Osterhouse quickly shut down that plan—tallying a homer in the bottom of the eighth that brought the Commodores’ lead back to two.

With one last shot at a comeback, Jouras stepped to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Instead of seeing Jouras running to first, all that was visible was a swing and a miss.

“We scored enough runs to win,” Nicholson said the night before against the Anglers.

What was once the Birds’ triumphs quickly turned into their falters.