The Gatemen walked on to Fuller Field Sunday afternoon and began to prepare for batting practice. Seven of these players were selected as All-Stars yesterday and excitement was in the air as they scouted the scene ahead of this coming weekend. The team was laughing, smiling, and carrying the good feelings from their home win Saturday.
As the Commodores secured the final out and lined up in celebration, however, the Gatemen were quiet. The once cheery team that performed phenomenally at home the night before against the Bourne Braves just suffered the agony of defeat, in a game that was a close defensive war of attrition for a majority of the contest.
The Wareham Gatemen (18-11-1) fell to the West Division-worst Falmouth Commodores (11-18-1) 7-2 at Fuller Field on Sunday, evening up the season series between the ball clubs. The loss was a tough pill for the Gatemen to swallow as they were tied with the ‘Dores entering the bottom of the 6th.
It was there that Falmouth broke the game open, starting with a sacrifice fly from Scott Mudler (Oklahoma) and then cashing in on a 2 RBI triple from Isaiah Barkett (Stetson) to make it 5-2. From there the Commodores would add more salt to the wound in the 7th with a 2-run shot of the bat of Gavin Kilen (Louisville), bringing the Falmouth lead to 5.
Despite the loss, Wareham Gatemen manager Ryan Smyth continues to stay positive, emphasizing the need to turn the page.
“We had a chance to take some momentum and kind of you know, gave the momentum to them a little bit and then they capitalized on it. So that's baseball. We'll move on. We got an off day tomorrow and then four straight before the all star game,” he said.
There were a lot of positives for the Gatemen to reflect on. Brendan Summerhill (Arizona) returned to the lineup for the first time since July 9th, Sam White (West Virginia) had a two hit game with an RBI, and their defense played well for the majority of the game.
One player in particular who shined defensively was Reese Chapman (Tennessee) who made a spectacular catch in right field to save two runs from scoring in the 6th inning. On top of that were multiple foul fly ball situations where Chapman lost his hat due to him running so hard.
“To be honest, like those plays like that, you honestly you just let your instincts takeover,” he said regarding his mindset during the catch.
Chapman’s instincts have allowed him to make great plays in the outfield, routine or not, and his efforts are being noticed by his team.
“He was laying out everywhere,” said Coach Smyth regarding the positive defensive performance.
The Gatemen pitching also had some positives during the game. Griffin O’Connor had a solid start, pitching 4 innings and holding the ‘Dores to only two runs. Matthew Maloney (New Mexico State) also had another great inning in relief, striking out 2 of the 4 batters he faced.
It was good hitting and pitching from the Commodores that secured them the win. Their starter Sean Brennan (Keystone) pitched 5 ⅔ innings and struck out 4. Brennan, who worked with Coach Smyth this past spring at Keystone College, impressed his college coach by holding the Gatemen bats at bay.
The Gatemen now head into a day off tomorrow then playing four straight games before the All-Star Break. The day off gives the team a chance to recharge their batteries for the final ten games of the season. They are determined to lock-in are feeling optimistic ahead of their next matchup at home against the Orleans Firebirds (11-19) on Tuesday evening.
Top Photo Caption: Reese Chapman in the on-deck circle during Wareham's 10-5 win against the Bourne Braves on July 20, 2024. Photo by Keegan Maloney.
