The Y-D Red Sox fell, 10-2, to the Harwich Mariners on Wednesday in the first game of the Round 2 playoff series. Harwich totaled 13 hits, dominating the game offensively. With the loss, Y-D will need a win to keep the series going as it faces elimination on Thursday.

Caleb Anderson, a reliever for Y-D, made his first start on the mound in Wednesday’s game. The right-hander out of Wichita State threw for three innings and had one strikeout. He walked five, allowing two hits and three runs to Harwich — which just came off a powerful offensive comeback win Tuesday night in Chatham.

The Mariners started hot at the plate with leadoff hitter Cam Maldonado continuing his hit streak and reaching first with a ground ball to the left side. Aiden Robbins followed him with a line drive out to left field to put two on with no outs. After a walk to load the bases, Harwich was able bring three runners home on two groundouts and another walk to put them up 3-0 in the first.

Justin Mitrovich of Elon University made his second start with the Mariners and picked up his first win of the season. The right-hander went for five innings and collected three strikeouts in the fourth inning to lead Harwich to a 1-2-3 inning. He walked four and gave up two hits and two runs as Y-D gained a little bit of momentum.

Y-D generated energy at the plate in the third inning as Ryan Sprock led off and hit his first double of the season to the right field line. With an RBI groundout from Ethan Petry, Sprock was able to cross the plate and give Y-D its first run of the game.

Bryant’s Brooks Ey came to the bump for Y-D in the fourth to relieve Anderson. The right-hander pitched 2 2/3 innings and picked up a strikeout, allowing six hits and four runs to Harwich. He helped lead Y-D’s defense to a 1-2-3 inning in the fourth and a double play to clear the bases in the top of the fifth.

In the bottom of the fifth, Y-D capitalized and chipped away at the Mariners’ lead. Jackson Chirello entered the lineup as a pinch hitter and got on base after getting hit by a pitch. After two back-to-back groundouts, Anthony Martinez singled on an infield ground ball — sending Chirello home to make the score 3-2.

Despite Y-D’s comeback effort, the Mariners pulled ahead further with a four-run inning in the sixth. Jake Ogden lit the fire for Harwich with a double to left field. Daniel Dickinson, Sam McNulty and Maldonado all hit back-to-back singles — McNulty’s driving in a run.

Harwich added two more runs to its lead with a balk from Y-D and an RBI groundout from Robbins. After getting on with a walk, Aden Hill scored on a single from Wilson Weber to push the score up to 7-2.

Other hits from Y-D in the game came from Phoenix Call and Talmadge LeCroy, who each notched a single in the sixth and eighth innings. On the mound, Connor Podeszwa and Rian Schwede, new pitchers for Y-D from Tufts and Villanova, covered the middle innings for the Sox.

Jack Bowery pitched the second half of the game for Harwich and recorded his first save of the season. He threw for four innings and collected one strikeout on Y-D. He allowed two hits and gave up no runs to keep the Sox from scoring.

The hits continued for Harwich with a triple from Cade Kurland in the seventh. The Mariners were shut down quickly though with a strikeout from Podeszwa and an impressive throw to home after a caught fly ball from Call in center field — saving a run from scoring.

While they were held scoreless in the seventh, the last two innings were a different story for the Mariners. Weber recorded his second hit of the day in the eighth with an RBI single up the middle. In the ninth, Ogden, Dickinson and McNulty all hit back-to-back singles to load the bases.

With a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly by Maldonado, the Mariners brought their final run count to 10. Gavin Jones closed out the final inning for Y-D on the mound. The Kent State right-hander allowed three hits and two runs to Harwich, striking out one for the last out of the game.

Y-D is now down one game in the series with Harwich. The Sox will look to stay alive on Thursday at Whitehouse Field and force a third game with the Mariners.

Photo by Sophie Solarino