Cotuit, MA- The Bourne Braves got their revenge on the Cotuit Kettleers with a 10-4 win in game two of the best-of-three series. Bourne jumped out to a six-run lead as the Kettleers’ bats were quieted, a rare occurrence in recent weeks. Cotuit struggled in all three phases, allowing 12 hits, making three errors, and plating just one run over the first seven innings.
Moments that mattered:
Three-run blast helps Bourne open five-run lead
The Braves opened the scoring in the first inning. Bourne started the game with a leadoff infield single. A second first inning hit brought the leadoff man around the bases. Logan Maitland (UMass Dartmouth) bounced back with scoreless frames in the second and third innings. The right-handed pitcher’s day came to an end after Bourne started the fourth with a walk and a single. Hunter Jump launched a two-strike slider over the left-field fence to put the Braves up 4-0. A double brought another Bourne run home as they led by five through four.
Grady stays hot, rest of offense cools off
Jace Grady (Dallas Baptist) led off the game with a single to the pull-side to extend his hit-streak to ten. Grady was immediately erased on a double play, which started a streak of 16 straight batters retired by Bourne starter Austin Parsley. Grady broke the streak with his sixth homer of the summer, a solo shot over the right-field fence. The home run gave Grady a team-high in the home run column and his seventh straight game with multiple hits.
Outside of Grady, the Kettleers’ offense, which had scored 10+ runs in six of their last eight games, was quieted by the Bourne staff. Cotuit had just two hits, both from the switch-hitter, through seven innings.
Bourne’s four-run eighth puts Kettleers away
The Braves held a 6-1 lead heading into the eighth inning. Bourne took advantage of Cotuit miscues to put the game away. Peter Burns led off the inning with a solo home run. After two singles, a wild pitch brought in another run. Two unearned runs scored on an errant back pick from the catcher to push the lead to 10-1.
Notables:
Grady: 2-3, HR
Matt Donlan (UConn): 1-3, R, RBI
Ryan Deo (Southern New Hampshire): 1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 K, 0 R
Up next: The Kettleers will head back to Bourne for game three of the series. Whoever wins game three will head to the Championship series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 PM from Doran Park.