Braves, outhit and outpitched in 5-1 loss

Tiffany Seal

BOURNE, Mass.—Braves’ (10-7-1) offense took a beating in a 5-1 loss against the Falmouth Commodores (10-8) Friday night at Doran Park.

Commodore starter Brady Puckett (Lipscomb) threw five innings of three-hit baseball, giving up just one earned run with two walks and three strikeouts.

The Braves had just five hits on the night with their only run coming in the third from Jake Mangum (Mississippi State) off a wild pitch for ball four of Justin Yurchak’s (Binghamton) at bat.

Mangum went 2 for 4 on the night with a triple in the third and a single in the eighth.

Elih Marrero (Mississippi State) and Connor McVey went 2 for 3 and 1 for 4 respectively.

Marrero had three putouts behind the plate on six attempts in his third start on the Cape.

Starter AJ Moore (Kennesaw State) received the loss in a 4 1-3 outing, giving up three earned runs off five hits, three walks and five strikeouts.

Trouble came for Moore in the fourth after a pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases for Moore to hit Matt Duce (Dallas Baptist) to walk in a run.

UConn’s Ronnie Rossomando relieved Moore, but lasted just two thirds of an inning-giving up one earned run off one hit and two walks.

The backend of the Braves’ bullpen was able to hold the Commodores to four hits in 3 2-3 innings of their 10 on the night, allowing one run, walking three and striking out seven.

Braves fans that stuck around for the bottom of the ninth saw Nebraska outfielder Louis Alvarado enter the game not as a fielder but the closer.

“I felt good, I was kind of nervous, I haven’t pitched in three years,” Alvarado said. “It was my first outing since my junior year in high school. I’ll probably come out again just for an inning or something to get back in shape again.”

Alvarado closed the game going one inning giving up two hits and striking out three.

The Braves continue the weekend on the road 5, Saturday at Stony Brook Field to face the Brewster Whitecaps (9-9.)

Probable starters are Konnor Pilkington (Mississippi State) and Braves’ Patrick Raby (Vanderbilt) as SEC West and East face off on the Cape.