Houston, giving Braves a problem in 5-1 loss

Tiffany Seal

DENNIS-YARMOUTH, Mass.–The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox (3-5) got off to an early lead Saturday night, attacking starter AJ Moore (Kennesaw State) with three hits and a run in the first. The Red Sox would go on to score four more runs over nine innings in what was a 5-1 loss for Bourne (6-2.)

Two of those runs came from former Brave Tyler Houston (Butler) who was let go to make room for the permanent roster. Houston went 3 for 4 with 2 RBI and a run scored.

Moore finished the night with three earned runs off six hits and struck out three over five innings.

All was not lost on the night as the Braves welcomed three new players to the Cape.

One notable addition was SEC Freshman of the Year Jake Mangum (Mississippi State) who led off Saturday night in his first appearance. He made his presence known at the plate and in the field as he started the game with an infield single and made a backward grab at the center field fence to reel in the third out of the first.

“I just want to get better as a baseball player [while I’m up here] anyway I can,” Mangum said. “There’s a lot of good players up here who can help me out and [help me] get better in every aspect.”

Mangum used small ball tonight, getting his second hit in the third inning on a base-hit bunt and advancing to second on a throwing error.

“It felt good [swinging a wood bat],” Mangum said. “It definitely takes time to get used to. A week ago, we were still in season trying to figure out metal bats and now it’s just quick turnaround to wood.”

Red Sox starter Michael Baumann (Jacksonville) was able to throw it past most of the Braves lineup, surrendering one run off five hits with three strikeouts and one walk over five innings.

The middle of the lineup combined to go 2 for 12, with left fielder David MacKinnon (Hartford) going (0-4) and robbed twice by centerfielder Nolan Brown (TCU.)

The lone run of the night was unearned for the Braves and came by a Willy Yahn (UConn) double in the fifth to score newcomer and right fielder Jimmy Herron (Duke.)

Vanderbilt’s Collin Snider came in the sixth and used his defense to sit Braves hitters down.

Justin Yurchak (Binghamton) hit a single up the middle off Snider but was caught stealing second for the second out of the sixth.

Braves’ Ronnie Rossomando (UConn) relieved Moore in the sixth and gave up one earned run off two hits.

Both Chad Luensmann (Nebraska) and Daniel Jagiello (LIU Post) pitched an inning. With the backend of the bullpen giving up three hits and an earned run.

The Braves look to bounce back with Vanderbilt righty Patrick Raby scheduled to make his debut against the Brewster Whitecaps (4-4) 6 p.m. Sunday at Doran Park.

Raby went 7-1 on the season posting a 2.61 ERA over 58 2-3 innings with 63 strikeouts as a freshman for the Commodores.

Raby will match up against Arkansas State’s Tyler Zuber who was hit hard in a four-inning outing where he allowed five earned runs off eight hits against Cotuit.

Zuber was able to strike out six in four innings-making this look like a power pitching matchup for the first meeting of the season between the two teams.

Stat credit:

http://www.vucommodores.com