Braves’ playoff chances take hit in loss to Harwich

As baseball history has shown a number of times, the postseason is about finding ways to win. Sitting just outside of the playoff picture, the Bourne Braves found a way to let Friday’s game slip through the cracks.

Leading 5-4 after the seventh inning, the Braves conceded four runs to the Harwich Mariners over the final two innings in an 8-5 loss, sending Bourne to the brink of elimination.

The result distances Bourne six points from the fourth-place Cotuit Kettleers with five games to play.

Backed by early RBI hits from Lyle Lin (Arizona State) and Ashton Bardzell (Hartford), starter Bryan Hoeing (Louisville) looked strong through five innings, throwing 42 pitches and allowing just three hits in a shutout. But in the sixth, he gave up five consecutive base hits resulting in four earned runs.

The Braves rallied, however, utilizing situational hits from David Langer (Connecticut) and Cooper Johnson (Mississippi) to pull even, eventually going ahead on a sacrifice fly by Lin.

It wasn’t until the final two innings that Harwich capitalized on defensive mistakes made by Bourne to pull out the win. A throwing error by reliever Trey Van Der Weide (South Carolina Upstate) served as the tying run before relief pitcher Nick Morreale (Georgetown) was tagged for two earned runs (three total) over 1.2 innings.

Coming Up: Bourne heads to Guv Fuller Field for their final matchup with the Falmouth Commodores, a likely do-or-die game for the Braves.