Braves’ bullpen holds Commodores in win

Tiffany Seal

BOURNE, Mass.—The Bourne Braves (8-5-1) notched another “W” Saturday night against their second meeting with the Falmouth Commodores (7-7) with a score of 4-2.

Evan Mendoza (NC State) got the offense going in the bottom of the fourth on a single to score Connor Wong (Houston) and Greg Deichmann (LSU.)

Starting pitcher Patrick Raby (Vanderbilt) bounced back in his second appearance on the Cape with a six-inning, two-run, five-hit, two-walk and four-strikeout outing.

Falmouth came out ahead in the third with an unearned run off a throwing error from third baseman Willy Yahn (UConn.)

Braves’ pitching was able to hold the Commodores to that one unearned run until the seventh, when Raby and reliever Doug Norman (LSU) loaded the bases for right fielder Trevor Larnach (Oklahoma State) to score a run off a fielder’s choice.

Norman pitched one inning in his debut for the Braves and gave up just one walk.

Andrew Wantz (UNC Greensboro) closed out the last two innings with hitless baseball, striking out four in his best appearance yet.

Overall, the bullpen continued to produce zeros in the hit column, holding the Commodores to just five hits off starter Raby.

Justin Yurchak (Binghamton) continued to collect base hits Saturday, as he went 2 for 3 with an RBI triple, a walk and run scored.

“[I am looking to] get better as a baseball player offensively and defensively and just become more knowledgeable about the game which will help me get better,” Yurchak said.

Yurchak transferred from Wake Forest University to Binghamton University for the 2016 season, making him a redshirt as the Bearcats reached the College Station Regional, coincidentally in the same bracket as the Demon Deacons.

“It was really tough sitting out the first year,” Yurchak said. “But I got to know the guys really well and it was a lot of fun to be up there with them and [I am] excited for the next few years there.”

Since arriving on the Cape, Yurchak owns the highest batting average at .422, with the second most games played on the team and has done this after sitting out for a season.

“I was still practicing everyday with the guys and was working when they were away,” Yurchak said. “So I still got my work in even when I wasn’t playing.”

As a whole, the team has yet to improve on the situational hitting front, as they had seven hits, scoring three of them and stranding five on base.

Yurchak and the Braves look to improve on bringing guys home as they head on the road for their first meeting with the Orleans Firebirds (7-7,) 5:30 Sunday at Eldredge Park.

Probable starting pitchers are Jason Morgan (UNC Chapel Hill) and Dominic Taccolini (Arkansas) for Bourne.