Braves log third straight tie in Hyannis 1-1

By Mac Friday

(Photo: Braden Reed/Bourne Braves)

In 1977, the Orleans Cardinals, now the Firebirds, set the standard for seasons finishing in ties, ending the summer with nine on the season. It’s been 45 years since 1977, but with 22 games down and 22 to go in the 2022 CCBL season, the Bourne Braves are on pace to smash Orleans’ mark.

The Braves tied their two games against the Wareham Gatemen ahead of Tuesday’s off day, both by the score of 2-2. On June 25, in its second matchup with Hyannis, Bourne and its opponent tied with just one run apiece. On Wednesday, the same result occurred at McKeon Park in Hyannis, as the Braves and Harbor Hawks tied 1-1 after nine innings of baseball.

However, the Braves were a miraculous play away from missing out on the magical one point gifted by a tie.

In the bottom of the ninth, pinch hitter Rikku Nishida led off the frame with a double off of an error by Braves left fielder Brennan Milone, who mishandled a ball down the left-field line. Bourne lefty Nelson Berkwich, who had already thrown three innings prior was in an unquestionable jam. In the pen, UConn closer and one of the nation’s save leaders in 2022, Justin Willis, was warming. However, the Braves kept their faith in Berkwich, and the Vanderbilt product certainly paid the favor back.

“He’s done a fantastic job over the last few weeks and tonight was another showing from him,” pitching coach Brad Cook said. “He’s been very lights out with the wild left hand lineups teams put out there and he has the changeup to battle with righties too. He commands his fastball so well on both sides of the plate and any time you can come out, go hard and soft away on guys, you are going to be pretty successful.”

“My heart rate was up that entire inning, but I enjoyed it,” Berkwich reflected. “Those are the fun moments you play for… You go in there and it makes you stronger.”

“I like going for longer appearances instead of the short ones, it’s a challenge for me.”

Berkwich sat down the next two hitters he faced via strikeout, one of which on a full count and the other on three straight strikes. Then third baseman Mitch Jebb stepped in. The Michigan State Spartan leads the Harbor Hawks in most statistical categories and with the winning run on third, an intentional walk to Hyannis’ best hitter wasn’t completely out of the question. Instead, Berkwich dove in head-on against his opponent, but it would be his defense that came up clutch in the 2-2 spot, as a rocket pocked the other way was caught by third baseman John Peck on a dive.

John Peck’s (@PeppBaseball) dive with 2 outs in the 9th sealed the tie for us tonight!#GoBravos pic.twitter.com/D9VPWc4bt2

— Bourne Braves (@BourneBraves) July 7, 2022

Peck, a natural shortstop, has only made a handful of appearances at third for the Braves with the presence of players like Matt Shaw and Wyatt Henseler, but Peck is certainly becoming more comfortable at the hot corner, even when his bat has gone quiet. In a 3-for-28 slump with 11 strikeouts over the last few weeks, Peck is prideful about his defensive abilities making up for the lack of offensive production.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a natural thing for me, but I am getting very comfortable over there,” Peck said. “It’s more of a reaction-based thing instead of footwork, so I’m just getting used to it.”

“The slump is a mechanical thing for me. I have a big leg kick and it’s been hard to find the balance of going too far forward or hanging too far back. Right now I’m too far forward, so I’m just trying to figure it out and it’s something that has a major mental aspect to it as well that I’m getting through.”

Berkwich’s four innings of one-hit ball were preceded by the best start of the summer for lefty Adam Tulloch, who threw five innings of one-run ball which was deemed unearned after Hyannis first baseman Nolan Schnauel led off the second with a single, advanced to third on an error by Bourne first baseman Chris Brito and scored on a fielder’s choice.

In the fifth, Tulloch had two outs, but walked back-to-back Harbor Hawks to put runners on first and second. Braves manager Scott Landers came out to get Tulloch out of the game, but the lefty pleaded his case.

“I told Scott that he wasn’t taking me out and kind of told him to go back to the dugout,” Tulloch chuckled tentatively, not wanting to disrespect his skipper. “He kind of looked at me and had a little pause and asked if I wanted this. I was like ‘Yeah!’ and he walked away… I was really happy with today.”

After giving up six earned runs against Cotuit in his first start, Tulloch drastically improved with every start he made as a Brave. Against Chatham on June 22, he gave up one run on two hits in a win. Versus Harwich a week later he allowed two runs on three hits in a walk-off thriller later on in the night. He finished his Braves career with his longest outing of the summer at five innings with four hits, one run, four walks and five strikeouts.

The Bravos got their own run on the board in the second after back to back singles by Rutgers products Chris Brito and Evan Sleight. Henseler was hit in the helmet and trotted to first to load the bases. A 6-4-3 double play induced by Peck etched Brito across.

The Braves are back in action on Thursday against the first-place Cotuit Kettleers at Lowell Park. First pitch is set for 5:00 p.m.