Braves Rally to End Losing Streak, Beat Whitecaps

By: Jacob Janower

In a game that had more similarities to a Little League game than a collegiate game, the Bourne Braves (7-4) snapped their two-game skid by beating the Brewster Whitecaps (6-5-1) by a score of 5-3.

Both teams combined for four errors and issued 11 walks, eight of which were by the Braves, who improved to 4-2 at Doran Park.

The Braves were able to earn revenge after they were swept in a doubleheader by Brewster on Sunday.

Centerfielder Jameson Hannah (Dallas Baptist) delivered the go-ahead two-run single in the fourth inning.

Brewster Plagued By Mistakes

Bourne took advantage of a plethora of defensive miscues from the Whitecaps, including a ground ball by Jared Triolo (Houston) that went under the glove of first baseman Chandler Taylor (Alabama).

The following inning, Whitecaps starting pitcher Connor Higgins (Arizona State) made a throwing error on an attempted pickoff of Grant Williams (Kennesaw State). The next batter, Turner Brown (East Carolina), singled in Williams, which tied the game at the time.

Over the three consecutive games that the teams played against each other, the Whitecaps committed eight errors.

Miller Struggles With Command

The Braves faced a deficit before they even came up to bat due to the command problems of starting pitcher Ian Miller (Harvard). Brewster drew four walks in the first inning and scored two runs despite getting just one hit.

Miller settled down in the second inning before two more walks in the third forced him out of the game.

His outing was a deviation from the two he had previously this season, in which he tossed 2 and 1/3 scoreless innings of relief with four strikeouts.

Bullpen Comes Up Clutch

It feels as if the Braves’ bullpen has become as reliable as a weatherman in San Diego. Four relievers combined to give up just one earned run in seven innings and paved the way for the Braves to come back.

“Our relief pitchers came in and shut it down,” Brickhouse said. “They gave the hitters a chance. It was big to come back and do really well against this team.”

Nick Johnson (Rhode Island) gave up the only run, but also earned the win after working three innings of relief.

New addition Dylan Coleman (Missouri State), Chad Luensmann (Nebraska), and Ryan Feltner (Ohio State) worked the final four scoreless innings.

For Feltner, it was just another outing in what has been a dominant CCBL season for him so far.

He has earned four saves in five innings of work with nine strikeouts and has yet to allow an earned run.

Feltner believes that the key for him has been getting ahead in counts and trusting his defense. Of course, becoming someone who knows he is coming in to pitch the ninth in almost every save situation does not hurt either.

“It’s nice to plan ahead and see that there is a save situation going on so that you can start preparing yourself in the seventh,” Feltner said. “I like it.”

Brave of the Game

Brickhouse was the star of the Braves offense, hitting singles in all four of his at-bats and driving in a run for the second consecutive game.

A talk with field manager Harvey Shapiro may have been the key to his day.

“He was telling me I looked tentative,” Brickhouse said. “He was saying to just swing and have fun out here and really just go out and swing the bat and try to put some good wood on it. Harvey has really helped me with the mental game.”

Coming Up: Bourne will head on the road to have its first meeting of the 2017 season against the Chatham Anglers at Veterans Field.