Offensive struggles at home continue as Braves drop first game of season

By: Nick Galle 

It had been over 700 days since the Bourne Braves lost their last game. That all changed Monday night.

The Bravos mustered nine hits, but couldn’t string anything together and were held scoreless for the first time this summer. Three hits, one of which was a two-run home run from Andy Garriola in the top of the fourth, would be all the Kettleers needed to end Bourne’s historic win streak.

Nick Zwack got his second start of the season and went five innings, surrendered two hits, two runs and struck out five in what was his last outing in Bourne with the MLB Draft beginning in six days.

“It’s been great,” Zwack said. “Team comradery’s been great working off of each other and the support from both the hitters and pitchers has proved to be a pretty good start to the season for us.”

Max Anderson entered the evening batting .417 through three games, and the Nebraska Cornhusker had another strong night, going 2-for-4 with two base hits. Braylen Wimmer added three singles, Tanner Schobel went 2-for-3 and Dalton Rushing went 1-for-4 with a double.

“It was a good ballgame. We played excellent defense, pitching was good, their pitching was a little better than ours, that’s all,” field manager Harvey Shapiro said. “I didn’t think about a nine-game winning streak when I started, and I’m not thinking about going on a long losing streak.”

The Braves will try to get back to their winning ways tomorrow as they travel to Orleans at 7 p.m. for their first meeting of the season with the Firebirds. Orleans is 6-4-1 and has been on fire as of late, winning its last three games.

Cover photo via: Joe Sullivan