After rough first game, Braves split doubleheader with Chatham

Coming into Sunday’s doubleheader against Chatham, Bourne endured four long days off due to weather and poor field conditions. In the first of those two games, it showed.

The cause of the loss wasn’t in one specific area; it was a poor performance all around.

At the plate, the Braves struck out 15 times. Even though Bourne recorded more hits than the Anglers, this alarming figure evaporated its chances of producing offensively in game one.

But the woes were just as apparent on the mound.

Over the course of just four frames, starter JP Woodward and reliever Sean Harney combined for seven walks. That duo allowed eight earned runs, which put the Braves in a significant hole. Eventually, the Anglers clinched an 8-2 win.

Even though time off can often lead to rusty performance, manager Harvey Shapiro doesn’t want to blame the erratic performance on rainouts.

“You mean striking out 15 times and walking eight?” Shapiro said. “I’m not sure what effect that has. That was ugly.”

The latter, however, was a much more impressive outing for Bourne.

Alec Burleson and Kyler Fedko both crossed the plate in the first two innings, giving the Braves a 2-0 advantage early. In the sixth, Alika Williams and Zavier Warren both drove in runs, widening the gap to four runs.

While four runs is a respectable number, a stellar performance from Ryan Cusick on the mound padded the Braves’ effort. In five innings, Cusick allowed no runs and struck out eight Anglers.

Against such a star-studded lineup, Cusick was thrilled to play at his highest level.

“It felt good,” Cusick said. “We were up against an all-star lineup, and it was nice to shut them down.”

Chatham, however, crept back into the game in the bottom of the sixth when Kieran Shaw entered the game. Shaw gave up a solo home run to Spencer Torkelson, and he tallied on another earned run later that inning, after he exited the game.

After Shaw loaded the bases with a 4-1 lead, Shapiro called on Tyler Brosius to dig Bourne out of a hole. He did just that.

Other than walking in a run that was credited to Shaw, Brosius was excellent. In 1.1 innings, Brosius didn’t allow an earned run or even a hit.

Following his appearance, Brosius kept his 0.00 ERA intact and collected his second save of the season.

“Tyler was a baller,” Cusick said. “There was ice in his veins, and he shut things down like he always does.”

As a result of Brosius’ prowess in the closer role, Bourne put the bow on the 4-2 win, sealing the split of Sunday’s doubleheader.

Now, Bourne sits at 4-5 and in fourth place in the Cape League’s West Division. The Braves are now just one point behind Falmouth, and a win over Yarmouth-Dennis tomorrow could move them up in the standings.