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Braves Close Out Regular Season With 6-2 Loss at Wareham
Aug 9, 2007
Author: Blair Critchlow

WAREHAM, Mass.- From here on in, everything counts.

But last night- with the West Division title and home field advantage against Falmouth already assured- the Braves slipped up in a 6-2 loss at Wareham to end the regular season.

Even with the loss, Bourne (25-17-2) finished with 52 points and is headed to the postseason. Wareham (15-29, 30 points), meanwhile, ended tied for the worst record in the Cape Cod League.

“It was the last regular season game and it was kind of bittersweet,” Brett Basham said. “Both teams were trying to go out on top and really didn’t have anything to lose. I think [Wareham] came out with a lot more energy and had more fun today, and we just came out a bit flat.”

The Braves were able to get 11 hits off Gatemen starter Dallas Keuchel (Arkansas), but they also hit into four double plays and stranded eight base runners. Five Bourne players- Kevin Hoef, Josh Workman, Josh Satin, Ben Guez, and Addison Maruszak – had at least two hits.

“[We’re all] a little discouraged that we, myself included, couldn’t get the runners in,” Basham (Ole Miss) said. “But all the pitchers in this league are tough so it’s expected sometimes. Still, if we’re going to succeed in the playoffs we need to be able to get some runners home.”

The Gateman got to starter Joe Kent (2-1) early. In the first, Ben Booker (Baylor) walked and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jason Ogata (Oregon State) that was dropped by Guez (William & Mary) in centerfield.

Wareham added two more runs in the third on an Ogata RBI double and a single by Russ Moldenhauer (Texas) to take a 3-0 advantage.

Kent (Oklahoma State) went 2.1 innings in his first loss of the year, while Keuchel lasted seven innings for the win.

The Braves took two back in the sixth inning. Guez and Maruszak led off the inning with back-to-back singles to set the table for Basham’s (1-4, 2 RBI) flared two-run single to left field. But Basham would be caught stealing in the next at-bat and the Braves offense failed to produce any more runs.

Wareham added some insurance in the sixth inning on two-run double by Beamer Weems (Baylor) and then got one more run on a wild pitch in the eighth.

The game featured some bizarre infield plays including a groundball to third by Guez that bounced off Ogata as he tried to backhand it. The ball ricocheted off the third basemen’s upperbody into the stands for a ground rule double and then off a fan trying to catch the ball back onto the field.

For the season, Bourne finished third in team batting average (.258) and the fourth in team ERA (3.06).

“I think our pitching was phenomenal,” Basham said. “We had some guys going deep into games- even seven or eight innings. Our hitting kind of tailed off at the end but that’s expected with the good arms in our league. I was very pleased with our pitching and how they kept us in the game.”

The Braves will host postseason action for the first time ever at Doran Park. After a one year absence from the playoffs, Bourne will take on Falmouth (22-22, 44 Points) in a best of three series to advance to the championship series against either Y-D (31-12-1, 63 Points) or Chatham (25-16-3).

D.J. Mitchell (Clemson) will take on Aaron Crow (Missouri) in the first game of the playoffs at 3 p.m. in Bourne. Crow (3-1) was the Western Division starter in the All Star game and finished the season with a Cape League best 0.67 ERA. Mitchell (1-2) was fourth in ERA (1.47) and led the Cape with 58 strikeouts.

The second game will take place at 8 p.m. in Falmouth with Rick Zagone (Missouri) likely facing off against college teammate Kyle Gibson. Gibson (Missouri) had the second best ERA in the league at 1.17. If necessary, the teams will play a deciding third game on Sunday at Doran Park with pitchers to be announced.

Game Notes:
Commissioner Paul Gallop awarded Wareham the Commissioner's Cup on the field after the seventh inning largely in recognition for their handling of the All Star game. The Cup is given to the organization that provides the best baseball experience... Hoef (Iowa) finished the season fifth in the league in batting average at .317... Braves closer Jordan Flasher (George Mason) will be unavailable in the postseason due to a prior personal commitment. Flasher joins Matt Hall and Mitch Moreland as regulars who had to leave the team early... Bourne lost the regular season series to Falmouth, 2-4.