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July 15, 2021 8:32 pm | by GatemenNews
On a clear, cool Thursday evening, the Wareham Gatemen made the trip to Guv Fuller Field for an interdivisional matchup with the Falmouth Commodores. With most of the league enjoying an off-day, the Gatemen looked to pick up two points and pull back into a tie for second place. Falmouth had other plans, riding good pitching and great fortune to a 5-3 win.
After scoring a total of one run in their past two games, Wareham jumped on Falmouth early in the evening. Tres Gonzalez (Georgia Tech) led off the game with a walk. He swiped second base, then came around to score on a Jack Brannigan (Notre Dame) RBI single. The base hit put the Gatemen in the lead for the first time since their Sunday nightcap against Hyannis.
The ‘Dores fired right back in their half of the first. A two-run shot off the bat of Kris Armstrong (Florida) scored Jace Bohrofen (Arkansas) after his two-out single. The home run, Armstrong’s second in six starts for Falmouth, put them on top 2-1.
Nick Clayton (Clemson) got the nod for the Gatemen, marking his fourth start and fifth appearance this season. He gave up the first inning homer to Armstrong, but quickly found a groove, tossing three scoreless frames the rest of the way. Clayton finished his night after four innings, striking out four and allowing just the two earned runs. The strong start added to an already impressive CCBL season statline for the Clemson right-hander.
More run support for Clayton came in the third and fourth innings. Tres Gonzalez reached on a two-base error by the Falmouth center-fielder, later scoring from third on a wild pitch. One inning later, Jim Jarvis (Alabama) ripped a double to right-center field. His fifth extra-base hit of the season scored Cade Fergus (George Washington) from first, and the Gatemen re-took the lead 3-2.
Christian Ruebeck (Oklahoma) took the mound in relief of Clayton. He spun a scoreless fifth before running into trouble in the bottom of the sixth. A single and a hit batsman put runners aboard with two outs. Back-to-back wild pitches brought in a run, tying the game at three apiece.
For Wareham, what was solid pitching for most of the game crumbled in the eighth. Garrett Schmeltz (Louisville) walked three batters to load the bases. He exited, giving way to Kevin Eaise (Pennsylvania). Eaise put down one Commodore on strikes. Doug Hodo (Texas) then came to the dish, tapping a two-strike dribbler to the right side. Nobody had a play on the ball, and a well-executed pitch turned into an infield single for the ‘Dores. Two runs scored on the play, and Falmouth took a lead they would not relinquish.
The Falmouth bullpen was spectacular all night. Charles Harrison (UCLA) and Anthony DeFabbia (Stetson) kept the Wareham offense at bay for the majority of the game. The duo combined to pitch five and one-third scoreless innings.
The Gatemen went down in order in the ninth, dropping a third straight divisional game. They return home tomorrow night to battle the Orleans Firebirds at Spillane Field.
