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June 13, 2023 9:40 pm | by Joanna Dwyer
The Gatemen got back on course in dramatic fashion with a dominant 12-1 win over the Harwich Mariners Tuesday night. The high-scoring offense and strong showing from the Gatemen pitching staff helped get them back to an even record of 2-2 on the season.
Wareham went a few innings before getting hot with the bats. Second baseman Kevin Michaels (St. John’s) got the Gatemen on the board to tie things up with a solo shot over the left field fence. This marked the first Gatemen homer at Spillane Field this season and Michaels’ first hit with Wareham. The Gatemen piled on several more runs in the inning, with extra base hits from right fielder Bobby Boser (USF) and left fielder Dylan Goldstein (FAU), and stole the lead 3-1 in the bottom of the third.
The Gatemen escaped a jam in the top of the fourth with two runners on and forced Harwich to leave them stranded before speeding through the next innings after Jack Bowery (Marist) came in for relief for starting pitcher Coleman Picard (Bryant) after his four innings of work.
Third baseman Dixon Black (Wofford) led off the bottom of the sixth with a walk and pushed the aggressive base-running mindset with a steal. Shortstop Sebastian Murillo (Georgia) hit an RBI single of his own and would eventually come around to score on a wild pitch. Michaels added another run to his final stat line, crossing the plate on a bases loaded walk and Wareham went into the top of the seventh up 6-1 against the Mariners.
The defense showed up in style with center fielder David Glancy (St. John’s) showing off his cannon of an arm. He gunned down the Harwich runner heading home and laid the ball in for catcher Jimmy Brennan (Post), who made the tag to close the half inning.
Michaels, Brennan and Glancy loaded the bases for the Gatemen in the bottom of the eighth.
Enter CJ Funk (Pitt).
Funk entered the game as a pinch runner for an injured Goldstein in the bottom of the fifth and stayed in the game in left field. As he stepped up to the plate for his second at-bat of the game after a walk, he looked to make an impact. Funk crushed the ball into the outfield and the Wareham fans watched as it flew over the left field wall for a Gatemen grand slam. Funk said he had struggled before and was looking to help his team out.
“Just going in with confidence knowing that I’m here with a purpose,” Funk said. “I got in with a couple of big situations and capitalized on them so I’m just thankful for the results that came.”
Murillo tacked on another run to increase the double digit lead.
The Gatemen let up one more Harwich hit, but three outs later closed the books on the Mariners. After a strong outing, Bowery walked away with the win.
Manager Ryan Smyth was happy with his team’s performance after the last two losses.
“Today we were able to come out and swing a little bit and put some runs up, and the pitching was fantastic again, but hopefully we just keep this rolling,” Smyth said. “We gotta string a couple together.”
The Gatemen are back again at Spillane Field for their Wednesday night matchup against the Orleans Firebirds with a 6 p.m. first pitch.
Kevin Michaels (St. John's) watches his home run in the third inning of Wareham’s 12-1 win over the Harwich Mariners, June 13, 2023 at Spillane Field in Wareham. Photo by Maddy Djuric
(Left) David Glancy (St. John's) and (right) Bobby Boser (USF) talking together as Bobby goes up to bat early innings of Wareham V.S. Harwich 6/13/23 at Spillane Field. Photo by Will Bradley
Will Cook (Louisville) next to dugout right before the game begins of Wareham V.S. Harwich 6/13/23 at Spillane Field. Photo by Will Bradley
Dylan Goldstein (FAU) dives safely into third during Wareham’s 12-1 win over the Harwich Mariners, June 13, 2023 at Spillane Field in Wareham. Photo by Maddy Djuric
Bobby Boser (USF) and his fellow teammates leaning against the dugout late in the 6th inning smiling as the gatemen take a prominent lead against Harwich in Wareham V.S. Harwich 6/13/23 at Spillane Field. Photo by Will Bradley
Jack Bowery pitches during Wareham’s 12-1 win over the Harwich Mariners, June 13, 2023 at Spillane Field in Wareham. Photo by Maddy Djuric
