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July 28, 2023 11:30 pm | by Joanna Dwyer
The Gatemen dropped a close game Friday night to the Hyannis Harbor Hawks. Both teams kept going back and forth before the Harbor Hawks walked it off in the bottom of the ninth to win 9-8.
In the top of the seventh, Wareham looked to take back the lead as the Gatemen trailed 4-3 Jedier Hernandez (Missouri transfer) led off the inning with a walk before Korey Morton (UConn) came in to pinch run for him. Hernandez’s future teammate JC Colon (Missouri) put two runners on with a walk of his own and Grant Sherrod (USC Upstate) grabbed the third walk of the inning to juice the bases for Grant Hussey (West Virginia). Hussey fell behind in the count early and was one strike away from ending the inning. Instead, he took a swing and sent the ball sailing into right field. The Hyannis outfielder tracked the ball until he ran out of room as it fell over the outfield wall for Hussey’s second grand slam of the season and the Gatemen took the lead 7-4.
Brett Wozniak (High Point) got the nod for his third start on the bump. He climbed the mound with a 2-0 lead. Wareham took a quick lead in the first frame of play with a string of singles and a Sherrod RBI single. Dorian Gonzalez (Miami) came around for the second run on a stolen base and crossed the dish on a throwing error.
The Harbor Hawks tacked on a run in the bottom half of the first inning by taking advantage of a fielding error. Hyannis then took the lead in the next inning as three singles and a double gave the Harbor Hawks three runs to make the score 4-2.
Wareham continued to chip away at the lead in the top of the third. Gonzalez showed off aggressive base running by hustling to second after his single. He then moved to third and home on wild pitches.
The next three innings were scoreless before the Huss Buss grand slam. Hyannis tied things up in the bottom of the seventh with a bases loaded walk followed up with a two run double. Another run was put up on the scoreboard in the bottom of the eighth on a fielder’s choice and the Harbor Hawks led 8-7.
The Gatemen needed to do some damage as Jimmy Brennan (Post) came in to pinch hit in the ninth inning. He did his job well and reached on a walk to give Wareham a base runner. Colon pushed Brennan to second on a sacrifice hit and Gonzalez continued his strong night at the plate with an RBI double.
James Hepp (UCLA) came in in the ninth inning to try and keep the Harbor Hawks at bay to send the game to extras. The first batter reached on a walk and was replaced by a pinch runner who then stole second. The next batter was nailed by the pitch. Wareham needed just one more out to extend the game. However, the Hyannis batter tightroped the walk-off single to left field to win the game 9-8.
Wareham still has hope for the playoffs thanks to a Bourne loss Saturday night, but needs a win against the Falmouth Commodores as they face them at Guv Fuller Field Saturday night.
Grant Sherrod (USC Upstate) bats during Wareham’s 9-8 loss to the Hyannis Harbor Hawks, July 28, 2023 at McKeon Park in Hyannis. Photo by Maddy Djuric.
JC Colon (Missouri) runs out a hit during Wareham’s 9-8 loss to the Hyannis Harbor Hawks, July 28, 2023 at McKeon Park in Hyannis. Photo by Maddy Djuric.
Bobby Boser (USF) bats during Wareham’s 9-8 loss to the Hyannis Harbor Hawks, July 28, 2023 at McKeon Park in Hyannis. Photo by Maddy Djuric.
Brett Wozniak (High Point) pitches during Wareham’s 9-8 loss to the Hyannis Harbor Hawks, July 28, 2023 at McKeon Park in Hyannis. Photo by Maddy Djuric.
Dorian Gonzalez (Miami) scores during Wareham’s 9-8 loss to the Hyannis Harbor Hawks, July 28, 2023 at McKeon Park in Hyannis. Photo by Maddy Djuric.
