WAREHAM — Clement S. Spillane Field was a somber, humbling setting for the Wareham Gatemen (17-27-2) Tuesday night as the visiting Bourne Braves (24-20-2) blanked the hosts and completed a two-game playoffs sweep with a 4-0 win. The loss concluded Wareham’s season at its own ballpark.
Bourne’s manager Harvey Shapiro, now in his 13th season at the Braves’ helm, used three pitchers to perfection as his moundsmen combined to shut out the Gatemen and advanced the Braves to the next round of the Cape Cod Baseball League playoffs. Western Michigan southpaw Keegan Akin got the starting nod and scattered five hits over 4.2 innings of work. He struck out four and walked two. Middle reliever Kyle Driscoll, a 6’7″ righty out of Rutgers, got the win after 3.1 innings of work. He fanned six and walked none while allowing just three hits and Braves’ closer Austin Conway (Indiana State) came in for a perfect ninth inning to end the game.
It was the heart of the Braves’ batting order that provided the offensive support the trio of hurlers needed to get the job done.
first baseman Brendan McKay (Louisville), designated hitter Pete Alonso (Florida) and shortstop CJ Chatham (Florida Atlantic) each banged out a pair of hits to pace the Braves, but it was Chatham’s bat that proved virtually unparalleled.
Chatham hammered a three-run homer in the top of the first inning for Bourne after Mississippi State’s Jacob Robson reached on a fielder’s choice and McKay singled. In the top of the 8th inning it was Chatham again as he singled in McKay for the 4-0 finale.
Gavin Stupienski (UNC-Wilmington) and Andrew Knizer (NC State) each had two hits for the Gatemen. Stanford’s Brett Hanewich took the hard-luck loss.
Bourne will face the Hyannis Harbor Hawks at McKeon Park in a best-of-three-game series to decide the divisional playoffs champion. The game will start at 6:00 pm.
— Story and photos by Sean Walsh, sports editor for www.capecod.com. His email is [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @coachwalshccbm
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