Commodores Come up Short at Hyannis, Fall to 0-6

Reinforced by the additions of outfielders Barrett Barnes and Kyle VonTungeln, and infielder Max White, the Commodores broke out of their offensive doldrums to score three runs against the Hyannis Harbor Hawks on Thursday night. But it wasn't enough to earn Falmouth its first win of the season, as a ninth-inning rally by Hyannis saw the Commodores fall to 0-6.

Falmouth opened the scoring in the top of the first. With leadoff hitter VonTungeln on first, second baseman Ross Heffley doubled to deep center to put runners on second and third. First baseman Jack Marder plated Falmouth's first run of the game with an infield hit. But the Commodores quickly piled up three outs when Marder was caught stealing, Barnes struck out, and designated hitter Jeremy Baltz grounded out to third.

Hyannis answered immediately, loading the bases in the bottom of the inning before cashing in all three runners. Falmouth starting pitcher Eric Anderson beaned Hawks leadoff hitter Eric Stamets, and allowed Jayce Ray to reach on a single through the left side. After a sacrifice bunt by Dan Glubransen and a walk to Kevin Plawecki, Adam Walker II singled in two runs. The Hawks pushed across one more with a double steal before Anderson struck out Cal Towey to end the inning.

Falmouth narrowed the margin in the third, manufacturing a run in trademark Cape League small-ball style. After Shortstop Eric Garcia led off with a walk, VonTulgeln reached on a fielder's choice, stole second, moved to third on a deep fly out by Heffley, and scored on Marder's perfectly placed bunt base hit down the third base line.

The Commodores evened it up in the next inning with a leadoff double by Baltz, a groundout to the right side by right fielder Jared King that moved Baltz to third, and a slow grounder to short by catcher Spencer Kieboom that allowed the run to come home.

Anderson settled down after the first, going six strong before yielding to reliever John Simms. Simms was dominant in the seventh and eighth, striking out seven hitters in just two innings (made possible when Ray reached first on a third strike that rolled away from Kieboom).

Hyannis broke out in the ninth, though, just in time to avoid extra innings. With Deandre Smelter relieving Simms, Towey led off with a single, but was thrown out at second when Zach Vincej's attempted sacrifice bunt went straight back to Smelter, who quickly wheeled and threw for the fielder's choice. Vincej wasted no time in making up for the mistake by stealing second. Richie Pedroza followed with a single, Vincej racing home to score on a close play at the plate, giving Hyannis the 4-3 victory.

The Commodores return home to Fuller Field to take on Orleans on Friday night, where they'll try again to pick up their first win of the year.