Brewster Splits Double Header With The Firebirds, Close The Gap With Harwich in The Division

By: Koki Riley

BREWSTER, M.A. – Down 2-1 midway through the fifth inning of game number two of a double header the Brewster Whitecaps (17-20-1) were on the verge of a disastrous Saturday afternoon.
 
Two losses and a Harwich win would place head coach Jamie Shevchik’s team six points behind the fourth place Mariners with just six games remaining in the regular season. And after blowing a 3-0 lead in the first game of the double header, Brewster couldn’t afford to finish Saturday empty handed.
 
“It (the double header) could have been a lot different,” Shevchik said. 
 
But once Orleans overtook the lead in the fifth, Brewster responded immediately with an RBI single from Brett Auerbach that tied the game at two’s.
 
A sacrifice fly from Jesse Franklin (Michigan) gave Brewster the lead before Gage Workman’s (Arizona State) single doubled the Whitecaps advantage to two. An error from David Avitia (Grand Canyon) behind the plate from Orleans stretched the Whitecaps lead to three in what became a four run, nine batter and potentially season saving inning for Brewster.
 
“It’s kind of the tale we’ve seen all year long,” Shevchik said. “The bats are dead and all of a sudden we start getting guys on base. And that’s a good sign.”
 
“I think our coaches do a good job at keeping everyone focused,” Franklin said. “I think some guys are figuring out their swings and figuring out how to pitch out here toward the end (of the season).”
 
When the final out was recorded, Brewster escaped game two of the double header with a 7-3 victory, but the afternoon could have been an even sweeter.
 
“I thought we squandered an opportunity to win a game in the first game. We single handedly threw that game away,” Shevchik said.
 
In the Whitecaps 4-3 defeat to the Firebirds in Game 1, half of Orleans’ runs in Game 1 came across on Brewster mistakes. 
 
First, Christian Molfetta’s (Stanford) inability to corral a ball on strike three allowed Zach Daniels (Tennessee) to reach first base and extend the inning enough for Zach Britton’s (Louisville) two-run home run.
 
Then two frames later and the score tied at three, Molfetta’s ill-advised pick-off throw to first base allowed Shay Whitcomb (UC San Diego) to score from third to give Orleans the go ahead run that eventually made the difference in the 4-3 win.
 
“If you were going to ask me today I’d rather lose the first game and win the second one and ride the momentum of a win into tomorrow,” Shevchik said.
 
Now two points back of fourth place Harwich, Brewster is a Sunday night win in Orleans away from winning three of their last four contests. Keep in mind that first pitch from Eldredge Park is at 5:30 p.m. and not 7 p.m.