The stars were not aligned for the Falmouth Commodores’ (14-17-1) last night in Orleans. A night after losing a heart-breaker in extra innings to the Wareham Gatemen, the Commodores made the longest road trip of the year out to Eldredge Park and forgot to bring their ‘A’ game with them. Orleans took full advantage as they stuck it to the Commodores, taking a 10-0 decision in front of a typically large Lower Cape crowd.

     Falmouth could not figure out lefty Clayton Shunick at all as the lefty from Georgia State was outstanding all night long, facing just one batter above the minimum. Shunick went the distance, facing just 28 batters, as he allowed just three hits all night long while striking out nine. 

     Falmouth’s only hits came in the third, seventh and ninth innings. Ryan Anetsberger (Illinois State) reached with an infield hit in the third, and then was promptly erased on a double play. Catcher Mitch Canham (Oregon State) singled in the seventh, hitting a sharp liner to right, and then he was erased on a double play. In the ninth pinch-hitter Matt Nuzzo drove a single to left with two outs.

     Other than that the game was an exercise in futility for the maroon, white and black. The Commodores had perhaps their worst game at the plate all season long.

     Head Coach Jeff Trundy said that some of it was his team, but a lot of credit was deserved by Shunick. “When a kid has a great game on the mound, when it’s for you, you feel like you played well, but when it’s against you, you feel like you played lousy. Pitching certainly dictates the tempo of the game and that guy on the mound really dictates how we’re going to feel about our performance.”

     Falmouth starter David Kopp (Clemson) was not hit particularly hard by the Cards. Kopp lasted just four innings, after giving up six runs, but it seemed that everything that the Cardinals connected on was ground balls that had eyes for the outfield, slipping between fielders and finding the turf. 

     “David Kopp threw better than the numbers showed. There were a whole lot of ground balls that found holes. It was just one of those nights. We did some things that we’ve got to do better … but some people are going to see this score and say these guys aren’t playing hard and that’s (not true). I know these guys and I know they’ve got a lot of heart. Jeremy Farrell’s sliding into a fence after a foul pop in the eighth. Taylor diving after a ball behind second base. Those things are in place and I have no question about that with these guys. Do we make the best decisions at times? No. But the Red Sox and Yankees don’t always make the best decisions at times. That’s baseball.”

     Relief pitching was not there for Falmouth on the night after Kopp exited. Three relievers went on to give up four more runs. In total Orleans collected 11 walks, 10 hits and took advantage of four Falmouth errors.

     Trundy did not feel that his team was feeling any hangover effects from the extra inning one-run loss on Sunday night. “I don’t put a lot of credence in that. I feel that the set of circumstances in each ballgame dictates how you feel afterwards. I don’t think that last night was on their minds.”

     On Sunday the Commodores lost a pivotal game in the race for the second playoff spot in the west division to the current second-place team, the Wareham Gatemen. Wareham entered the day a game behind Falmouth in the loss column, but five points in front of the team overall. In the end, though, the Gatemen took the big game, winning with a run in the 10th inning to take a 6-5 decision.

     Falmouth had rallied from behind to tie things up with a three-run bottom of the ninth. With one down, Brad Chalk slapped a single to left to start the rally and then catcher Mitch Canham made it 5-3 with an RBI double to center. An Andrew Walker single and then a walk to Warren McFadden loaded the bases for Taylor Harbin, who drove in a run with a fly ball to right, making 5-4. The rally then concluded when Ryan Anetsberger came up with a clutch single to center to make it a 5-5 game. 

     All of the Commodores’ momentum, though, was erased in the top of the 10th. Wareham’s Jordan Dodson reached on an infield single and then scored on a triple by Beemer Weams. The three-bagger was a low liner to right that McFadden made the mistake of diving for. Had he simply fielded the ball on a hop, that would have held the batter to a single, but the ball rolled all the way to the wall and allowed the Gatemen to take a 6-5 lead.

     Falmouth would get the tying run aboard in the bottom of the 10th thanks to a two-out single by Chalk and a throwing error that put him on second. However, the Gatemen struck out Canham to end the game.

     On Saturday the Commodores rallied from a 4-2 deficit to plate four runs in the top of the ninth and held on for a thrilling 6-4 win. Jeremy Farrell (Virginia) homered to lead the inning off, to make it 4-3. Then a walk to Aja Barto, a sac bunt and infield single by Brad Chalk put runners on the corners. A bunt single by Canham tied the score at 4-4. Andrew Walker (Texas Christian) then followed with a two-run double to cap the big rally by the Commodores and put them ahead. Sam Demel worked the ninth to save the game for the Commodores.

     The Commodores have quite a busy week ahead of them. Today they host Hyannis in a big divisional contest at the Arnie Allen Diamond, starting at 7 PM. Tomorrow the Commodores visit first place Cotuit for a 5 PM affair. On Thursday Bourne comes to town for a 7 PM game and then Friday the team hosts Cotuit for a doubleheader with games at 3:30 and 7.