Posted in: Sports 
By Rich Maclone

     Now things get really, really interesting. Yesterday the Falmouth Commodores had a chance to wrap up a spot in the 2007 Cape Cod Baseball League playoffs, and make Wednesday night’s regular season finale at home meaningless in the big picture. However that game tomorrow night could be the difference between Falmouth playing for a Cape League title or missing out on the postseason altogether.

     Falmouth dropped a 4-1 darkness-shortened (eight innings) contest yesterday at a soggy Doran Park in Bourne, opening the door for the Hyannis Mets. Should Hyannis defeat Wareham at McKeon Park this afternoon, tomorrow night’s ballgame at the Arnie Allen Diamond will determine whether it is Falmouth or Hyannis that will be facing the Bourne Braves back at Doran Park on Friday afternoon at 3 PM in game one of the Western Division finals.

     The Mets enter play today with a record of 19-20-3 (41 points). The Commodores, who have lost their last two ballgames and three of their last four, are now 22-21 (44 points).

     If the playoffs are on the line for Falmouth, then the Commodores will most likely give the baseball to their ace, Aaron Crow, of the University of Missouri. Crow has been arguably the best pitcher in the Cape League all summer long, sporting a 3-1 record with an earned run average of 0.67. Over 40 innings of work, Crow has allowed just 19 base hits while striking out 36 and walking only nine. If Hyannis loses Tuesday then Crow would be the go-to pitcher for the Commodores in game one of the playoffs.

     Falmouth fell behind early yesterday afternoon in Bourne as the Braves staked themselves to an instant lead, plating three runs in the bottom of the first. The Commodores would never get closer than two runs the rest of the way.

     Steve Hensley (Elon) picked up the win on the hill for the Braves. Hensley worked six innings for Bourne, allowing five hits and one run with seven strikeouts and just two walks in the game.

     The Braves took a three-run lead in the bottom of the first as they strung together four consecutive hits. Ben Guez (William & Mary) and Josh Satin (Cal-Berkley) started things with consecutive singles and then a triple by Brian Pruitt to left-center plated those runs. The third run came in for Bourne when catcher Adam Zornes (Rice) singled to right field to make it a 3-0 ballgame.

     Falmouth got on the board in the top of the second. Down 3-0, the Commodores rallied with two down to plate a run. Phil Carey (Winthrop) started things off by drilling a triple to the wall in right-center field for his first three-bagger of the season. The next man, Chris Hopkins (Oregon State), plated the run with a little flare in front of the center fielder to make it 3-1. 

     Bourne would add to its lead with a single run in the bottom of the fourth. Falmouth native Bill Perry (Hartford) drove in the fourth Bourne run with a single, plating Zornes, who had reached on an error earlier in the frame.

     The Commodores threatened to tie things up in the eighth, putting two on with one out. However Bourne reliever Jeff Richard (Central Michigan) got Kevin Dubler (Illinois State) to bounce into a game-ending double play.

     On Sunday afternoon the Commodores took Bourne out behind the woodshed, beating up on the division-leaders by a 12-0 score. Conor Gillespie (Wichita State) and Matt Hague (Washington) led a 16-hit attack for Falmouth, with each collecting three knocks in the game. Eight of the nine starters for the Commodores had at least one hit in the game. Gillaspie, the Cape League’s leading hitter, with a batting average of .364, was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and a pair of RBI.

     The game was pretty much over in the first inning as the Commodores plated eight runs in the bottom of the first. 

     Shooter Hunt (Tulane) picked up his second win of the summer as he worked the first six innings for Falmouth, allowing two hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. Brett Graffy (Notre Dame), Sam Elam (Notre Dame) and Dylan Moseley (Louisiana Tech) each worked an inning of relief and preserved the shutout.