CAPE LEAGUE PLAYOFF ROUNDUP: Sweeps in the East, Game 3s in the West
After finishing off their postponed Game 1 with victory early Friday afternoon, the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox traveled to Orleans and completed the first-round sweep, winning 8-4.
The Red Sox started Ivran Romero from the University of San Diego. The junior built on his regular season success and went 5⅔ innings, striking out six and allowing only two hits and a single run. His efforts on the mound laid the foundation for a sweep and his offense gave him early run support to help the cause.
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Before Romero even threw a pitch, the Red Sox put up three first-inning runs, thanks to three first-inning errors from the Firebirds. Behind that early offense, and Romero's strong start, the Red Sox never trailed en route to the sweep.
Brewster Whitecaps 5, Harwich Mariners 3 (BRE Wins 2-0)
TCU's Braxton Pearson stepped up in a spot start for his team, helping the Whitecaps past the Mariners. He was spotted a three-run lead in the top of the first inning, courtesy of a three-run home run off the bat of UNC Charlotte's Cameron Fisher. Pearson then toed the rubber and went four innings with six strikeouts and just a single run allowed.
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The knockout punch came in the fifth inning when back-to-back RBI hits from Virginia Tech's Carson Demartini and Maryland's Nick Lorusso put the Whitecaps up 5-1.
Despite two late runs from the Mariners, they were unable to complete the comeback.
Cotuit Kettleers 9, Hyannis Harbor Hawks 1 (Tied 1-1)
The Kettleers bounced back from a home defeat in the opening game to force a decisive Game 3 Saturday.
Cotuit scored in six of the first seven innings, including each of the first five, steadily building a lead that reached 9-0 before Hyannis cracked the scoreboard.
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George Washington University's Harrison Cohen was the pitcher who kept the league's best regular-season offense quiet in this one. He went six shutout innings and only allowed five hits.
Wofford's Ryan Galanie was the star offensively for the Kettleers. Galanie finished 3-4 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored.
Falmouth Commodores 11, Bourne Braves 4 (Tied 1-1)
The Commodores' offense fueled the win over the Braves to extend the series to a winner-take-all third game. The Falmouth bats exploded early, putting up seven runs in the bottom of the third. The scoring started with Arkansas' Jace Bohrofen driving in two of his four RBIs on the night with a double. He then came around with Alabama's Andrew Pinckney when South Florida's Drew Brutcher reached on an error.
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Three more runs crossed giving the Commodores a big lead at home. Despite Bourne plating three in the top of the fourth, Falmouth never allowed the Braves back into the game and forced another playoff game.
What's Next (Saturday):
Hyannis Harbor Hawks @ Cotuit Kettleers, 4:30 p.m.
Falmouth Commodores @ Bourne Braves, 6 p.m.
Contact André Simms at asimms@capecodonline.com. Follow him on Twitter: @that1guyandre.
This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: CAPE COD BASEBALL LEAGUE: All of Friday's playoff scores
