Javyn Pimental amidst his six inning, quality start, Friday evening. Photo credit Sadie Parker
By Mark Rappaport
BREWSTER—In a quick game highlighted by stellar pitching, the Brewster Whitecaps (3-2-1) fell to the Falmouth Commodores (2-3-1) Friday evening 1-0 after leaving ten runners on base.
“We just had opportunities to score runs and couldn’t come up with a big hit,” coach Jamie Shevchik said. “We’ve got to do a better job at limiting our strikeouts and putting the ball in a place where we can score a run.”
Brewster received an immaculate start from opening day starter Javyn Pimental (Missouri), who pitched a season-high six innings with only one hit and five strikeouts, receiving the quality start. Pimental dominated Falmouth’s offense, allowing only three balls past the infield: one single and two flyouts.
“Just got a lot of weak contact, and the guys behind me, kind of just made plays, kept us in the game and had a chance to win,” Pimental said.
Shevchik was very impressed by Pimental’s performance today and looks forward to more to come from Brewster’s pitching staff as the season progresses.
“For him to get through six and he was cruising, we just felt like, you know, it was his pitch count, which was getting up there,” Shevchik said. “By far, the best outing that I’ve seen so far with our club.”
In the seventh, Tommy Szczepanski (Virginia Tech) relieved Pimental and recorded a scoreless 1-2-3 inning of his own with one strikeout.
Conversely, Falmouth’s pitching was strong, led by starter Michael Forret (State College of Florida). Forret recorded four innings with four strikeouts. However, Forret struggled to keep Brewster off the basepaths, giving up five hits and two walks, resulting in seven Whitecaps left on base in the first four innings.
Reliever Shane Telfer (Pepperdine) shut down Brewster’s offense, pitching three innings of scoreless work, giving up only one hit, one walk, while recording four strikeouts.
Second baseman Trevor Austin steals second base in the first inning. Photo credit Sadie Parker
In the top of the eighth, Falmouth’s offense was able to muster one run off of southpaw Rocco Reid (Clemson). Right fielder Nathan Humphreys (Dallas Baptist) singled to lead off the inning and advanced to second after designated hitter Tab Tracy (Texas A&M) was plunked by a pitch. With two outs remaining in the inning, leadoff hitter and center fielder Joseph Redfield (Sam Houston State) blooped a single to left field, scoring Humphreys.
In the eighth and ninth innings, Falmouth closer KC Hunt (Mississippi State) stymied the Whitecaps’ offense, recording the save while giving up only one hit.
Brewster’s offense, which recorded at least four runs in every game this season and has been clutch, was shut out Friday evening for the first time all season. The Whitecaps’ pitching was strong, though it did not translate into a win.
Center fielder Patrick Forbes (Louisville) and second baseman Trevor Austin (Missouri) shined for the Whitecaps today, recording multiple hits at the plate. Austin, in particular, was 2-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base.
The Whitecaps look to return to the win column tomorrow evening, weather permitting, against the archrival Orleans Firebirds at Stony Brook Park. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.