Where the Stars of Tomorrow Shine Tonight!

Article By: Kaileigh Grieb

Bourne Braves defeats Orleans Firebirds (Bourne Win Series)

The final push is over.

Both teams arrived at Eldredge Park today ready to get their jobs done, whatever it may have taken them. Ultimately it was Bourne who made a few more plays and would be named the 2023 CCBL Champions.

Jo Oyama was ready to do some damage in the first inning. He started off the Firebirds right with a homerun at his first at bat of the game. But, he wasn’t done there. In the third inning, Oyama launched another bomb to left center, keeping the lead for Orleans. But in the fourth inning, Bourne fired some warning shots. Both Kendall Diggs and Bryce Eblin shot off singles that brought them on base, but it was Derek Bender's RBI single that sent Diggs home and cut the lead in half.

A tie came in the top of the sixth, where Eblins advanced onto second due to an error that brought Joshua Kuroda-Grauer home and soon Benders RBI double sent Eblin home. The Braves led in the sixth inning.

Orleans called into the bullpen and brought back last night's hero, Sean Matson, to the mound.

The attempt to take back the game fell short with Sam Peterson’s RBI single clinched the lead for Bourne.

In the eighth, Bender re-emerged from the dugout to launch a homerun down the left field line, ricocheting off the scoreboard.

Once the ninth inning stretch was upon Bourne and Orleans, it was over. The 2023 summer season is over and with that, the Bourne Braves defended their titles and lived up to the saying of “running it back.”