BIDDEFORD — In a game between the top two teams in American Legion Zone 5, one swing of the bat made all the difference.
Jon Dupee hit the go-ahead home run in the fourth inning, and Keegan Sullivan overcame a shaky start, to throw a complete game to help Fayette-Staples of Saco beat Saco & Biddeford Savings of Biddeford 4-3 at St. Louis Field Tuesday night.
With just three games left in the regular season, the win all but wrapped up the top seed in next week’s Zone 5 playoffs for Fayette (13-2), while Savings (11-4) will likely now have to settle for the second spot.
The enormity of the win wasn’t lost on Saco head coach Ray Petit, who said he didn’t see a whole lot separating the two teams.
“They’re a very good team, we could play each other 10 times and it would end up 5-5 I’m sure,” Saco head coach Ray Petit said. “They have a great approach at the plate and they play solid defense and have decent pitching.”
Early on it was that great approach that allowed Biddeford to jump out to a 3-0 lead.
Bob Cote singled to shortstop to lead off the game, and two batters later Tyler Audie worked a full count before getting a juicy Keegan Sullivan fastball right down the center of the plate that he blasted over the right-field fence. Savings added to the lead on Scott Callahan’s RBI single an inning later.
“Keegan’s notoriously a slow-starter,” Petit said. “He’s got a funny arm-slot and sometimes he gets more tail and it takes him a while to figure out how that tail’s working. Then he’s great.”
Sullivan was great after the second, settling into the game by keeping Biddeford’s potent lineup off-balance with numerous off speed pitches thrown for strikes. He struck out the side in the third and allowed only two hits the rest of the game.
“With a pitcher like that you’re going to struggle to score runs so you’ve got to take advantage when you can,” said Biddeford assistant coach Shawn Descoteaux. “We scored those runs early in the game but we were able to get comfortable. We’ve just got to keep pressing offensively and get those guys out of their comfort zone to be able to score runs.”
Saco’s offense found its comfort zone in the third, scoring three of its own off Cote to even the score. The key knock was a Sam Canales two-RBI triple that plated Dillon Dunbar and Ryder Kenney. Canales scored on Jack Kenney’s ground out, making it 3-3.
Dupee’s then completed the mini comeback and put Saco on top when he smacked a Cote fastball for a solo home run that just made it over the center-field wall.
Biddeford’s best chance to put more runs on the board came in the fifth, when they had runners on first and third with just won out and the heart of the order coming up. But Sullivan got Brady Fleurent to meekly fly out to short center and Audie on a line out to right to end the threat.
Sullivan struck out six and gave up only five hits to notch the win, while Cote also went all seven innings in the loss, giving up the four runs on just six hits.
Even in the loss, Descoteaux said he was proud of the way his youthful squad ”“ far younger than their Saco counterparts ”“ competed and of the strides Biddeford was making during the summer season.
“It was great for us to play at a high level today and get that experience in,” he said. “We’re confident in our team and no matter whose pitching or who we have playing we’re going to battle for seven innings. That’s what Legion for us is all about, getting us ready for next year and getting our young guys playing.”
Biddeford will look to bounce back when they travel to Massabesic Thursday night, when Saco will also hit the road to take on Sanford.
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