KENNEBUNK — After getting spanked in the first game of a doubleheader, 11-2, on Saturday, Kennebunk wanted to make sure it didn’t get swept by Massabesic. Kennebunk avoided the sweep with a three-run fifth inning that gave it a 4-3 win in the heat and humidity.
“That was impressive. We got beat pretty handily in the first game,” said Kennebunk coach Bob Nutter. “In this heat, to come back and get a win was big for us. Pretty big.”
The Massabesic offense was big in the first game. The visitors took a 1-0 lead after the first inning, and stretched it to 4-0 after three. Matt Allen and Cody Frazier each hit doubles in the third, and Massabesic used soame sacrifice hits to drive in some runs as well.
Massabesic scored another run in the fifth, but Kennebunk closed the gap to 5-2 in the bottom of the frame. Massabesic answered with two runs in the sixth and four in the top of the seventh to put the game out of reach. The Massabesic offense had 13 hits, including five doubles.
The huge cushion made life easy for Massabesic starter Corey Mongiat, who was solid in his own right. He scattered seven hits, with four strikeouts and two walks, and both runs he gave up were unearned.
“Corey pitched very, very well. We DH’ed for him to let him concentrate more on pitching. He really bared down, and that was probably one of the better games he’s pitched all year,” said Massabesic assistant coach Andy Cessario. “He really shut these guys down. He looked good.”
Massabesic opened the second game with a two-run first inning. Hunter Duncan drilled an RBI triple to right field with one on and one out, and Jake Pelchat brought Duncan home with a sacrifice fly.
Kennebunk responded with a run of its own in the bottom of the inning. Bobby Ecklund walked on a full count to lead off the inning. Pelchat eventually walked the bases loaded, and with two outs, allowed Ecklund to score on a wild pitch. Pelchat got out of the jam when Ned Richards grounded out to end the inning.
Pelchat was wild, but minimized damage, allowing just one hit through the first four innings. Massabesic added another run in the top of the fifth to give Pelchat a little breathing room.
“Jake did well. He did very well for a guy that hasn’t pitched all season,” Cessario said about Pelchat’s first start of the year, both in American Legion and high school. “You can’t ask much more than he gave us.”
Kennebunk got to Pelchat in the fifth inning. Dylan Cluff led off with a double, and moved to third on Ecklund’s bunt single. Tom Snow then hit into a force out that scored Cluff. After Pelchat got Nick Emmons to fly out, he gave up three straight singles to give Kennebunk the lead.
Snow pitched six solid innings for Kennebunk to earn the win. He gave up three runs (two earned), on five hits, with two walks and two strikeouts.
“He was gutsy. He pitched a great game for us,” Nutter said. “We needed it, because we didn’t have depth left.”
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