Deering third baseman Tavian Lauture places the tag as Scarborough baserunner Wyatt Zsiga tries to steal during the fourth inning Thursday. Carl D. Walsh/Staff Photographer
SCARBOROUGH — The favorites in Class A South baseball have another team to worry about.
The red-hot Scarborough Red Storm are suddenly hot on the heels of Thornton Academy, South Portland, Falmouth and Westbrook.
Thursday afternoon at Kippy Mitchell Sports Complex, Scarborough rattled off its fifth consecutive victory, beating Deering via the mercy rule, 13-3 in six innings.
“This is what we were striving for at the start of the season, to have everything come together at the end, to play well in all facets of the game,” said Scarborough Coach Wes Ridlon.
The Red Storm (10-4) went ahead to stay in the bottom of the second against Rams starter Conner Coleman. Leadoff hitter Ashton Blanchette continued his recent blistering hitting with a two-out, two-run single, and Ben Seguin walked with the bases loaded to make it 3-0.
Scarborough’s Eric Swenson pitches to a Deering batter during Thursday’s game in Scarborough. Carl D. Walsh/Staff Photographer
Scarborough then broke it open in the third, scoring four times on just two hits. The Red Storm took advantage of three errors.
The big hit was a two-run double by Blanchette down the right-field line.
“We’re having good at-bats,” said Blanchette. “I was thinking three all the way down the line, I’ve gotten more comfortable at the plate. I’ve found my groove.”
When a wild pitch scored a run and catcher Connor Gower drove in two more in the bottom of the fourth, the Red Storm were on the brink of a mercy-rule victory. But Deering (3-11) extended the game in the top of the fifth against reliever Ryan Kelly, scoring three runs on a bases-loaded walk and an error.
“I think we’re used to playing from behind a little bit, but this team just doesn’t give up,” said Rams Coach Ryan Martin. “That’s why we’re so much better now than we were last year. We’re just having fun playing baseball and getting better one day at a time.
Deering pitcher Connor Coleman prepares to tag out Scarborough’s TJ Liponis as he to tries to score after a throw to the plate went past the catcher during Thursday’s game in Scarborough. Carl D. Walsh/Staff Photographer
Scarborough got two runs back in the bottom of the fifth on a sacrifice fly from Thomas Donahue and a wild pitch. In the sixth, after Deering went down in order against Zakarry Sanders, the Red Storm ended it on an error that allowed Jason Liponis to score.
“This is the team we expected,” Ridlon said. “We’re sound defensively, we can pitch, and we have some timely hitting. We’re excited with the way we’re playing right now.”
Erik Swenson earned the win, throwing four scoreless innings. He gave up one hit, walked two and struck out six.
The Red Storm have games remaining at Marshwood on Saturday and at home Tuesday against South Portland, the defending Class A champion, and they believe their best baseball is still to come.
“We just want to finish strong, and whoever we play (in the playoffs), we play,” Blanchette said. “We’re happy to stay the underdogs.”
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