PORTLAND—It’s going to take awhile for Portland’s baseball team to hit its stride this year and for that to happen, the Bulldogs need to play games.
Thursday afternoon at Hadlock Field, Portland took the field for just the second time all season and demonstrated why it is still a work in progress.
The Bulldogs fell behind visiting Bonny Eagle, 2-0, in the top of the first inning, as the Scots got a sacrifice fly from senior catcher Rhyse Owens and an RBI double from senior first baseman Cade Dixon.
Senior pitcher Cam Marcello then held Portland at bay most of the way as Bonny Eagle added to its lead.
The Scots made it 3-0 in the second on a sacrifice fly from junior centerfielder Ryan Berry, then added another run in the fourth when senior rightfielder Trevor Perkins came home on a ground out.
Perkins then sparkled defensively in the bottom of the fourth, throwing out a runner at the plate.
Bonny Eagle ended all doubt in the top of the sixth, as junior second baseman Kyle Blaney hit a two-run single.
Portland got a run back in the bottom half when senior shortstop Henry Bibeau scored on an error, but Marcello slammed the door with consecutive strikeouts to cap a perfect game and the Scots prevailed, 6-1.
Bonny Eagle earned its first win in three games and dropped the Bulldogs to 0-2.
“This is always a game we look forward to, especially for the seniors,” said Scots coach Chris Leavitt. “I’ve been to many games here, not as a head coach, but it’s nice to come here and get a win.”
Slow start
Portland had to begin with a game at reigning Class A champion Thornton Academy last Friday and lost, 6-3. The Bulldogs were scheduled to go to Windham Tuesday, but that game was postponed by weather, then the teams met the same fate Wednesday.
Bonny Eagle, meanwhile, started with a 2-1 loss at Noble, then was mercy ruled by visiting Thornton Academy (10-0, in five-innings).
Last year, Portland won at Standish, 4-2.
Thursday, the Scots struck early and never looked back.
Berry set the tone by taking a 2-0 pitch from Bulldogs senior starter Liam Fay-LeBlanc and driving it to the other way down the rightfield line for a double.
Blaney then lined a single to left and Berry had to hold at third. After Blaney stole second, Fay-LeBlanc fanned junior third baseman Levi Wood, but Owens ripped a line drive to center and while center Reegan Buck made the catch, Berry was able to come home and score the game’s first run.
Fay-LeBlanc wasn’t able to escape further damage, however, as Dixon crushed a drive to deep right for a double which easily scored Blaney to make it 2-0. Sophomore shortstop Drew Lariviere then chased strike three.
In the bottom half, Marcello began by catching Buck looking at strike three, then getting junior third baseman Cam Allen to do the same. Bibeau drew a walk, but on a 3-2 pitch, senior first baseman Sam Payne swung and missed and Marcello had retired the side.
In the top of the second, senior leftfielder Nick Riker popped out to second on the first pitch, but junior designated hitter Aiden Toy reached safely when his grounder to senior second baseman Ethan Theriault resulted in a throwing error which put Toy at second. Perkins followed with a single to center to put runners at the corners and after Perkins stole second, Berry flew out to center to bring home Toy.
“We’ve got some guys without a lot of varsity experience,” first-year Portland coach Kevin Winship said. “They’re learning and they’re learning on the hot seat. We made a couple mistakes and it just built from there.”
Blaney threatened to add to the lead when he ripped a shot to the gap in left-center, but Buck, showing tremendous range, ran the ball down to make the catch and retire the side.
Fay-LeBlanc tried to start a rally in the bottom half with a single to center, but Theriault struck out swinging, junior leftfielder Hunter Temple watched strike three on a 3-2 pitch, then sophomore catcher Lucas Milliken grounded softly back to the mound.
Bonny Eagle then had a great chance to add to its lead in the top of the third, but left the bases loaded.
Wood led off with a high pop up near first base. Theriault got to the ball but couldn’t squeeze it. Owens then grounded to third, but Allen’s throw to second was dropped, After Dixon flew out deep to center, where Buck again showed great range, Lariviere struck out swinging, but Riker drew a walk. Toy had a chance to break it open, but grounded out to short to keep the score 3-0.
In the bottom half, Portland went quietly, as freshman rightfielder Joe Mancini grounded out to third, Buck struck out swinging, then Allen bounced out to third.
Perkins led off the top of the fourth with a bloop single to right, then he stole second. Perkins then took third when Berry bounced out to Bibeau, who made a terrific play going to his left, and when Blaney grounded out to Fay-LeBlanc to the pitcher’s left, Perkins was able to come home with the fourth run. Wood extended the inning with a walk, but Owens lined out to left, where Temple made a nice running catch to end it.
Bibeau started the bottom of the inning with a double down the leftfield line, but it didn’t result in a run. After Payne struck out swinging, Fay-LeBlanc lined a single to right, but Perkins charged the ball and with Bibeau rounding third, he unleashed a strike to the plate, where Owens caught the ball and waited to apply to tag for the second out.
“I came around (the ball), scooped it and I saw the runner around third and I knew I had him as soon as I released the ball,” Perkins said.
“As soon as he threw it, I knew he had him,” Marcello said.
“That was really big,” Leavitt added. “It was really good to see that happen for (Trevor).”
Junior Finnegan Tidd, who had taken over at second base, then hit the ball on a line, but it was right at Dixon at first for the third out.
Fay-LeBlanc had his best inning in the top of the fifth, fanning Dixon and Lariviere, then getting Riker to ground out to short.
In the bottom half, Marcello got Temple to line out to center, Milliken to bounce out to second and Mancini to chase strike three.
Bonny Eagle tacked on two more runs in the sixth.
Toy led off by reaching on an infield single, then Perkins lined a single to right for his third hit. Berry then laid down a bunt and beat it out for a single to load the bases. Portland brought the infield in, but Blaney lined a single into center, and Toy and Perkins came home. After Wood struck out swinging, Owens popped out to second and with Berry running, Tidd was able to flip to Bibeau to complete the inning-ending double play, but the Bulldogs’ deficit was now six.
In the bottom half, Buck led off with a grounder to Wood at third, who made a nice play moving to his left before throwing him out. Allen drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch, but in a sign of what kind of day it was for the home team, his attempt to take second on a wild pitch resulted in a caught stealing when the ball ricocheted off the brick wall back to Owens, who threw a strike to Blaney who applied the tag. Bibeau extended the inning by walking on a 3-2 pitch and after Payne reached on an infield single to short, a wild pitch allowed Bibeau to move to third and on the play, Owens threw the ball away, allowing Bibeau to score and Payne went to second. Fay-LeBlanc then gave the ball a ride, but Berry ran it down to retire the side.
Theriault came on to pitch in the top of the seventh and impressed, getting junior pinch-hitter Ryder Owens and freshman pinch-hitter Caleb Racicot to look at strike three before getting senior pinch-hitter Brekin Daycoombs to line out to left, where Temple made a nice running catch for out number three.
Marcello stayed in the game to close it out and after Theriault singled to right on a 3-2 pitch and senior pinch-hitter Nathan Milliken reached on an error, Lucas Milliken bounced out to Wood unassisted at third, then freshman Jacob Johnson struck out swinging and Buck chased three to end it and Bonny Eagle prevailed, 6-1.
“Coming here, we knew had to step it up and get a win,” Perkins said. “It does make a different playing here with the atmosphere. It’s such a nice, big field. We hit opposite field and got on base and pushed runners along.”
“We’ve had a rough go at the start, so it was good to get the bats rolling,” Leavitt added. “Nine hits is great.”
Marcello went the distance, allowing just one run (unearned) on five hits in seven innings. Marcello walked three and struck out 10.
“I was amped, definitely,” said Marcello. “My curveball, staying outside, worked. I wanted to go the distance and I knew I was going to. We needed a win.”
“It’s great to see (Cam) go out there and crush it,” Leavitt said. “He had a great day today. He mixed it up pretty well.”
Perkins paced the offense with three hits, two runs scored and a pair of stolen bases. Berry and Blaney also had multiple hits and both scored once. Blaney had three RBI and stole a base.
Toy also scored two runs and Berry, Dixon and Owens also had RBI.
The Scots left seven runners on.
Portland got two hits from Fay-LeBlanc and a run scored from Bibeau.
The Bulldogs left six runners on base.
Fay-LeBlanc took the loss, giving up six runs (five earned) on nine hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out six.
Theriault worked a perfect inning of relief, fanning two.
“The game is just faster than what we’re used to and it’s going to take a little time to settle in and hopefully find some success,” Winship said. “(Marcello) kept us off balance. He threw that breaking ball probably 75 percent of the time. We talked about having better at-bats and hunting the fastball. He threw the breaking ball for strikes. When he did try to sneak the fastball by us, we got hits. He made a really good adjustment and just stayed with the breaking ball and we couldn’t hit it.
“There were some positives. We made some really good plays. Theriault came in and showed what he’s got in a tough situation. Liam’s getting there. They had some good swings on him. They’re a typical Bonny Eagle team. They came ready to swing it.”
Long season ahead
Bonny Eagle is back in action Saturday at home versus Falmouth.
“This is a boost for us, something we can build on,” Perkins said. “We have all the confidence in the world.”
“We’ll enjoy today,” Leavitt said. “We’re back to work tomorrow, then we have Falmouth at home Saturday. That’ll be a tough one, but we’re up for the challenge.”
Portland plays its makeup game at Windham Friday, then hosts Kennebunk Saturday.
“We have a lot of spots to fill,” Winship said. “We’re asking a lot of (Liam) and Sammy Payne. We’re throwing them to the fire. I’m starting freshmen in right and left who have never played varsity and a sophomore catcher who has never played varsity. It’s going to take some time. They just need to keep their confidence up.”
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net.
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