The Scots posted a big third inning against the visiting Blazes on Thursday afternoon, June 3 – Max Salevsky belted the timeliest hit, a two-run shot – and though Westbrook did what they could to chew through the Scots’ lead, it wouldn’t be enough. Bonny Eagle took the win at home, 4-2, closing their own schedule on a high note and snuffing the Blazes’ hopes for a postseason berth.
“The guys are working really hard,” said Bonny Eagle head coach Rick Hession. “They’ve come together. They’ve bought into each other, they’ve bought into what we’re saying. We’re still not 100 percent where we want to be; we still have some time to do that. They’re just doing a great job of caring about each other and working off of each other. It’s fun to see.”
Some games are do or die, and this was one such bout for Westbrook, who were on the outside of the playoffs looking in – in 13th place at 6-9 – as Thursday’s action got under way. Roughly 13 Heal Points behind No. 12 Gorham, they might’ve squeezed into the bracketing had they upset the Scots, who began the afternoon in seventh, at 10-5.
Instead, Bonny Eagle got the better of Blazes starting pitcher Bailey Ryan, making consistent, if not overwhelming, contact against him as innings elapsed. It took the Scots a few trips to the plate to convert – they didn’t get a man home until the third – but when they did, they didn’t stop at one.
The Scots’ Lane Poirier connected at the plate to open the third, but flew out to right field. Ryan then went errant against Dana McKay, clobbering him in the helmet and sending his replacement, Christian Napolitano, to first.
Cam Robinson next knocked a single grounder into left, giving him first and Napolitano second. Another wild Ryan pitch, this one during Devin Butler’s ups, allowed Robinson and Napolitano to both advance 90 feet further.
Ryan was, perhaps, unnerved by having hit McKay, because he struggled to find the zone against Butler and eventually walked him, loading the bases for Drake Laughlin. Laughlin sent another grounder into left, bringing Napolitano home for the 1-0 advantage.
Salevskey followed Laughlin to the plate, launching his rocket to right field and scoring both Robinson and Butler for 3-0.
“We’ve been finding a way, all year,” Hession said of the Scots’ dogged consistency at the plate. “We’ve put consistent at-bats together all year. It’s been kind of a struggle to find a way to get those runs in, certain games. But when it’s counted, guys have stepped up.
“So, today, it was Max. The way he stepped up with two outs, and it’s a line drive to right field to get in a couple runs, it’s what guys have done. It’s been a different guy every game.
“The seniors have done an outstanding job. A freshman stepped in at catcher today; just different guys who’ve found a way to get it done. And we need to continue to do it.”
Ryan’s composure returned in the fourth; he gave up one hit – a single to Justin Miles – but otherwise coaxed easy outs from the Scots.
The Blazes then sparked some offense of their own. Keigan Sears sidled a just-fair grounder up the third-base line to reach first, and grabbed second when Patrick Weimer nudged a trickler a few feet into the infield. Weimer got caught out at first, but Sears made it to second.
Sears stole third during Justin Copetta’s at-bat. Copetta brought Sears home again with a short lob to shallow right. 3-1.
The Scots snatched the run right back, though. Robinson singled into left to start the bottom of the fifth, then dashed onto second when Laughlin lined into center-left. He rounded third and tagged home on another Salevsky hit, this one a drive into right that neither the Blazes centerfielder nor their rightfielder could quite keep a hand on.
Hession also had praise for junior starting pitcher Kyle Labrecque. “He gets a base hit early; he hasn’t had a lot of at-bats this year. The way he came out and pitched – and he struggled a little bit earlier this year. And his [recent] starts, he came out and beat South Portland with a complete game, and now he came out and beat a pretty good Westbrook team with another complete game.
“Just the way he competes, he’s been outstanding.”
Westbrook got one more in the top of the sixth. Jack McCullough rounded first, second and third on a pair of Scots errors, then arrived home on DJ Henrikson’s single into center. But time ultimately ran short on the Blazes; the Scots downed them one-two-three in the top of the seventh to capture the W.
The Blazes retire for the season at 6-10. Bonny Eagle moves on to the postseason at 11-5; they will face No. 10 Windham in a home prelim on June 9.
“What these guys have accomplished so far – we know that’s not what our final goal was,” said Hession. “It’s a whole new season starting Tuesday. So we’ve got to make sure that tomorrow we’re getting ready for that whole new season. I think these guys are hungry for it.”
Westbrook head coach Greg Souza had no comment.
Westbrook’s Keigan Sears slides into third ahead of Bonny Eagle baseman Troy Bogdahn’s tag.
Blazes starting pitcher Bailey Ryan hurls a ball toward home.
Bonny Eagle’s Dana McKay takes a cut at a pitch early in last Thursday’s matchup with the visiting Blue Blazes.
Bonny Eagle’s Devin Butler dives back to first.
Blazes first baseman DJ Henrikson watches the action at home.
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