OT-Orono rolls by Brattleboro 9-4 > Sibley helps Twins advance

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NEW BEDFORD, Mass. – Old Town-Orono didn’t wait around to feel out its first-round opponent at the American Legion Baseball Northeast Regional here Friday.

Instead, the Twins jumped all over Brattleboro, Vt., during a six-run first inning that provided the impetus for a 9-4 victory at the Walsh Athletic Complex.

Coach Dave Paul’s Twins advance to Saturday’s 8 p.m. winners’ bracket contest against the winner of Friday night’s late game between tourney host New Bedford and Riverside, R.I. Righthander Mark Ballard (5-1, 2.92 ERA) will start for OT-Orono.

In Friday’s early game, Livingston, N.J., beat Laconia, N.H., 7-6.

Leadoff batter Brian Wickett singled to start the rally and eventually scored, then stroked a two-run single to spearhead Old Town-Orono’s nine-hit attack. All six runs were unearned.

Wickett led off with a single and took second when Marc Halsted reached on an error. One out later, Brattleboro starter Travis Watson walked Mark Thibodeau to load the bases.

Ron Coombs singled home a run, another scored when Mark Hashey got aboard on an error, then Andy Trice and Gary Sibley drew consecutive bases-loaded walks. Wickett followed with a two-run single.

“The kids are raring to go and I think because of the fact a lot of them played in this regional tournament last year, they were a little more relaxaed and we got off to that good start with six runs in the first inning,” Paul said.

Twins ace lefthander Gary Sibley improved to 7-2, hurling eight-plus innings of six-hit ball. He walked seven and struck out one.

Paul knows the importance of getting off to a good start.

“You lost that first game in any double-elimination tournament and your back’s against the wall right off,” Paul said. “You’ve got to have a little more pitching depth in that situation. Hopefully, after getting this first one, we’ll go take a look at these teams tonight (Friday) and see what’s going on.”

Old Town-Orono added a run in the fourth on Hashey’s two-out single and got a two-out RBI double from Sibley in the sixth. Jim Evans doubled and singled for the winners.

Jeff Henry paced Brattleboro with a pair of singles.

Old Town-Orono 9, Vermont 4

Brattleboro, Vt. Old Town-Orono

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

Hescock, 2b 6 0 0 0 Wickett, cf-p 6 1 2 2

Frost, ss 1 0 0 0 Halsted, 3b 3 2 0 0

b-Reed 1 0 0 0 Bagley, 3b 0 0 0 0

Squires, cf 4 0 1 0 Evans, 1b 4 0 2 0

c-C. Emery 0 1 0 0 Thibodeau, lf 4 1 1 0

Whitworth, 1b 3 0 0 0 Paradis, lf-cf 0 0 0 0

D. Emery, 1b 1 2 1 0 Coombs, c 5 1 1 0

Blanchard, rf 3 0 1 0 LePage, c 0 0 0 0

Christmas, rf 1 1 0 0 Hashey, 2b 5 2 1 1

Paolantonio,lf 3 0 1 0 Trice, ss 2 2 0 1

Shulman, lf 2 0 0 0 Wihbey, rf 4 0 1 1

Henry, c 4 0 2 0 McLeod, rf 0 0 0 0

d-Miner 0 0 0 1 Sibley, p 3 0 1 2

Norse, 3b 4 0 0 0 a-Ballard 0 0 0 0

Watson, p 0 0 0 0 Clifford, p-lf 0 0 0 0

Stockwell, p 1 0 0 1

Totals 33 4 6 3 Totals 36 9 9 7

a-walked for Sibley in the eighth

b-grounded to second for Frost in the ninth

c-walked for Squires in the ninth

d-walked for Henry in the ninth

Brattleboro, Vt. 000 000 013 – 4

Old Town-Orono 600 101 01x – 9

E – Hescock 2, Frost, Norse; Evans, Hashey, Bagley 2B – Sibley, Evans LOB – Brattleboro 12; OT-Orono 12 SF – Wihbey

Pitching Summary

PITCHER IP H R ER BB SO

Brattleboro

Watson (L) 6 8 8 2 9 2

Stockwell 2 1 1 1 0 0

Old Town-Orono

Sibley (W,7-2) 8 6 1 0 7 1

Clifford 1/3 0 3 2 4 0

Wickett 2/3 0 0 0 1 1

WP – Stockwell TIME -2:35