Belfast’s season ended> One-hitter by Saco kills playoff hopes

CAPE ELIZABETH – Despite some nifty defensive work including two double plays, Belfast’s All-Star Little League team couldn’t wake up their bats in time to save their state tourney lives Sunday afternoon.

Battling for survival in the loser’s bracket at Cape Elizabeth’s Harris M. Plaisted Park, the boys from Belfast ran into pinpoint pitching from Saco’s Drew Prquette, who held Belfast to one hit for a 6-0 victory.

“The strike zone was real wide today,” said Belfast coach Mike Towey. “He was hitting the outside corner. They were just having trouble with that outside pitch.”

Belfast is the first team to exit the state tourney for 11-12-year-old all-stars. Saco will try to stay alive against Portland North in a 3 p.m. game Monday.

Waterville battered Portland North for six unearned runs to win Sunday’s first game 6-2. Waterville, 2-0, will play Brewer, 1-0, at 5 p.m. Monday.

Parquette’s bid for a no-hitter looked unbeatable until Matt Towey singled Parquette’s fourth pitch up the middle in the fourth inning.

But the Belfast heroics ended quickly when Steve Johnson’s grounder wound up in Parquette’s glove. Parquette threw to Saco second baseman Lee Kimball who finished the double play by gunning down Johnson at first.

“We just didn’t get the hits when we needed it,” Towey said. “The kids played well.”

Armed with a 1-0 lead, Saco put Belfast away in the fourth as starter Matt Woodrow began to tire and walked the first two batters and Pat Davis reached on a bunt, loading the bases with no outs.

Jeff Parker entered in relief but allowed Saco’s second run to score on a wild pitch.

Things worsened as he walked another batter and gave up a two-run single to John Laliberte and another run on a Parquette grounder which became the first out.

Belfast settled down to get the next three outs but couldn’t come back from a six-run deficit.

Defensively, Belfast turned a pair of double plays, the first of the tournament, creating saves out of errors.

Saco’s Laliberte was gunned down at the plate by Belfast center fielder Chad Hutchinson on Parquette’s outfield grounder as he tried to score from first in the third inning.

Parquette also tried to take an extra base on the same play as Laliberte and Belfast catcher Johnson tried to untangle themselves from their collision at home plate.

But Parquette’s attempt to take third base went up in flames as Johnson completed the double play with a straight arrow throw to third baseman Howie Bennett.

Waterville scored its six runs in second inning of the first game. Kenny Raymond led the nine attack with a two-run double and a single, and Dale Poulin singled twice and drove in a run. Chris Hart also singled twice.

(First game) Waterville (2-0) 060 000 – 6 9 2 Portland North (0-1) 000 002 – 2 6 2

Poulin and Cholewa; Marsh and Bartlett

(Second game) Saco (1-1) 001 500 – 6 8 1 Belfast (0-20 000 000 – 0 1 3

Parquette and Davis; Woodrow, Parker (4) and Johnson