Bangor capitalizes on errors

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HAMPDEN – As they have for the last three seasons, the Bangor Rams aptly demonstrated Thursday that they don’t have to outhit a team to defeat it.

The Rams capitalized on five Hampden Academy errors by scoring six unearned runs and beating the Broncos 6-2 at Hampden Middle School on a chilly Thursday afternoon.

“It’s tough. Bangor’s the team we want,” said Broncos coach Jack Merrithew. “I’ve got kids on my team who have never beaten Bangor and that’s our goal this year.”

It was a particularly frustrating loss for the Broncos because they outhit the Rams 5-3 and would have won the game 1-0 if all the unearned runs had been taken out of the scorebook.

“We just made a few mistakes in the first inning. That got us down and we just couldn’t rally to come back,” said Merrithew, whose Broncos are now 2-2.

Bangor scored four times in the top of the first with only one hit, a two-out, two-run single by Scott Philbrick through the hole on the left side of the infield.

The 6-1 Rams also benefited from three walks, three errors, and a wild pitch in the inning.

“We usually come out and try to take advantage of errors and jump right on a team when they do that,” said Rams’ starting pitcher Darren Stover, who ran his record to 4-0 with his fourth complete game in four outings this season.

“We’re not going to knock the cover off the ball, but we scratch for runs, our kids work hard and hustle, we play good defense, and Stover’s a good pitcher, too,” said Bangor coach Bob Kelley.

Stover was near-masterful, periodically weaving in a changeup between his fastballs and nasty, biting curves.

“My fastball didn’t have very much pop on it today because I hadn’t been feeling very well lately, plus I’ve had a week off [from baseball games],” said Stover.

The Rams scored again in the fourth inning, this time on a two-out, two-run single to center by catcher Keith Dorr.

“It was a straight fastball. I was expecting a curve, but I choked up after they had told me to choke up and get a base hit,” said Dorr.

Hampden came back with two of their own in the fifth, thanks to a fielding error at first and a bloop RBI single to shallow left-center by Ben Preston with two outs.

Broncos starter Dustin Campbell was the tough-luck loser despite pitching a three-hitter and retiring the last eight batters in a row.

The effects of Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s constant rain and snow showers were evident in the Rams’ dugout. Almost a foot of standing water made it impossible for Bangor to use it so the benches were set up outside, down the right field line.

“It’s a one-stroke penalty if you go in there and I couldn’t afford the one-stroke penalty,” joked Kelley.

Rams 6, Broncos 2

Bangor (6-1) Hampden Academy (2-2)

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

True, cf 3 2 0 0 King, lf 4 0 0 0

Wilcox, 2b 4 2 0 0 Gilbert,rf-1b 4 0 0 0

Waterman, ss 3 1 1 0 Knickrbockr,ss 2 1 1 0

Dorr, c 4 0 1 2 Preston, c 2 0 1 1

Stover, p 2 1 0 1 McInnis, 2b 3 0 0 0

Soucie, lf 4 0 0 0 Campbell, p 3 0 0 0

Philbrick, rf 4 0 1 2 Bristol, cf 3 0 1 0

Karam, dh 1 0 0 0 Littlefield,3b 1 0 1 0

Arsenault, 1b 0 0 0 0 Tyler, 3b 2 0 1 0

Civiello, 3b 3 0 0 0 Economy, 1b 1 0 0 0

Dubois, rf 1 1 0 0

Totals 28 6 3 5 Totals 26 2 5 1

Bangor 400 200 0 – 6

Hampden 000 020 0 – 2

E – Waterman, Arsenault; King, McInnis, Campbell, Littlefield, Tyler 2B – Waterman; Knickerbocker, Tyler LOB – Bangor 7; Hampden 7 SB – True 2, Dorr; Dubois

PITCHER IP H R ER BB SO

Bangor

Stover (W,4-0) 7 5 2 1 4 6

Hampden

Campbell (L,0-1) 7 3 6 0 6 5

WP – Stover; Campbell PB – Dorr TIME – 1:54 ATTENDANCE – 63