Clutch, two-out hits lift Auburn past Old Town

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SACO – A promising start for the Old Town Little League All-Star team was quickly erased by a series of clutch, two-out hits that led Auburn Suburban to an 8-5 triumph Tuesday in the State Little League Tournament at Maremont Little League Field.

Old Town, now 2-1, faces South Portland National, also 2-1, in an elimination game Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Auburn Suburban, 2-0, plays the Wednesday winner Thursday at 5 p.m. in the double-elimination affair. The if necessary game is Friday at 5.

Old Town parlayed its aggressive baserunning and two errors into a 4-0 lead in the first two innings. Three of the runs were unearned.

“Our defense struggled early but then we held together and the bats got going,” said Auburn Suburban first baseman Jay Verrill, who got the first of his team’s three two-out, two-run hits.

“We’ve swung the bats well all throughout the districts and the states,” said Auburn Suburban coach Mike Poulin, whose team is 7-0 overall including the District 5 playoffs.

“Their hitting is intimidating,” said Old Town losing pitcher Andy Pease.

Auburn Suburban tied the game with four runs in the bottom of the second.

Jake Roberts singled and raced to third on Derek Miller’s base hit. Miller went to second on the throw.

Pease retired the next two hitters without allowing a run to score but Verrill belted an opposite-field double over left fielder Josh Fournier’s head to make it 4-2.

“I was just trying to get a base hit,” said Verrill.

Winning pitcher Rory Flynn tied it by belting a 1-2 pitch over the fence in right-center field for his third homer of the playoffs, including the districts.

“I just hit it where the pitch was,” said Flynn.

Pease recaptured the lead for Old Town in the third when he singled, moved to third on a pair of wild pitches and scored on a throwing error on a stolen-base attempt at second.

But Auburn Suburban took the lead for good in the bottom of the third with a pair of unearned runs.

Nick Lawler reached on third baseman Mike Russell’s error and was sacrificed to second by Tyler Turgeon.

One out later, Miller singled sharply to second and continued to second on the throw to the plate. Lawler held at third.

Jeff Scammon then pulled Pease’s next pitch down the third-base line for a two-run double.

“The pitch was right over the plate where I like it and I swung at the first pitch because I didn’t want to fall behind in the count,” said Scammon.

Auburn Suburban added a pair of insurance runs in the fourth off Pease and reliever Russell on an error by right fielder Joe Guerrette, a passed ball, a couple of stolen bases, and RBI singles by Luke Robinson and Lawler.

Flynn cruised after the third inning, retiring 10 of the last 11 hitters he faced.

“I just tried not to give up (after falling behind),” said the hard-throwing righthander, who fanned 12 and finished with a four-hitter.

Verrill, Miller and Robinson each had two hits for the winners. Pease had two base hits for Old Town.

Auburn Sub. 8, Old Town 5

Old Town (2-1) Auburn Suburban (2-0)

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

Goody, c 3 0 0 0 Roberge, rf 3 0 0 0

Bouc’v’las, cf 3 0 0 0 Smith, c 0 0 0 0

Pease, p-3b 3 2 2 0 Verrill, 1b 4 1 2 2

Russell, 3b-p 3 0 0 0 Flynn, p 3 2 1 2

Geroux, 2b 3 0 1 0 Robinson, 3b 3 1 2 1

Brown, 1b 1 1 0 0 Lawler, 2b 2 1 1 1

Emerson, ss 3 1 0 0 Turgeon, ss 2 0 0 0

Guerrette, rf 2 1 1 0 Roberts, lf 3 1 1 0

a-Dupuis 1 0 0 0 Poulin, lf 0 0 0 0

Fournier, lf 2 0 0 0 Miller, c-rf 2 2 2 0

Stetson, lf 0 0 0 0 Heard, rf 1 0 0 0

Scammon, cf 2 0 1 2

Pullen, cf 1 0 0 0

Totals 24 5 4 0 Totals 26 8 10 8

a – struck out for Guerrette in sixth inning

Old Town 131 000 – 5

Auburn Suburban 042 20x – 8

E – Lawler, Roberge, Miller, Russell; Guerrette, Boucavalas 2B – Verrill, Scammon HR – Flynn LOB – Old Town 3; Auburn Suburban 5 SB – Pease 2, Brown, Guerrette; Robinson 2 S – Turgeon

PITCHER IP H R ER BB SO

Old Town

Pease (L, 1-1) 3 8 7 4 1 4

Russell 2 2 1 1 1 0

Auburn Suburban

Flynn (W, 1-0) 6 4 5 1 2 12

WP – Flynn (6) PB – Goody; Miller TIME – 1:52 ATTENDANCE – 131