Tewhey rips grand slam to top Rams> Old Town sophomore puts game out of reach

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The last time Old Town third baseman Brian Tewhey faced Bangor reliever Travis Brooker with the game on the line, Brooker struck him out with one out and the bases loaded in the 10th inning. Bangor went on to a one-run win.

Fifteen days later, same pitcher, same batter, same situation … dramatically different outcome.

Tewhey launched a first-pitch fastball 350 feet and over the left field fence Thursday night for a game-clinching grand slam in the seventh inning of Old Town’s 9-4 win over Bangor in both teams’ regular-season finale at Mansfield Stadium.

“I was looking fastball because last time we played them, I struck out and we lost the game. I wanted to make up for that,” said the Indians’ sophomore, who hadn’t hit a homer before Thursday night.

“I thought it was a double and I was just running,” Tewhey added. “Coach was like `It’s gone,’ but I just kept going full speed anyway.”

Tewhey’s laser shot made a winner out of unbeaten Old Town pitcher Jason Thibodeau (7-0), who overcame a shaky start and scattered seven hits while striking out nine and walking four.

“We’ve been looking forward to this game all week and, boy, what a great finish!” Thibodeau said. “That was the biggest hit in a game I’ve ever witnessed. That was awesome.

“I think this game’s gonna give us real momentum in the playoffs. Now we have the confidence to beat anybody this year.”

The win likely sews up the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Maine Class A playoffs for 15-1 Old Town, while 13-3 Bangor will probably finish third or fourth.

Thibodeau was one of several hitters who had big at-bats in the seventh as the Indians scored each of their six runs after the first two batters were retired.

“Two out and nobody on?… That’s just senior leadership because the guys didn’t get down and we thought we still had a chance,” said Thibodeau.

The rally began when leadoff hitter Casey Powers, who had struck out in his three previous at-bats, worked the count full before drawing a walk. Randy Rand also finagled a walk on a 3-2 count.

That was all for Rams starter Jeremy Karam, who came into the game with a 5-0 record. Jason Sirois then greeted Brooker with a sharp grounder up the middle for an RBI single to tie the game.

Thibodeau followed with a sharp grounder to short that was mishandled, loading the bases. Chris Brissette got up in the count 3-1 before almost getting hit and forcing in the winning run. That set the stage for Tewhey.

“We certainly had some clutch at-bats to win this,” said Old Town coach Dave Paul. “I was pleased with the way we hung in there. We got two big runs in the fifth to make it 4-3 against a tough lefthander.”

Sirois led the Indians by going 3-for-4 with three singles and two RBIs. Tewhey had two hits.

Bangor made it 4-1 on Karam’s RBI infield single in the first, Josh Johnson’s two-run single through the left infield hole in the second, and a bloop RBI single to shallow center by Jim Shea in the fourth.

Old Town’s heroics in the seventh overshadowed a solid effort on the mound by Karam, who allowed five hits in 6 2/3 innings while striking out 14 and walking five.

Indians 9, Rams 4

Old Town (15-1) Bangor (13-3)

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

Powers, 2b 3 0 0 0 Johnson, 1b 3 2 1 2

a-Cole 0 1 0 0 Shea, 2b 2 0 1 1

Rand, rf 1 2 0 1 Karam, p-lf 4 0 1 1

Sirois, ss 4 1 3 2 Libbey, 3b 3 0 0 0

Thibodeau, p 4 1 1 1 Sullivan, dh 3 0 1 0

Brissette, lf 3 1 0 1 Bombardier, ss 0 0 0 0

Tewhey, 3b 4 1 2 4 Anderson, lf 3 0 1 0

Clark, 1b 2 0 0 0 Brooker, p 1 0 0 0

b-Brown 0 0 0 0 c-Worcester 0 0 0 0

d-Brooker 1 0 0 0 Baird, cf 4 1 1 0

Ouellette, c 2 1 0 0 Bouchard, c 3 1 1 0

McAuley, cf 3 1 1 0 Vanidestine, rf 2 0 0 0

e-Hackney 1 0 0 0

Totals 27 9 7 9 Totals 29 4 7 4

a-ran for Powers in the seventh

b-ran for Clark in the second

c-ran for Brooker in the seventh

d-struck out for Clark in the seventh

e-flied out for Vanidestine in the sixth

Old Town 100 020 6 – 9

Bangor 120 100 0 – 4

E – Tewhey, Clark 2; Bombardier 2B – McAuley; Bouchard HR – Tewhey (1) LOB – Old Town 4; Bangor 9 DP – Powers-Sirois-Clark SB – Johnson 2 S – Shea SF – Rand

PITCHER IP H R ER BB SO

Old Town

Thibodeau (W,7-0) 7 7 4 3 4 9

Bangor

Karam (L,5-1) 6 2/3 5 5 4 5 14

Brooker 1/3 2 4 0 1 1

WP – Karam BK – Thibodeau TIME – 2:05 ATTENDANCE – 318