BANGOR – It was just a split of an early-season baseball doubleheader, but it seemed to hold much more significance to both teams.

For Presque Isle, it was the end of a five-game losing streak and the Wildcats’ first win of the season that sent them back on the bus with broad smiles.

For Bangor, there were no smiles as the Rams let the sweep they expected at Mansfield Stadium blow away with Saturday afternoon’s gale-like gusts.

The Rams started the day strong as sophomore pitcher Josh Young threw a three-hitter and Bangor won 8-0 in a game lasting only 89 minutes. The second game couldn’t have been much different as the teams combined for 30 hits, 23 runs, and six lead changes before the Wildcats pulled out a come-from-behind 12-11 win in a game that took almost three hours.

The teams’ opposite reactions were evident from their postgame comments.

“We made too many mistakes today, even in that first game. We just have to improve on things and learn a few things from this,” said coach Jeff Fahey, whose Rams are now 5-2.

“It’s just about time we came through with a win,” said catcher Shane Clark, one of only four Presque Isle seniors. “We’re young, but I think we’re starting to play a lot better and this should definitely get us going now.”

In the second game, the Wildcats started strong (four-run first inning) and finished the same way.

With one out and the Wildcats trailing 11-9 in the top of the seventh, R.J. Gagnon unwittingly ignited the rally by reaching base on a throwing error. Back-to-back singles by Aaron Keirstead and Clark set the table for Fred Bird, who tied the game with a two-run double to deep center field.

A fielder’s choice bunt left runners at the corners with two outs. It looked as though the game would remain tied as Matt Carvell flared an infield fly to third, but the ball was dropped as Bird scampered home with the game-winning run.

Presque Isle’s Kyle Gagnon then held serve in a game resembling a pingpong match as he set down the side in order against Bangor’s Nos. 3, 4 and 5 hitters in the game’s only 1-2-3 half-inning. Gagnon notched the win with two innings of two-hit shutout relief.

“We’re young, but we’re getting better each day,” said PI coach Tim Olore. “These guys battle, fight, and they don’t give in. You can see the confidence starting to come.”

Clark’s confidence was obvious as he went 4-for-5 with a double, five RBIs and two runs. Bird doubled twice for two RBIs and three runs.

“Today we made the most of the plays, and once you start doing that, the game’s so much easier,” Bird said. “Beating Bangor’s a big thing. This is gonna give us confidence and I don’t think we’re gonna lose too many more games.”

Carvell and Chris Parsons each had two singles and one RBI.

Bangor was led by Kevin Proctor, who had a triple, two singles, three runs and two RBIs. Nate Hall and Andy Treadwell each had two singles and two RBIs. Shawn Dennis had a double and a single in two at-bats after entering the game in the third.

In the first game, Young was masterful as he mixed in a curve, changeup, and even a new pitch while striking out eight batters, walking one, and improving to 3-0.

“I’m working on a knuckleball and I started throwing it the last two innings,” said Young. “It worked pretty well, and [catcher] Ryan Willette did a great job behind the plate once again.”

The sophomore righthander threw an amazing 77 percent of his pitches (65 of 84) for strikes.

“Josh is amazing,” said shortstop Chris Bombardier, who led Bangor with an RBI triple and a single. “He throws strikes and he spots the ball better than anyone on our team. It’s amazing what he can do as a sophomore.”

Keirstead had two-thirds of PI’s hits with two singles.

RAMS 8, WILDCATS 0

(Saturday’s First Game)

Presque Isle boys Bangor

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Bird, p-cf 3 0 0 0 Hall, rf 3 0 0

B.J. Gagnon, ss 3 0 0 0 Proctor, lf 3 0

Keirstead, 1b 3 0 2 0 Bombardier, ss 4 1

Clark, c 3 0 1 0 Young, p 2 0 1

Gale, 2b 3 0 0 0 Nickerson, cf 3 1 0

Parsons, 3b-p 1 0 0 0 Dennis, dh 3 0

Carvell, dh 3 0 0 0 Willette, c 0 0 0

Lavway, lf 0 0 0 0 Shain, 1b 3 2 1

Hale, rf 1 0 0 0 Baker, 3b 2 0 2

K. Gagnon, p 1 0 0 0 N. LaRochelle, 2b 2 1

Putnam, 3b 1 0 0 0

Swanson, cf-rf 2 0 0 0

Totals 24 0 3 0 Totals 25 8 8 6

Presque Isle 000 000 0 ? 0

Bangor 110 032 x ? 8

E? Bird, R.J. Gagnon, Lavway; LOB? Presque Isle 5, Bangor 5; 2B? Clark; Dennis; 3B? Bombardier; S? Baker; SF? Young; SB? Proctor 2, Shain, Bombardier, N.LaRochelle

Presque Isle IP H R ER BB SO

Bird (L,0-2) 3 4 3 2 1 1

K.Gagnon 2 1 3 3 2 2

Parsons 1 3 2 1 0 0

Bangor IP H R ER BB SO

Young (W,3-0) 7 3 0 0 1 8

HBP? Parsons by Young; WP? Bird, K. Gagnon; BK? Bird; T? 1:28; ATT? 83

WILDCATS 12, RAMS 11

(Saturday’s Second Game)

Presque Isle boys (1-5) Bangor (5-2)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Gale, ss-2b 5 2 0 0 Hall 4 2 2 2

B.J. Gagnon, p-ss 5 3 2 0 Proctor, 3b 5 2

Keirstead, 1b 4 2 2 0 Bombardier, ss 4 0

Clark, c 5 2 4 5 Treadwell, lf 5 1 2

Bird, cf 3 3 2 2 Nickerson, cf 4 0 1

Parsons, 3b 2 0 2 1 Twombly, p 0 0 0

a-Sirois 0 0 0 0 Heath, p-1b 2 0 0

Carvell, dh 5 0 2 1 Young, 1b 2 0 0

Lyford, 2b 0 0 0 0 Shain, 1b-p 2 1 0

Lavway, p-lf 0 0 0 0 Dennis, p 2 0 1

Hale, rf 1 0 0 1 Willette, c 2 1 0

Putnam, rf 2 0 1 0 a-Clark 1 0 0 0

Swanson, lf 2 0 0 1 N. LaRochelle, 2b 2 0

K.Gagnon, p 1 0 0 0 b-M. LaRochelle 1 0 0

c-Worcester 0 0 0 0

Totals 35 12 15 11 Totals 36 10 15 8

a-grounded out for Willette in sixth, b-singled for N. LaRochelle in seventh, c-ran for M. LaRochelle in seventh

Presque Isle 410 220 3 ? 12

Bangor 240 230 0 ? 11

E? Keirstead 2; Proctor 3, Twombly; LOB? Presque Isle 12, Bangor 9; 2B? R.J. Gagnon, Clark, Bird 2; Hall, Nickerson, Young, Shain, Dennis; 3B? Proctor, Treadwell; DP? Bombardier-N.LaRochelle-Shain; S? Parsons 2; SB? Carvell; Proctor, Bombardier

Presque Isle IP H R ER BB SO

R.J. Gagnon 2 7 6 4 1 0

Lavway 3 6 5 4 2 3

K. Gagnon (W,1-1) 2 2 0 0 0 1

Bangor IP H R ER BB SO

Twombly 2/3 2 4 1 4 1

Heath 1 1/3 3 1 1 2 0

Dennis 2 2/3 4 4 4 1 4

Shain (L,1-1) 2 1/3 6 3 1 0 2

HBP? Nickerson by R.J. Gagnon, N. LaRochelle by Lavway; WP? Lavway; PB? Clark; T? 2:51; ATT? 124