‘New’ Shain helps Rams top Broncos for 12th win

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BANGOR – The book on Bangor pitcher Derrick Shain goes something like this: Hard thrower. Nothing fancy. Throws strikes.

The book may need some editing as Shain has added a new pitch to his modest repertoire which is proving to be very effective.

Shain used a curveball with good movement and velocity to make his fastball that much tougher while his teammates took advantage of five Hampden Academy errors as Bangor posted an 8-4 baseball victory on a cool night at Mansfield Stadium.

“The last two games, his curveball has really had some snap to it, and he’s taken a lot off it so there’s a big speed difference between that and his fastball,” said Bangor coach Jeff Fahey.

The Rams improved to 12-2 and Shain goes to 3-1 despite throwing only 65 of 112 pitches for strikes. He did it courtesy of a maddeningly effective curve, which he used to freeze hitters when he needed big pitches.

Bangor’s big righthander struck out 10 hitters, issued five walks, and allowed five hits in 5? innings to render moot a fine effort by Hampden senior Matt Paine, who allowed eight hits and two walks while notching six strikeouts in five innings.

Hampden’s righthander was victimized by fielding mistakes as seven of Bangor’s eight runs were unearned.

“”I’d kill for the world to know how hard Matt Paine plays and what a tough pitcher he is,” said Hampden coach Marc Halsted, whose Broncos drop to 4-9. “The errors killed us. We might have won this if not for the mistakes.”

Bangor scored twice in the first inning courtesy of a fielding error, which allowed Shawn Dennis to advance all the way to second, an RBI triple to deep right center field, and an RBI single by designated hitter Tom Twombly, who was moved up to the cleanup spot in the batting order.

“Early on we hit the ball hard, but it was right at someone,” Fahey said. “We had enough offense to get it done without a couple starters and a couple young guys in their place.”

The latest in a series of revamped Rams’ batting orders was forced by one-game suspensions to two players for being late.

Bangor added two more in the third on another Bronco error and Josh Young’s two-run single to center. The last four runs came in the fifth courtesy of three HA miscues, a couple stolen bases, and Steve Fergerson’s pinch-hit RBI single – the only hit in the inning.

Hampden scored once in the third on Blaine Meehan’s leadoff walk, a steal, a bunt single, and Matt Jackson’s sacrifice fly. The Broncos added three in the sixth on three hits, a hit batter, three wild pitches, and one Rams error.

Pat Moran (3-for-4, double, RBI) led the Broncos while Evan Thomas had two singles.

Catcher Ryan Willette singled twice for the Rams.

RAMS 8, BRONCOS 4

Hampden Academy (4-9) Bangor (12-2)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Brooks, c 3 0 0 0 Hall, rf 4 0 0

Shannon, c 0 0 0 0 Dennis, ss 4 2 0

Libby, 2b-rf 3 0 1 0 Treadwell, lf 3 2 1

Jackson, cf 3 0 0 1 Worcester, lf 0 0 0

Dalton, 1b 2 1 1 0 Twombly, dh 3 1 1

Thomas, lf 3 1 2 0 Baker, 3b 0 0 0

Moran, rf-p 4 1 3 1 Nickerson, cf 3 1 0

Oliver, 3b 2 0 0 0 Young, 1b 4 0 2

McCabe, 3b 2 0 0 1 Shain, p 3 0 0

Paine, p 2 0 0 0 Hackett, p 0 0 0

Morris, 2b 0 0 0 0 Willette, c 3 1 0

Meehan, ss 2 1 1 0 LaRochelle, 2b 2 0 0

a-Fergerson 1 1 1 1

Totals 26 4 8 3 Totals 30 8 8 5

a-singled for LaRochelle in fifth

Hampden Academy 001 003 0 ? 4

Bangor 202 040 x ? 8

E? Jackson, Dalton 2, Oliver, Meehan; Dennis; LOB? Hampden 9; Bangor 7; 2B? Moran; 3B? Treadwell; DP? Libby-Dalton; SF? Jackson; SB? Thomas 2, Meehan, Libby; Twombly 3, Willette

Hampden IP H R ER BB SO

Paine (L, 0-3) 5 8 8 1 2 6

Moran 1 0 0 0 1 1

Bangor IP H R ER BB SO

Shain (W, 3-1) 5 2/3 5 4 3 5 10

Hackett 1 1/3 3 0 0 2 2

HBP? Thomas by Shain; WP? Shain; Paine 4; PB? Brooks 2; T? 2:23; ATT? 92