Comrades stop high-flying Navigators Both teams advance to state tournament

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BANGOR – While one team was turning the American Legion Zone 1 baseball tournament on its ear this weekend, another was quietly going about its usual business this time of year.

So it was that Penquis, which hasn’t made an appearance in the Legion state tournament since it was known as Sangerville in the mid 1980s, met two-time defending Zone 1 champ Bangor in Sunday’s championship game on an overcast but pleasant afternoon at Mansfield Stadium.

Tradition and experience trumped beginner’s luck and momentum as the Comrades erupted for two big innings and downed Penquis 11-1 in seven innings.

Both teams move on to Augusta for the state tournament, which begins Saturday. The 19-7 Comrades will take on the Zone 2 (Central Maine) runner-up at 2 p.m. while 13-14 Penquis will meet the Zone 2 champ in a noon contest.

“To tell you the truth, we were looking to get one win. We thought we were in a bracket we could be competitive in, but we certainly exceeded our expectations,” said head coach Rob St. Louis, whose Navigators played with just nine players Sunday after previously scheduled knee surgery knocked starter Josh Watson out of a lineup already missing two players who were on vacation trips with their families.

“If we lost somebody else, we’d have to play with eight, so we did well to get this far,” St. Louis added. “From day one, the 10 or 11 who show up come to play and they don’t give up. We don’t have the lead very often, but we come back a lot.”

Bangor broke open a 1-1 game with a five-run fourth featuring four walks, three hits, and a hit batter. The key hit was Andy Tremble’s two-out, two-run single after Kevin Proctor forced home a run with a bases-loaded walk. P.J. Dowe added an RBI single.

“He just brought the fastball in there on the third pitch,” said Tremble. “I’m not a pull hitter, so I just spray it wherever I can.”

Bangor added another run in the sixth before icing it with a four-run seventh in which Penquis committed the last of its six errors in the game and the Comrades had four hits.

Tyler Jellison and Nate Hall each had two hits for the Comrades to lead the attack while starter Josh Heath (5-1) kept the Navigators off course from the mound with a five-hitter in which he threw 72 of his 118 pitches for strikes.

“I just wanted to throw strikes and keep the ball low and away from the batters,” Heath said. “At times I struggled with my pitch location, but it was good enough. I just mainly threw my fastball today and mixed in a few curves.”

COMRADES 11, NAVIGATORS 1

(Sunday Afternoon)

Penquis (13-14) Bangor (19-7)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Russell, ss-p 4 0 0 0 Cayford, ss 4 1

Morrison, 3b 3 0 1 0 Proctor, rf 2 0 2

Gabarro, 1b-p 3 0 0 0 Tremble, 3b 4 3

Gray, 2b-ss 4 0 1 0 Sullivan, dh 3 1 0

White, rf-lf 3 1 1 0 Treadwell, lf 2 1 0

Weymouth, cf-1b 2 0 0 0 a-Murphy 1 0

Strout, lf-cf 3 0 1 0 Myerowitz, 1b 3 0

Spack, p-c 2 0 0 0 Jellison, cf 4 2 1

Kane, c-rf-2b 3 0 1 0 Dowe, c 4 1 2

Dennis, 2b 1 0 0 0

Hall, 2b 2 2 2 1

Totals 27 1 5 0 Totals 30 11 9 10

a-reached on error for Treadwell in seventh

Penquis 000 100 0 ? 1

Bangor 010 501 4 ? 11

E?Morrison, Gabarro, Gray, Spack 2, Kane; Tremble, Dennis; LOB?Penquis 9; Bangor 8; 2B?Sullivan; 3B?Strout; DP?Cayford-Dennis-Myerowitz; SF?Hall, Proctor; SB?Weymouth, Strout, Russell; Hall, Tremble, Jellison

Penquis IP H R ER BB SO

Spack (L, 1-3) 3 1/3 3 5 4 2 0

Gabarro 1/3 1 1 1 3 0

Russell 3 5 5 4 1 2

Bangor IP H R ER BB SO

Heath (W, 5-1) 7 5 1 0 4 2

HBP?Treadwell (Spack); PB?Dowe; T?2:06; ATT?184