Defense key for Penquis Navigators in state tourney

loading...

BANGOR – The Penquis Navigators scored 49 runs in four games during the American Legion Zone 1 baseball tournament.

But it was a late dose of defense that secured Sunday night’s 12-7 victory over Brewer and a berth in the state tournament that begins Wednesday in Augusta.

Armed with a tenuous lead entering the late innings against a Brewer club that already owned four wins over Penquis this summer, the Navigators turned two inning-ending double plays with runners in scoring position and then escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth to preserve the win.

“We have been so balanced this year with our hitting and our defense and our pitching,” said Penquis shortstop Danny White. We’re a well-rounded team, and our defense has bailed us out a lot this year.”

Penquis held an 8-3 lead through six innings, but Brewer scored four runs in the seventh and still had runners on first and second with one out when first baseman Josh Pelletier fielded a J.T. Davis grounder and threw to White to start a 3-6-3 double play.

Penquis then scored four runs in the top of the eighth, highlighted by Eric Day’s two-run double to center, an RBI groundout by Josh Withee and an RBI single by Ethan Annis.

In the bottom of the eighth, Brewer loaded the bases with no outs but failed to score. Penquis reliever Jason Weymouth struck out Joe Robicheau and then got Andrew Otis to ground into a 4-6-3 double play that ended with James Gray – who had just moved from the outfield to first base – scooping the relay throw out of the dirt.

“Double plays are rally killers, no matter what the score and in what inning,” said Penquis coach Billy Kane. “We just happened to get a couple in key situations at the end.”

Brewer loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, but Weymouth struck out Jeff Miller and got Andrew Patterson to fly out as Penquis clinched its second trip to the state tournament in the last three years.

Weymouth worked 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to preserve the victory for Withee, who scattered 10 hits over 6 1/3 innings.

“We felt pretty comfortable coming into today, because other than [zone champion] Bangor we felt we had the deepest pitching staff,” Kane said. “Having Withee going on the last day in the last game in an elimination round isn’t a bad setup, with Jason ready to come out of the pen.”

Penquis (16-10) will face Zone 4 champion Andrews Post of Portland in its state tournament opener at noon Wednesday at McGuire Field in Augusta. Zone 1 champion Bangor will play the winner of Monday’s Zone 4 playoff between Nova Seafood of Portland and Coastal Athletics of South Portland at 2 p.m. Wednesday.

Penquis struck for a 3-0 lead against Brewer lefthander Jim Nicknair in the first. Withee supplied the key blow, a three-run double on a 3-2 pitch with two outs.

“He just gave me something right down the middle,” Withee said. “Lefty on lefty is usually tougher on me, but he just missed his spot, I think, and I drove it back through the middle and it kind of set the tone.”

After a 1-hour, 35-minute rain delay in the second inning, the Navigators pushed their lead to 7-0 with four runs in the third, with Annis popping a two-run single down the right-field line to highlight the rally.

Brewer (21-6) reached Withee for two runs on three walks, a Kevin Kotredes single and a wild pitch in the fourth.

Weymouth singled home Mark Pullen with two outs in the fifth, but Brewer scored an unearned run in the sixth to draw within 8-3.

Zac Bouzan-Kaloustian and Kotredes singled home runs to highlight Brewer’s seventh-inning rally, but Penquis’ first double play prevented the Falcons from coming all the way back.

Day had a double and two singles to pace the Navigators’ 12-hit attack. Withee, Annis and Pullen added two hits each.

Kotredes had three singles for Brewer, while Jeff Miller doubled and singled and Patterson and Pat Moran singled twice each.

Penquis advanced to Sunday’s game by rallying from an 8-2 deficit to eliminate No. 5 Calais 17-13 on Saturday night.

Penquis tied the game with six runs in the sixth, a rally highlighted by Weymouth’s two-run triple and a solo home run by Gray.

The Navigators took a 13-8 lead with five runs in the seventh, and while Calais scored four in the top of the eighth, Penquis matched that rally in the bottom of the inning.

Withee paced the Navigators with three singles, while Weymouth tripled and doubled and Annis singled twice.

Day earned the pitching win, working into the eighth inning before getting relief help from Chris Rabideau.

Steve Colbeth hit a two-run homer and a two-run single for Calais, while James Ramsdell tripled, doubled and singled with four RBIs. Scott Macdonald had three singles for the Suns, while Corey Colbeth and Aaron Sullivan each singled twice.

(Saturday’s Late Game)

Calais (13-12) 340 010 041 – 13 15 9

Penquis (15-10) 010 106 54x – 17 11 2

S. Colbeth, McLay (6), Macdonald (7), McLay (8) and Ja. Ramsdell; Day, Rabideau (8) and Pullen

NAVIGATORS 12, FALCONS 7

(Sunday Night)

Penquis (16-10) Brewer (21-6)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

White, ss 3 0 1 1 Miller, cf 6 0 0

J. Kane, c 6 1 1 1 Patterson, 1b 6 0 0

Weymouth, 3b 4 2 1 1 Moran, lf 4 1 0

Gray, rf-1b 5 2 0 0 Robicheau, c 5 1 0

Day, 2b 5 3 3 2 Otis, dh 4 1 0

Withee, p-cf 3 1 2 4 Bouzan-Kalstn,2b 4 1

Pelletier, 1b 3 1 0 0 Gifford, rf 4 0

D. Kane, pr 0 0 0 0 Kotredes, 3b 4 0 1

Bowers, rf 0 0 0 0 Davis, ss 4 0 1

Annis, 3b 5 1 2 3

Pullen, lf 4 1 2 0

Rabideau, rf 0 0 0 0

Totals 41 7 14 3 Totals 38 12 12 12

Penquis 304 010 040 ? 12

Brewer 000 201 400 ? 7

E?Annis 3; LOB?Penquis 10; Brewer 13; 2B?Withee, Day; Miller; DP?Penquis 2; Brewer 1; SB?Day, Withee

Penquis IP H R ER BB SO

Withee (W,1-3) 6 1/3 10 7 4 5 5

Weymouth (S) 2 2/3 4 0 0 2 2

Brewer IP H R ER BB SO

Nicknair (L,5-1) 2 1/3 6 7 7 3 1

Davis 4 2/3 4 3 3 5 1

Cushing 2 2 2 2 2 0

WP?Withee 4; T?2:54; ATT?150 (est.)