Mariners capture first-ever regional title Ciomei brothers shut out Pandas

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BANGOR – He was wearing a sling and was about to get some ice for his sprained left shoulder.

But Deer Isle-Stonington senior lefthander Nick Ciomei wasn’t complaining.

He had just put on a tremendous exhibition to lead his Mariners to their first-ever Eastern Maine Class D baseball championship by virtue of a 3-0 win over defending EM champ Lee Academy at Mansfield Stadium.

Third seed Deer Isle-Stonington, 14-3, faces the winner of tonight’s Western Maine D final between North Yarmouth Academy (10-6) and Richmond (14-3) in Saturday’s 11 a.m. state final at Saint Joseph’s College in Standish.

Fifth seed Lee Academy, shut out for just the second time this season, finished at 15-4.

The 5-foot-10, 160-pound Ciomei pitched six innings of six-hit shutout baseball and had three of his team’s four hits, including a double that triggered a two-run fourth inning.

He injured his shoulder when he was thrown out trying to steal second in the bottom of the sixth.

His brother, Bryant, came on to pitch for the first time this season and threw a scoreless seventh for the save.

Sophomore Bryant Ciomei, who had been bothered by a sore shoulder, was aided by the third Ciomei brother, freshman catcher Collin, who picked off a runner at first after Bryant struck out Andrew Stevens.

“Nick pitched the game of his life,” said brother Collin. “He had an excellent fastball and a great curve and he hit his spots real well.”

Nick Ciomei struck out five and walked two while making just his third start of the season due to a sore arm. He threw 89 pitches of which 49 were strikes.

“He was one of the better pitchers we’ve faced,” said Lee Academy senior shortstop and leading hitter Tyler Thompson (.588 average). “He had a good fastball and a good curve and he mixed his pitches up. He’d throw a first-pitch fastball one time and a first-pitch curve the next.”

“This wasn’t the best game I’ve pitched based on the hit total but this is definitely the best feeling I’ve ever had,” said Nick Ciomei.

He lost to Lee Academy 7-3 in the semifinals last season and he remembered the Panda hitters liked to hit the ball to the opposite field off him.

“So I tried to jam them and I worked the ball in and out,” said Ciomei.

Lee Academy starter Gerry Worster, who two-hit the Mariners in last year’s semi, also pitched superbly as he allowed only four hits with all three runs being unearned. He struck out 10 and walked four.

“He’s a very good pitcher,” said Bryant Ciomei, who volunteered to replace his brother after he got hurt and coach Darren Eaton gave him the ball.

“Bryant is one of the best pitchers in Eastern Maine but he’s had a shoulder problem all year,” said Eaton.

Deer Isle-Stonington scored a run in the first and two in the fourth.

Rob Brown drew a one-out walk, stole second and went to third on Nick Ciomei’s infield single before scoring on a throwing error off a double steal attempt.

Nick Ciomei opened the fourth with a double over right fielder Kris King’s head after pulling several liners foul.

“I was mad at myself because he had given me three good pitches to hit so I slowed my bat down on that one,” said Ciomei.

Ciomei went to third on a passed ball and scored on a double steal after Josh Eaton had walked.

A dropped popup allowed Eaton to score.

Deer Isle-Stonington turned two double plays through the first five innings – Nick Ciomei started one himself – and Ciomei worked out of a bases-loaded threat in the sixth as he picked off a pinch runner at second by throwing to shortstop Bryant Ciomei.

“The runner was taking a leap toward third on each pitch. So we were able to catch him off,” said Bryant, who called the pickoff play.

Charlie Boulrisse had two singles for the Pandas.

MARINERS 3, PANDAS 0

Lee Academy (15-4) DI-Stonington (14-3)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

King, rf 4 0 0 0 C. Ciomei, c 3 0 0

Clark, 2b 3 0 1 0 Brown, cf 2 1 0

Thompson, ss 2 0 1 0 B. Ciomei, ss 3 0 0

Houghton, c 3 0 0 0 N. Ciomei, p-lf 3 1 0

Boulrisse, 1b 3 0 2 0 Josh Eaton, 3b-ss 0

Linscott, pr 0 0 0 0 Robbins, cf 2 0 0

G. Worster, p 3 0 0 0 Jon Eaton, 1b 3 0

Doane, 3b 1 0 1 0 Martin, 2b 3 0 0

B.J. Crocker, dh 2 0 1 0 Hardie, dh 2 0

D. Worster, lf-pr 0 0 0 0 Garcia, lf-3b 0 0

Stevens,cf 3 0 0 0 Pinkham, pr 0 0 0

Totals 24 0 6 0 Totals 22 3 4 0

Lee Academy 000 000 0 – 0

DI-Stonington 100 200 x – 3

E-Houghton, Thompson; B. Ciomei; LOB-Lee 7, DI-Stonington 5; 2B-N. Ciomei; DP-N. Ciomei-B. Ciomei-Jon Eaton, Martin-Jon Eaton, C. Ciomei-Jon Eaton; SB-N. Ciomei 2, Brown, Josh Eaton

Lee Academy IP H R ER BB SO

G. Worster (L,6-3) 6 4 3 0 4 10

Home IP H R ER BB SO

N. Ciomei (W,3-0) 6 6 0 0 2 5

B. Ciomei (S,1) 1 0 0 0 1 1

HBP- Thompson by N. Ciomei; PB- Houghton 2; T- 1:55; ATT- 200 (est.)