Skowhegan comeback beats Rams

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BANGOR – The Bangor High School baseball team seemingly had mastered the art of the comeback in its 6-0 start this spring, rallying from behind in four of those victories.

But the Rams experienced the other side of that scenario Friday, as Skowhegan scored four runs in the top of the seventh for a stunning 6-5 victory.

This comeback had a defensive origin, as Skowhegan catcher Les Marcue made a diving catch of a suicide squeeze bunt by Bangor’s Tom Crews to start a double play that kept the Indians within 5-2 through six innings.

“I almost tackled him when he made that catch because I forgot he still had to make the throw,” said Indians’ pitcher Mike LaCasse, “and then after he did, we were ready to go.”

Bangor starter Alex Gallant retired the first batter in the seventh, but after Ryan York singled and Andy Boumil had an infield hit, the Rams turned to reliever Ian Edwards.

LaCasse hit a grounder toward second base that Bangor’s Matt Boehmer grabbed, but his throw to force out Boumil was late, loading the bases.

Matt Morin then hit a 1-0 pitch sharply into center field for a two-run single, with LaCasse adding the tying run on the play as the ball got past Crews in the outfield.

After Jason Dore followed with his third single of the day, pinch-runner Cody Vigue scored the go-ahead run on Andy Calder’s single to center.

“We’ve been hitting the ball all year, but right at people,” said Skowhegan coach Steve Mayo. “Eventually they’re going to fall if you keep putting your bat on the ball, and that’s what we’ve been doing all year. It’s a big difference between this year’s team and last year’s team, we’ve been more aggressive at the plate.”

LaCasse retired Bangor in order in the bottom of the seventh to cap off complete-game eight-hitter with six strikeouts and just one walk.

“They hit him hard early,” Mayo said, “but he started changing speeds a little toward the end and that helped him.”

With the wind blowing out toward left, both teams took the ball deep for much of the game.

Bangor took a 2-0 lead in the second. Scott Hackett tripled off the left-field fence and scored as Gallant doubled to center. Gallant took third on a Webb groundout and scored on Tyson Barron’s sacrifice fly to right.

LaCasse hit a home run to left in the top of the third, but Bangor’s Kyle Vanidestine answered with a blast in the bottom of the inning to make it 3-1.

LaCasse singled home Jonathan Wheaton in the fifth to pull Skowhegan within 3-2, but Hackett restored Bangor to a two-run lead with one of the more unusual home runs in Mansfield Stadium history.

Hackett skied a ball to left field, and as it drifted toward the fence, so too did Calder, the left fielder. Calder and the ball hit the fence at the same time, but while the ball bounded away, Calder’s foot became stuck under the fence.

By the time center fielder Dore raced over to pick up the ball, Hackett was headed home with his third hit of the game.

Webb doubled to open the Bangor sixth, and pinch-runner Kyle Leeman scored the Rams’ final run on Walton’s one-out triple to make it 5-2.

INDIANS 6, RAMS 5

Skowhegan (6-1) Bangor (6-1)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

York, rf 3 1 2 0 Vanidestine, rf 4 1 1

Boumil, ss 4 1 1 0 Estabrook, ss 4 0 0

LaCasse, p 4 2 2 2 Edwards, dh-p 4 0 0

Morin, dh 4 0 1 2 Hackett, 1b 3 2 1

Dyke, 3b 0 0 0 0 Gallant, p-lf 3 1 1

Vigue, pr 0 1 0 0 Webb, c 3 0 1 0

Dore, cf 4 0 3 0 Leeman, pr 0 1 0

Calder, lf 4 0 1 1 Barron, lf 2 0 1

Marcue, c 2 0 0 0 Boehmer, 2b 0 0 0

Beauregard, 1b 2 0 0 0 Walton, 3b 2 1

Sylvain, ph 1 0 0 0 Crews, cf 3 0 0

Wheaton, 2b 2 1 0 0

Totals 30 6 10 5 Totals 28 5 8 5

Skowhegan 001 010 4 – 6

Bangor 021 011 0 – 5

E-Dyke; Vanidestine, Gallant, Crews; LOB-Skowhegan 8, Bangor 4; 2B-Gallant, Webb; 3B-Hackett, Walton; HR-LaCasse; Vanidestine, Hackett; DP-Marcue-Dyke; S-York; SF-Barron; SB-Crews

Skowhegan IP H R ER BB SO

LaCasse (W, 2-0) 7 8 5 5 1 7

Bangor IP H R ER BB SO

Gallant 6 1/3 7 4 4 3 5

Edwards (L, 2-1) 2/3 3 2 2 0 0

HBP-Marcue (by Edwards); T-1:32; ATT-100 (est.)