SEARSPORT – All season, George Stevens Academy baseball coach Dan Kane has been telling his players to sit on fastballs from opposing pitchers.

Leadoff hitter Nick Saunders did just that in Wednesday afternoon’s game against rival and two-time defending Eastern Class C champ Searsport and was sitting pretty as a result.

Saunders ripped a 1-2 fastball over the fence in dead center for a 335-foot, two-run homer that proved to be the difference in the 4-2 win for his Eagles of Blue Hill.

“It was a fastball and he was throwing good, but I got a good pitch and hit it hard,” Saunders said. “We’ve been trying to sit on fastballs with everyone, no matter what kind of pitcher they are.”

The shot made a winner out of GSA starting pitcher Pete Dickinson, who threw six solid innings of five-hit ball while notching seven strikeouts to go with three walks and two earned runs.

“It was mostly location with my fastball. My curveball was all right, but I couldn’t hit my spots,” said Saunders, now 3-0. “I got a couple outs with changeups, but it was mostly my fastball.”

The 8-1 Eagles, who have won both games against the Vikings this season, called it a big win at the midpoint of the season.

“It’s huge because throughout our season, we’ve had some close games, but it’s good to be in these hard-fought games because it forces you to do some things you don’t do on an everyday basis,” said Kane.

The Eagles did some of that early, scoring first with a run in the third on Otto Black’s leadoff single, his steal of second base, a sacrifice bunt, and a wild pitch.

They made it 2-0 in the fourth on a Lucas Marks’ leadoff double, a Josh Astbury walk, and a double steal in which the throw to third by catcher Nate Adams was off the mark, allowing Marks to score.

Searsport, now 6-2, tied it in its half of the fourth on a leadoff single by Tom Cameron and a two-run blast over the center- field fence by Adams that was nearly identical to Saunders’.

It looked like the Vikings might tie it up in the sixth when Matt Bagley got a hold of a Dickinson fastball with a man on first and belted it to left, but left fielder Steven Ensworth caught it just in front of the fence for the out.

“I thought it was gone, so it was great to look back and see him catch it,” Dickinson said.

Vikings starter Casey Ashey (2-1) pitched well in the loss, allowing six hits and four walks while going the distance. He notched 10 strikeouts.

“He went right after them and threw strikes, which is all we can ask, and gave us exactly what I wanted from him,” said Searsport coach Dave Pepin.

Ashey doubled and singled, while Adams had a single and the homer to lead Searsport.

Pepin said he was encouraged despite the loss because of the way his entire batting order performed.

“We’re going to take a lot of confidence from this game because we weren’t putting the ball in play, one through nine, and we did today against good pitching,” he explained. “This is probably the best thing to happen to us, is losing the game and gaining confidence.

aneff@bangordailynews.net

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EAGLES 4, VIKINGS 2

George Stevens (8-1) Searsport (6-2)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Saunders, ss 3 1 1 2 Ashey, p 4 0 0

Dickinson, p-2b 4 0 0 0 Kingsbury, ss 3 0

Marks, c 4 1 2 0 Cameron, 3b 3 1 0

Astbury, 2b-p 2 0 0 0 Adams, c 2 2

Hines, dh 3 0 0 0 Bagley, 1b 3 0 0

Whitney, rf 0 0 0 0 Wilson, cf 3 0 0

Ingraham, 1b 2 0 0 0 Brassbridge, lf 2 0 0

Black, 3b 3 1 2 0 Faunce, rf 3 0 0

Breslin, pr 0 0 0 0 McHatten, 2b 3 0 0

Ensworth, lf 2 1 1 0

Walton, cf 0 0 0 0

Hilts, ph 1 0 0 0

Totals 24 4 6 2 Totals 26 2 6 2

George Stevens 001 120 0 – 4

Searsport 000 200 0 – 2

E-Adams; LOB-GSA 5, Searsport 6; 2B-Marks; Ashey; HR-Saunders (2); Adams (2); DP-GSA 1; S-Ensworth, Walton; SB-Black, Marks 2, Astbury; Adams

George Stevens IP H R ER BB SO

Dickinson (W, 6 5 2 2 3 7

Astbury (S) 1 1 0 0 0 0

Searsport IP H R ER BB SO

Ashey (L,2-1) 7 6 4 3 4 10

WP-Dickinson; Ashey; T-1:50; ATT-250 (est.)