BANGOR – The Bangor Comrades had lived off the big inning during their run out of the loser’s bracket at the state American Legion baseball tournament.

But Andrews Post of Portland used a big inning of its own to rally past the Zone 2 runners-up 12-9 in an elimination game at Mansfield Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

Andrews Post never led until scoring five runs in the top of the seventh to take a 10-9 advantage, and with the victory kept alive its bid to win its first state championship since 2000.

Andrews, 27-2, went on to win its first state title since 2000, downing defending national champion Nova Seafood of Portland 4-2 on Wednesday night to earn a trip to the regionals that begin Aug. 11 in West Warwick, R.I.

Bangor, seeking to win its first state Legion title since 1979, finished third with a 3-2 tourney record, 23-8 overall.

“You’ve got to give Andrews credit, they’re a good team,” said Bangor coach Dr. John Winkin. “That’s why they’re where they are. I’ve also got to say that I’m pleased we got to where we were, but I thought this was a game we should have won.”

Andrews got a big effort from righthander Joe Fessenden, who relieved starter Joey Martin in the third inning and held Bangor scoreless after yielding three runs in the fourth.

By the time he gave way to Malcolm Cone-Coleman with one out in the ninth, Andrews was in control.

“We needed a big appearance from [Fessenden] because we were behind,” said Andrews coach Mike Rutherford. “He came in and had one shaky inning and got himself in trouble, but after that he put some zeroes up – they didn’t score the rest of the way. He gave us a chance to come back.”

Bangor outhit Andrews 14-12, with Josh Young hitting four singles and Gordon Webb and Scott Hackett adding three singles each.

But four Comrades pitchers issued nine walks and hit two batters – with six of those baserunners going on to score.

“It just didn’t work out,” said Winkin. “I played for tonight [the championship game] for most of the game, because it looked like we could get there, but we just didn’t get the results from our pitching staff that I anticipated. As I told the kids after the game, I take full responsibility for the loss. Things as I handled them didn’t work out, it’s as simple at that.”

Bangor struck for four unearned runs in the bottom of the first against Martin, with Webb and Anthony DeRosa each hitting a two-run single.

Andrews cut the gap to 4-2 on three walks and Anthony Fasullo’s two-run, two-out single in the top of the third, but Bangor led off the bottom of the inning with consecutive singles by Young, Webb, Anderson and Scott Hackett to push the lead back to 6-2.

Andrews scored three runs in the top of the fourth, two on a Fessenden double, but Scott Hackett hit a two-run single as Bangor scored three times in the bottom of the inning to take a 9-5 lead.

Anderson came on to relieve Bangor starter Keith Nason in the fifth, and pitched two scoreless innings before Andrews used four walks and three hits to take the lead in the seventh.

Singles by Fasullo and Andrew Nodine around a walk to David Neally loaded the bases with one out. Joe Call popped out for the second out, but when Craig DeFilipp walked home Fasullo to cut the gap to 9-6, Anderson was replaced on the mound by Brian Hackett.

Martin’s bases-loaded walk plated Neally, and Cone-Coleman singled home a run before John O’Brion walked with the bases loaded to tie the game and Martin scored on a wild pitch to give Andrews a 10-9 lead.

Andrews extended its lead to 11-9 in the eighth on a bases-loaded fielder’s choice grounder by Devin McNeill, then added a run in the ninth on an RBI single by Neally.

In the championship game, O’Brion singled home a run and Fessenden followed with a two-run double in the third inning to give Andrews a 3-1 lead that pitchers Ryan Arsenault and Cone-Coleman made stand up as Andrews ended Nova Seafood’s four-year state title reign.

Fessenden finished with a double and single for the champs, while Cone-Coleman singled twice and also earned his second save of the day.

Ryan Flaherty doubled and singled for Nova Seafood.

Andrews Post (27-2) 003 000 001 -4 7 1

Nova Seafood (21-8) 101 000 000 -2 5 1

Arsenault, Cone-Coleman (8) and Neally; Skillin, Burleson (8) and Giobbi

ANDREWS POST 12, BANGOR 9

Andrews Post (26-2) Bangor (23-8)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Martin, p-cf 5 2 1 1 Heath, cf 6 1 0

Cone-Clmn, 3b-p 5 0 2 2 Means, 2b 4 0

O’Brion, 2b 3 1 0 1 B. Hackett, 3b-p 5 0

Fessenden, rf-p 4 0 1 2 Young, dh-rf-lf 5 0

Fasullo, 1b 5 2 3 2 Webb, c 4 3 3 1

Arsenault, pr 0 1 0 0 Anderson, rf-p 4 1

Neally, c 5 1 3 1 S. Hackett, 1b-3b 4 3

Nodine, lf 4 1 1 0 DeRosa, lf-p 4 0 2

Call, rf-cf-1b 5 1 1 0 Eremita, ph 1 0

Nappi, 3b 0 0 0 0 Gallant, ss 4 0 0

DeFilipp, ss 2 2 0 1 Kearns, ph 0 0 0

McNeill, 3b 1 1 0 1 Leeman, pr 0 0 0

Totals 39 12 12 11 Totals 41 9 14 7

Andrews Post 002 300 511-12

Bangor 402 300 000-9

E-Cone-Coleman 2, Call; Means 2, S. Hackett; LOB-Andrews Post 12, Bangor 11; S-Means; SF-Cone-Coleman

Andrews Post IP H R ER BB SO

Martin* 2 7 6 2 2 0

Fessenden (W) 6 1/3 7 3 3 2 6

Cone-Coleman (Save) 2/3 0 0 0 0 2

Bangor IP H R ER BB SO

Nason 4 6 5 3 4 0

Anderson 2 2/3 2 4 4 2 1

B. Hackett (L) 1/3 1 1 1 2 1

DeRosa 2 3 2 2 1 1

*faced two batters in 3rd

HBP-Fasullo (by DeRosa); Webb (by Fessenden), Kearns (by Fessenden); WP-Fessenden, B. Hackett, DeRosa; T-2:56; ATT-300