ROCKLAND – It’s not often a high school baseball player rides the seesaw like Rockland’s Adam Ross did Wednesday afternoon.

He turned out to be the hero when his single in the bottom of the seventh inning drove in John Coppola to give the Tigers a 16-15 win over Belfast.

But that single to right field also saved him from being something of a goat.

Ross had started the game on the mound for 5-2 Rockland and moved to shortstop after four innings. With his team leading 15-12 in the seventh, Ross was called upon to close out the game but was unable to. The Lions staged a three-run comeback to tie the game at 15.

“I think I ended up getting the win but I think it’s better that the team gets the win, you know. It was a rough day for both teams. The wind really messed with the pitchers,” a relieved Ross said.

Perhaps it was the wind. The strong breeze blowing out to center field certainly made for chilly conditions. And in this back and forth, early-season game, any excuse is as good as another.

But Belfast coach George Ross wasn’t looking for an excuse. He was looking for the answer to why his pitching staff came apart after the Lions had taken a six-run lead in the top of the fifth inning.

The 4-3 Lions scored seven runs in the inning, combining a Rockland error, with three walks and a two-run double off the bat of Jesse Johnson.

But the Lions gave it right back giving up three in the bottom of the fifth and then six more in the sixth.

Wildness was the primary culprit. Belfast relievers combined to walk nine batters in the two innings.

“Our pitching just fell apart. I don’t know how else to say it. We’ve got to come in and throw strikes,” Belfast coach George Ross said.

The Lions fought back to tie the game in the top of the seventh and Ross called starter Nick Faulkingham back to the mound for the seventh.

Coppola reached on a walk to start the inning. He moved to second on a well-executed sacrifice bunt by Mike Curtis. Adam Ross then stepped in to face Faulkingham, who is considered one of the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference’s better pitchers.

“I basically just stayed back. Faulkingham’s a real good pitcher. He’s got a good fastball. I was just looking to stay back and do something with it,” Ross said.

He did just that, slapping the ball to right field and Coppola raced home with the winning run.

Ross drove in three runs and teammate Wes Drinkwater also had three RBIs.

Paul Hermon and Marcus Colby homered for Belfast. Colby had three runs batted in.

TIGERS 16, LIONS 15

Belfast (4-3) Rockland (5-2)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Welch, cf 6 0 2 0 Curtis, 2b-p 5 2 2

Ratten, rf 4 1 1 0 Ross, p-ss 2 3 3

Johnson, lf 5 1 2 2 Oliver, ss-3b-lf 5 1

Arthers, ss-p 4 1 2 1 Drinkwater, 1b 4 3

Ellis, 3b 4 2 1 1 c-Dean 0 1 0 0

Herman, c 4 3 2 2 Davis, cf 3 0 1Faulkinghm, p-2b 5 3 3 2 Dole, lf-p 3 1

a-Potvin 1 0 0 0 Kirk, c 3 1 0 2

Colby 4 2 2 3 b-McGuire 0 1 0

c-Durant 0 1 0 0 Cousens, rf 5 2 0

Gallant 5 1 1 0 Watkinson, 3b-2b 2 0

Coppola, 3b 1 3 1 2

Totals 42 15 16 11 Totals 33 16 12 15

a-flew out for Faulkingham in the 5th, b-ran for Kirk in the 6th, c-ran for Colby in the 7th

Belfast 013 170 3 ? 15

Rockland 330 036 1 ? 16

E?Arthers 2, Ellis; Oliver 2, Ross 2; LOB?Belfast 12, Rockland 11; 2B?Johnson 2, Welch, Faulkingham; HR?Herman, Colby; S?Curtis; SB?Gallant, Herman, Arthers; Cousens

Belfast IP H R ER BB SO

Faulkingham (L, 2-1) 5 11 10 8 2 5

Arthers 1 1 4 4 5 1

Gallant 1/3 0 2 2 3 0

Cross 2/3 0 0 0 0 0

Rockland IP H R ER BB SO

Ross (W, 2-0) 5 12 8 7 1 7

Curtis 2/3 4 7 6 3 1

Dole 1 1/3 0 0 0 0 0

Faulkingham pitched to 4 batters in the 5th; Arthers pitched to 4 batters in the 6th

HBP?Ratten by Ross, Ratten by Dole, Colby by Dole; WP?Faulkingham 2; Ross 4; BK?Curtis; PB?Kirk; T?2:55; ATT?60