BANGOR – George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill junior lefthander wasn’t sharp in Tuesday’s Eastern Maine Class C championship game against Searsport.

But Hilts, who lasted just 4 2/3 innings, laid down a key sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the seventh and Ross Gallagher scored the game-winning run on an infield error as the top-seeded Eagles triumphed 7-6 in a see-saw thriller at Mansfield Stadium.

It was George Stevens Academy’s third consecutive EM championship and the 16-3 Eagles will try to defend their state championship against 15-2 St. Dom’s of Auburn on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Gorham High School.

Seventh seed Searsport finished at 14-6 including three losses to GSA.

“I didn’t expect to get any pinch-hitting [duty] after my performance on the mound,” said Hilts. “But he [coach Danny Kane] called on me to do it and I got the job done.”

Gallagher had opened the inning by drawing a walk off senior righty Spencer Garton and Blake Wessel was safe at first on Garton’s throwing error on his sacrifice.

Hilts sacrificed them over and Forrest Wardwell was walked intentionally.

Phineas Peake grounded to third baseman Elijah Brazier, who made a nice play ranging to his left only to have his throw home sail up the first base line, pulling catcher Drew Mercier’s foot off the plate.

“I just wanted to hit it hard. I got it off the handle. I was hoping Ross would get home before the throw,” said Peake.

It was Searsport’s fifth error of the game.

“We hit the ball today but we didn’t make the plays like we usually do,” said first-year Searsport coach Dave Pepin. “Our defense has been solid and we’ve thrown strikes all year. We walked too many guys and made too many errors today. But it was a great game. We’ve come a long way. We battled all the way.”

“Those guys came after us hard today,” said Kane who has led GSA to seven EM titles in 16 years. “That was as tough a game as we’ve had. I really tip my hat to those guys.”

Matt Mercer’s RBI double staked the Vikes to a 1-0 lead but two errors allowed GSA to tie it in the third and they took a 4-1 lead in the fourth on Adam Cousins’ long two-out, two-run double to right center and Collin Henry’s RBI single.

But the Vikes answered with four in the top of the fifth.

Garton doubled, Jerod Kronholm singled and Caleb Ashey scored Garton with a sacrifice fly. Matt Nickerson’s two-out double to right center delivered Kronholm and, following an intentional walk and a stolen base, Mike Adams chased Hilts with a soft two-run single to center.

“I knew I was going to get a hit. I thought that the whole time and I did,” said Adams.

GSA regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth on Wessel’s RBI fielder’s choice and Wardwell’s infield single on which Wessel scored from second.

Adams’ RBI single over the third base bag tied it in the seventh.

Rosenthal picked up the win in relief with 2 1/3 innings of one-hit, one-run (unearned) ball.

Garton went the distance, allowing five hits and three earned runs among the seven with two strikeouts and eight walks.

Cousins’ two-run double paced GSA while Searsport received two singles and three RBIs from Adams and a double, single and an RBI from Mercer.

EAGLES 4, WITCHES 1

Brewer (16-3) Mount Ararat (18-1)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Otis, dh 2 0 0 0 Ouellette, cf 3 1 0

Cushing, 2b 0 0 0 0 Williams, c 3 0 0

Patterson, p 3 0 0 0 Reilly, pr 0 1 0

McAvoy, 3b 3 0 0 0 Rogers, p 2 1 0

Kotredes, 1b 3 0 0 0 Cantrell, rf 3 0 0

Miller, cf 3 0 0 0 Doherty, 3b 3 0 1

Grimes, lf 3 0 0 0 Strong, 1b 3 0 1

Peasley, c 2 0 0 0 Ogilby, 2b 2 0 0

B. Davis, rf 2 1 1 0 Chick, ph 1 0 0

J.T. Davis, ss 2 0 1 0 Galarneau, lf 3 0

Bichrest, ss 3 0 0 0

Totals 23 1 2 0 Totals 26 4 7 2

Brewer 000 001 0 ? 1

Mount Ararat 100 021 x ? 4

E?J.T. Davis 3, Patterson, McAvoy, Kotredes; LOB?Brewer 2, Mount Ararat 7; DP?Brewer 1; SB?Williams, Ouellette

Brewer IP H R ER BB SO

Patterson (L, 5-2) 6 7 4 2 2 2

Home IP H R ER BB SO

Rogers (W, 9-0) 7 2 1 1 1 16

WP?Patterson 3; Rogers 4; T?1:41; ATT?3,100 (est.)