WINDHAM – This time, an extra inning game went Windham’s way. Playing in their second 10-inning game of the young season, the Eagles pushed across a run to beat Deering, 3-2, in a Telegram League game here Thursday.

Mitch Hodge’s sacrifice fly to centerfield scored Cody Dube in the bottom of the 10th. Windham (4-2) had loaded the bases with no outs on two infield hits and a walk.

“We’re getting used to extra innings,” said Windham Coach Mike Fullerton. “It was good to pull this one out.”

The Eagles lost to Cheverus, 2-1, in 10 innings on April 24.

The game matched both sides’ top pitchers, Dube for Windham and Nick DiBiase for Deering (1-4). They went head to head for nine innings. Dube left after nine innings, having thrown 125 pitches. DiBiase, a lefty and the Rams’ only returning starter from a year ago, forged ahead, pitching the full 10. DiBiase retired the side in order in the first, seventh and eighth innings.

“I thought Nick pitched a great game,” said Deering Coach Tim Eisenhart. “It was a gutsy performance. The Dube kid was right there with him. Those are two of the best in the league.”

Three times in the game, Windham put runners on second and third base, but DiBiase pitched out of it each time.

In the bottom of the 10th, the Eagles weren’t going to be denied. Dube and Matt McLean reached on infield hits. They both stole a base, putting runners on second and third once again. Joe Francoeur walked. Hodge, the designated hitter, lofted a fly ball to center, scoring Dube easily.

Deering appealed the tag at third, feeling Dube had left early, but the umpire said no.

“We played inning after inning just like we did with Cheverus,” Dube said. “We left too many runners on base. This win is going to help us in the long run, especially emotionally.”

The Eagles had jumped on top with two runs in the second inning. McLean led off with a single to center, and stole second. After a strikeout, Hodge singled to right. After a second strikeout, Jack Herzig doubled to right center, scoring McLean and Hodge.

Deering cut it to 2-1 with two outs in the fifth. Trey Thomes singled sharply to center and scored on Luke Boyle’s double to deep left.

The Rams tied it in the fifth. DiBiase singled, went to second on a fielder’s choice and came around to score on an infield single by Tyler Wiggin, beating the throw home.

Neither team seriously threatened after that, although Deering got a runner to third with two outs in the eighth before a ground ball ended the inning.

Deering, sporting new uniforms this season, has lost some tough games, but is getting better, said Eisenhart.

“We’ve been working hard in the batting cage and are starting to swing better. We’re starting to believe in ourselves,” he said. “We almost pulled this one out against a good Windham team. It’s a fun league to play in because anything can happen.”

In the 10th inning, Shawn Francoeur moved over from third base to the mound in relief of Dube. It was Francoeur’s first pitching appearance of the season, and he got the win.

He’s part of what Fullerton calls his team’s pitching depth. He thinks it will hold the Eagles in good stead as the season progresses.

“There’s a lot of parity in the league,” Fullerton said. “The teams with the better pitching depth will have the edge.”

Along with plating the winning run, Hodge led the Eagles with three hits.

“Mitch is usually at third base for us, but I asked him to be the DH today. … Mitch really handled the DHing well,” Fullerton said.

Staff Writer Tom Chard can be contacted at 791-6419 or at:

tchard@pressherald.com

Twitter: TomChardPPH