AUGUSTA – Saco capped its march out of the losers’ bracket Friday night with a Little League baseball state championship.

Saco rolled to a 14-1 victory against Bayside of Portland to win the double-elimination tournament for 11- and 12-year-old players at Linscott Field.

It was the third Little League title for nine of the 12 players on the team. That group also won state tournaments for under-9 and under-10 baseball players.

“Having all the same kids and (doing) well year after year is really good,” said leadoff batter Timmy Smith, who had two hits and scored three runs.

Saco went 5-1 in the week-long tournament, outscoring five opponents, 63-14.

In three victories, including Friday night, games ended before the sixth inning because of the 10-run rule.

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“Except for a couple of games during the entire All-Star season, we’ve hit the ball very well,” Saco Manager Todd Duchaine said. “You’ve got to keep pace with us. If you’re not throwing your ace the whole game, it’s tough to keep up with us.”

Friday night, Saco totaled 15 hits off three pitchers to beat Bayside for the second time in two nights after losing to Bayside earlier in the week and falling into the losers’ bracket.

“We certainly made some errors in the field but even with that said, they were hitting the ball well today,” Bayside Manager Chris Sawyer said. “When a team like that gets on a roll, it’s tough to slow them down. They’re a good hitting club.”

“Even if we’re down in the first inning, we never think we’re going to lose because we know we can come back,” winning pitcher Luke Chessie said.

Chessie limited Bayside to three hits. He struck out seven and walked five in the four-inning game.

“Chessie certainly mixes up his pitches,” Sawyer said. “He’s got a good biting curveball. He’s got a good fastball.”

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Chessie took the loss Monday when Will Snyder hit a three-run, first-inning homer to spark Bayside to a 4-1 victory against Saco.

“It helped me to know where to pitch them,” Chessie said of his earlier start against Bayside. “I mean, I knew whether to pitch inside or outside.”

Saco took a 2-0 lead in the first when Smith led off with a double and scored on Anthony Bracamonte’s solid single to left. Two grounders produced the other run.

Tre Fletcher led off the bottom of the first with his fourth home run of the tournament for Bayside’s lone run.

Saco, which batted around twice in the game, put the outcome out of reach early. It scored six runs in the second to move into an 8-1 lead.

Brancamante and Chessie, who had three singles, each drove in three runs. Brogan Searle-Belanger, who had a triple and two singles, had two runs batted in.

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Ean Patry and Hunter Penley each singled twice.

Paul Betit can be contacted at 791-6424 or at:

pbetit@pressherald.com

Twitter: PaulBetitPPH


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