YARMOUTH — Luke Klenda doubled to the right-field fence to tie it in the sixth inning, then Yarmouth scored on a wild pitch in the seventh Thursday for a 3-2 victory against Poland on the opening day of Maine high school baseball.

Klenda, a junior who had three homers last season, hit a high drive that flirted with going out.

“On another day and a little warmer that probably would have gone out,” said Poland Coach Mike Connor.

It was good enough to score pinch-runner C.J. Cawley from first to make it 2-2.

It also gave Klenda, the winning pitcher, a reprieve. In the top of the sixth he balked home Poland’s go-ahead run. While in his stretch, the right-hander dropped the ball, allowing Alex Biron to score on the balk to give the Knights a 2-1 lead.

In the last of the seventh, Matt Ingalls singled sharply to right, pinch-runner Grant Gilman stole second and went to third when Poland made an error on Conor O’Donnell’s bunt.

Advertisement

Ethan Caillier, who relieved starter Ben Bernier in the sixth, threw the wild pitch that brought in Gilman to end it.

Before than, Caillier had done his part for the Knights. He doubled home the game’s first run in the fourth and also played well at shortstop.

“It wasn’t one play that lost it,” said Connor. “It was more like five or six plays. We have to do a better job with the bats.”

It was a pitcher’s duel for the first three innings between Bernier and Yarmouth starter Jordan Brown.

Klenda relieved Brown to start the fifth.

Bernier, mixing a good fastball and curve, didn’t allow a hit until an RBI single by Cawley with one out in the fourth that made it 1-1. Brown held the Knights hitless until giving up two hits in the fifth.

Advertisement

“Usually the pitchers are ahead of the hitters at the start of the season,” said Connor.

Klenda didn’t allow a hit and had four strikeouts in three innings. Still, he left the mound in the sixth with a bad taste in his mouth.

“I felt like I had to do something to make up for my mistake,” he said of his balk.

In his second at-bat of the game, Klenda hit a sharp liner to left. In the sixth he launched his tying double high and deep.

This was Yarmouth’s first time on its field this season.

“Our depth perception was a little off in our hitting,” said Coach Marc Halsted. “(Brown)pitched well and (Klenda’s) curve was really effective. We were going to limit Jordan to 40 to 50 pitches and it was the same for Luke.”

Advertisement

Despite getting behind early and not hitting, the Clippers stayed positive, said Klenda.

“We kept encouraging each other,” he said.

After opening its season in 40- to 50-degree temperatures, Yarmouth leaves for Florida early Friday morning for five days.

It will play Scarborough, Cape Elizabeth, and teams from Massachusetts and Connecticut at Vero Beach. This is the fifth straight year the Clippers have gone.

Klenda was looking forward to playing in warm temperatures.

“I plan to wear shorts on the trip down,” he said.

Yarmouth will play its next regular-season game at home April 27 against Cape Elizabeth.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.