SOUTH PORTLAND — Coffee News of Bangor rallied for seven runs in the eighth inning to pull out a 12-9 win against Morrill Post of South Portland to capture its second consecutive American Legion baseball state championship Sunday at Wainwright Athletic Complex.

The Comrades pulled off the winning rally right after Morrill erupted for seven runs in the top of the eighth to take a 9-5 lead.

“We’re battlers,” said Coffee News catcher Sam Huston, who was named the tournament’s most valuable player after knocking in six runs in the championship game. “We’ve been in these spots. We know how to capitalize on opportunities.

“They put up a seven spot and we answered right back. We didn’t think losing was a possibility and we kept battling.”

Earlier Sunday, Morrill Post won its third straight elimination game, eking out a 4-2 victory against Staples Crossing, which is made up of players from Marshwood High School in South Berwick.

“Coming out of the losers’ bracket, we were gassed,” said Morrill Manager Mike Owens. “We gave it everything we had. We kept making runs at it like we have all year, in the spring and in the summer, and we just came up a little bit short.

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“We just ran out of gas.”

In addition to back-to-back Legion state titles, many of the Coffee News players also won the last two Class A high school baseball state championships, including a 5-4 win over South Portland this year.

“They’re so resilient and competitive, but it really came down to character,” Coffee News Manager David Morris said. “They get into that kind of situation and they didn’t hang their heads. Our kids really showed a lot of character, and that’s the type of people they are.”

The game started out as a duel between ace pitchers Curran and DeLaite. Curran pitched into the sixth inning after working the final four innings of Morrill’s victory over Staples Crossing, while DeLaite lasted until the eighth.

Coffee News broke a 2-2 tie with three runs in the seventh. Huston slammed a triple following a hit batsman and a single by DeLaite, then scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-2.

In the top of the eighth, Robert Graff drove in two runs with a single, and Brad Sowerby made it 6-5 when he hit a ground-rule double to deep right. Sam Troiano added an RBI single, and Morrill scored two more runs on a wild pitch and an error.

Coffee News started the bottom of the eighth by loading the bases on an error, Johnny Cote’s infield hit and a walk. DeLaite singled home a run, and the Comrades pulled to within 9-8 when Huston drove in two runs with a single – his fourth hit of the game. After RBI singles by Andrew Hillier and Peter Kemble put Coffee News back in front, Kyle Stevenson produced the Bangor team’s fifth consecutive hit to drive in the final two runs.

Coffee News advances to the Northeast Regional, to be played Tuesday through Sunday in Bristol, Conn.


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