Charles Barnard led Portland on the mound and at the plate Thursday as the Bulldogs remained undefeated with an 8-1 victory over Cheverus at Kevin MacDonald Memorial Field.

The run Barnard yielded was in a rocky first inning, when he walked three.

Cheverus catcher Logan McCarthy takes the throw, but too late to get John Williams of Portland, who scored the tying run in the fourth inning Thursday. The Bulldogs scored two more runs in the inning and went on to an 8-1 victory over the Stags. Photos by Gabe Souza/Staff Photographer

Jonathan Bernier of Cheverus runs down Charles Barnard of Portland, who was caught in a rundown during the fourth inning. Barnard pitched a complete game and also went 3 for 3, driving in three runs.

Charles Barnard of Portland takes a breather Thursday after getting picked off at first base following a single during the 8-1 victory against Cheverus. The Bulldogs reached 9-0 and will take on Bonny Eagle on Saturday. Gabe Souza/Staff Photographer

“It could have been worse,” said Portland Coach Mike Rutherford.

Barnard almost escaped unscathed, but with two outs a flip to second for a force didn’t arrive in time as Jack Casale scored.

“The first inning I was a little nervous with this being a big game and all,” said Barnard. “I knew I was up (in the zone). I just had to make some adjustments, stay relaxed.”

Barnard pitched a complete game, allowing four hits and walking three, striking out four.

He also went 3 for 3 with three runs batted in.

“Especially against Tre (Fletcher), (my approach) was to not try and do too much with it, just go with the pitch,” said Barnard.

Fletcher, the freshman starter for Cheverus (4-4), allowed one hit and struck out seven through the first three innings.

But in the fourth, Portland (9-0) scored three runs and added at least one run in each following inning, including two each in the sixth and seventh.

“Second time around (the batting order) we worked the count, got some baserunners. (Fletcher) didn’t like going from the stretch,” said Rutherford.

John Williams led off the top of the fourth with a walk. Fletcher struck out the next batter but during the at-bat, Williams stole second and third.

With Williams on third and one out, Cheverus brought the infield in. Designated hitter Joe Fusco hit a grounder to the right side that was stabbed by first baseman Jensen LaPoint diving to his right. LaPoint got up and decided to throw home in an attempt to preserve the lead, but the throw was late and Portland had made it 1-1.

Three batters later, Barnard came through with a single past the diving attempt of shortstop Griffin Watson, scoring pinch-runner Nick Stasium.

Portland scratched out its third run on a first-and-third rundown play.

“We’ve hit all year,” said Barnard. “Even against a kid like Tre (Fletcher), he’s a good pitcher and everything, but I was confident that we would eventually get to him.”

Fletcher lasted five innings, allowing four runs on three hits. He walked three, hit two and struck out 10.

“(Fletcher) is young, he just turned 15 years old so he’s figuring things out. He’s obviously very talented but there’s a lot to the mental side of the game that he needs to work on,” said Cheverus Coach Mac McKew.

Casale was the lone bright spot offensively for Cheverus, reaching base all four times at the plate with three hits, including a double, and a walk, also scoring the only run.

“We didn’t hit,” said McKew. “We had very poor at-bats today.”

Fusco chipped in with two RBI for Portland.

Portland was menacing on the basepaths, stealing eight bases and keeping Cheverus’ defense on edge from the fourth inning on.

Portland will take on Bonny Eagle on Saturday in an attempt to go 10-0.

“We’re not thinking too far ahead,” said Barnard. “We’re just going for the next win.”

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