AUGUSTA — The bloop dropped down quickly in center field, and Tyler Parke raced home from third base.

A celebratory pile of players in maroon and white followed. Bangor High completed a two-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning, beating Falmouth High 4-3 Saturday afternoon in the Class A baseball state championship game at Morton Field.

It was the fourth straight title for Bangor (16-4) and second straight championship win over the Yachtsmen (18-2).

Falmouth looked in command this time, scoring once in the top of the ninth. But the Rams rebounded with back-to-back doubles and then, with bases loaded and one out, Derek Fournier’s game-winning bloop single.

“They were coming inside on me all game,” Fournier said. “I just fisted it right off the handle. I thought it was too high. When I saw it drop, holy cow, I was the happiest man alive.”

Falmouth ace Cam Guarino lasted eight innings (106 pitches), giving up two runs on eight hits. Robbie Armitage relieved in the ninth, throwing heat.

“We had it where we wanted it, Cam and then Robbie,” Falmouth Coach Kevin Winship said. “I thought Robbie did well. But those guys, they can swing it … That was a tough one.”

Falmouth looked ready to break out in the first inning, loading the bases on two singles and a walk with one out. But Bangor starter Nick Cowperthwaite, induced a forceout at home, and then a strikeout.

“We had them on their heels early,” Winship said. “We just didn’t come up with that big hit.”

Bangor got the first break in the third. The leadoff batter struck out, but reached first on a wild pitch. Parke singled. Peter Kemble sacrificed the runners over. George Payne’s single scored one, and Fournier’s groundout scored another.

Falmouth tied it in the top of the fourth. Griffin Aube, Will Blum and Ike Kiely loaded the bases with three straight singles. Marcus Cady fielder’s choice scored one run, and another came in on an infield error.

Both pitchers settled down and neither team scored again until the ninth.

“It was a great baseball game,” Bangor Coach David Morris said. “Guarino’s record and tenure speaks for itself … And our pitcher had a gutsy performance.”

In the top of the ninth, Falmouth chased Cowperthwaite after a walk, sacrifice bunt and Garrett Aube’s single put runners on first and third. Left fielder Gary Farnham relieved.

Colin Coyne crushed a ball to deep left. It was good for a sacrifice fly, but it looked like it might have been more, until Charlie Budd – just inserted into left – ran the ball down.

“I started in on it and I had to scurry back,” said Budd, who hurried, stretched his glove as high as possible and grabbed it. “I didn’t know I had it until it went into my glove, to be honest.”

After a single by Armitage, Farnham induced a flyout to end the inning.

“If you give up one, you don’t want to give up the second one,” Morris said. “We had a chance.”

In bottom of the ninth, Armitage came in and struck out the first batter. Zach Cowperthwaite was up next and began walking away after two strikes.

“I thought I heard the ump say that was three,” he said. “Coach told me to relax and get back in there.”

Instead of striking out, Cowperthwaite slammed a fastball off the right-field wall for a double. Parke, the No. 9 hitter who went 2 for 3 with a walk and two runs, followed with a RBI double to deep center, tying the game.

“He throws hard. I just wanted to get a hold of it,” Parke said.

An intentional walk and infield error loaded the bases, setting up Fournier’s winning single.

Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-6411 or:

kthomas@pressherald.com

Twitter: @KevinThomasPPH

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