PORTLAND – Liam Fitzpatrick stroked a bases-loaded, two-out single in the eighth inning Saturday as Cheverus walked off with a 6-5 victory against Thornton Academy in an SMAA baseball game at MacDonald Field.

Fitzpatrick’s single completed a rally that saw the Stags overcome a 5-2 deficit.

“I was seeing the ball really good today and I just jumped on some fastballs,” said Fitzpatrick, who finished with four singles and scored twice in five plate appearances.

Ethan Jordan singled with one out in the eighth and took second on a wild pitch. One out later, pinch-hitter Mitchell Powers, who missed his scheduled start due to a hamstring injury, was intentionally walked. Charlie Mull was then hit by reliever Drew Gelinas to load the bases.

The Stags (4-0) forced extra innings with a two-run seventh to make it 5-5.

Mull opened the inning by reaching on an error and Fitzpatrick followed with a single. An error and a fielder’s choice allowed two runs to score before Matt Rutherford got a double play to send the game to extra innings.

“The job that Fitzpatrick and Mull have done, their competitiveness was just fantastic,” said Cheverus Coach Mac McKew. “It was a great team win. There were many, many contributions. We just kept battling, we never gave up and we got a gut win that we’ll wear for a while.”

Thornton (1-3) looked in control heading into the seventh with its 5-3 lead.

After getting touched for a pair of runs in the opening inning, Trojans starter Brandon Briggs settled in.

He allowed only one run on four hits, striking out eight over the next five innings as Thornton built its lead.

Briggs, who didn’t figure in the decision, allowed five runs on eight hits with nine strikeouts before leaving with no outs and two on in the seventh.

The Trojans accounted for all of their offense in a four-inning stretch to surge into their 5-2 lead.

Rutherford had an impact in the rally by scoring in the second and fourth innings after reaching on a single and a walk. He also singled home a run in the fifth.

The Trojans could have inflicted significantly more damage but failed to capitalize on threats, leaving six on base, including the bases loaded in the fourth.

“We left too many guys on base during the middle innings,” said Coach Ray Petit.

Peter Dutton (1-0), in his first varsity appearance, earned the win in relief of Cheverus starter Brady Murray.

Dutton allowed one run on six hits and struck out four in four-plus innings.

 

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