SACO — After seeing his team squander a five-run lead and lose to Scarborough 9-5 in a Telegram League baseball game Friday, Thornton Academy Coach Greg Paradis called it a “tale of two teams.”

Paradis was referring to the roller-coaster nature of the game, which saw his team dominate early only to have Scarborough take charge over the last three innings.

Scarborough (11-4) moved up to second place in the Western Class A Heal point standings, while Thornton (9-6) missed a chance to improve its playoff hopes.

The Golden Trojans stayed in seventh place, barely ahead of Cheverus, Biddeford and Portland. The top eight teams will qualify for the playoffs.

The Red Storm scored all of their runs in the last three innings, with five in the seventh. Thornton scored five in the first but couldn’t push in more runs against Scarborough pitcher Andrew Myers.

“This was probably our biggest win of the season,” said Scarborough Coach Jim Cronin. “Their starting pitcher was really painting the corner of the plate. I told my hitters they had to get closer to the plate. Andrew Myers battled after getting behind and got his curveball working.”

Blake Brubach, a late-inning outfield substitution, drove in the winning run with a double to deep center.

Brubach had been out of the starting lineup because of a batting slump.

“It felt good to get out there and help the team,” said Brubach, a senior. “I always feel confident when I’m at the plate.”

Brubach agreed it was a good way for the Red Storm to bounce back after losing to Deering in a game shortened to 41/2 innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.

After the first inning, there was a possibility it could happen again. But the Red Storm kept their focus and starting chipping away at the deficit.

“No one likes to lose by 10 runs,” Brubach said.

Thornton starting pitcher Keegan Sullivan kept the ball low and on the corner of the plate through four innings. His demise began in the fifth when he threw past first base on a pickoff attempt. The runner, Austin Downing, ended up on third and scored Scarborough’s first run on an infield groundout.

The Red Storm scored three runs in the sixth and sealed it with five in the seventh.

Sullivan was taken out of the game after the first two hitters singled in the sixth.

Dan Murphy had the Red Storm’s big hit in the sixth, a two-run triple. Scarborough sent nine men to the plate in the seventh.

Besides Brubach, Brendan Sullivan and Ryan Mancini had RBI hits for Scarborough.

Thornton got its first two batters on in the first with a walk and an error. After a strikeout, Alex Newton drilled an opposite- field single to left to make it 1-0. One batter later, Jon Pate drove in a second run with a single to right, then Max Dube followed with a two-run triple. Dube scored on an error to make it 5-0.

Thornton will close its regular season, and possibly its overall season, with a game Tuesday at Massabesic.

“I think this game was a must- win situation,” said Paradis. “We might have to depend on other teams in order to get into the playoffs.”

 

Staff Writer Tom Chard can be reached at 791-6419 or at:

tchard@pressherald.com

 

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