SCARBOROUGH – Joe Cronin hit his first home run at any level of baseball and freshman Ben Greenberg pitched a three-hitter Thursday as Scarborough beat Windham 11-1 in a Telegram League baseball game that ended in the fifth inning because of the 10-run rule.

The game was delayed approximately an hour and a half because of rain and lightning. The brief but heavy rain left the infield dirt with standing water, but Scarborough Coach Mike Coutts and his assistant got the field back into playable shape.

The Red Storm (2-1) led 3-0 on Cronin’s two-run homer to left-center in the first. When the game resumed in the top of the second, Windham scored a run and loaded the bases. But Greenberg prevented any further damage by getting a strikeout to the end the threat.

Scarborough put it away with five runs on five hits in the third, and added three runs in the fourth.

Greenberg ended it quickly, retiring the Eagles in order in the top half of the fifth.

Cronin hadn’t matured physically in his first two years in high school, but as a junior has gotten bigger and stronger.

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“It felt good to hit my first homer,” said Cronin, who has verbally committed to play at Boston College in two years.

Cronin, a shortstop/pitcher, lofted a shot high over the fence in left-center.

“It got caught up in the wind but I hit it solidly,” said Cronin.

After struggling at the plate in an opening-game loss to Cheverus, the Red Storm’s offense has come alive in victories against Kennebunk and now Windham. They banged out 10 hits against the Eagles with strong contributions throughout the lineup.

“The past two games we’ve been swinging the bat well. If we keep hitting like this we should be pretty good,” Cronin said.

With a game against Thornton Academy today, the Red Storm were intent of getting this game in.

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“That’s why I worked so hard getting the field ready,” said Coutts. “The wind was blowing so I thought it would dry up pretty well with the mixture we put down.”

In the five-run third, Scarborough sent nine men to the plate. Ben Wessel fouled off several pitches before doubling down the left-field line, driving in two runs.

Greenberg and Joe Viola followed with run-scoring singles. Cronin, Wessel and Kyle Kelly finished with two RBI apiece.

“We had some good at-bats today,” said Coutts, in his first season at Scarborough after coaching Deering for two years.

“We worked some deep counts and their pitcher had to come in with it. I was real happy with the way Ben Greenberg pitched. The kids really played well. I think the league is very close. You have to play well each game.”

Windham put two runners on with one out in the top of the second before the game was stopped.

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When the game resumed, the Eagles quickly loaded the bases but could score only one run. Ben Noble’s bases-loaded single scored Cody Laberge. The Eagles also had a runner forced out at home.

“Right after the delay, Greenberg shut the door,” said Coutts.

 

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

tchard@pressherald.com

 


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