BATH

Smith-Tobey Post 21’s Zone III American Legion baseball schedule was favorable at the end of last week. A road tilt against winless Andy Valley and a Saturday home doubleheader against one-win Rogers Post of New Auburn had coach Bob Neron thinking winning streak and a possible good spot in the playoffs come late July.

After taking care of Andy Valley, 2-1, Smith-Tobey failed to produce the big hits on Saturday, dropping both ends of the double-dip to Rogers Post, falling 8-3 in the opener and 4- 2 in the nightcap at warm Kelley Field.

The week ended with Smith-Tobey sitting at 4-5, with road games at Windham (Thursday) and Mechanic Falls (this upcoming Saturday) up next.

“Coming into this we had a chance to make some hay today, and to even split we are OK, but now we face an uphill battle,” said Neron.

New Auburn’s Nate Blais was the hitting star in both tilts, going 6-for-8 at the plate, scoring three runs, stealing four bases and driving in a pair. Frankie Welch followed a 3-for-3 opener with one hit in the nightcap, while John Simpson picked up three hits overall.

Bad base running

The opener started rough for Smith-Tobey, which fell behind 3-0 right out of the gate. Blais singled, Josh DeLong walked and Welch ripped a two-run double. Welch later scored on a balk by Smith-Tobey starter Aaron Barrett (four innings, seven runs, seven hits, four walks, three strikeouts).

The hosts pushed a run across against Blais in the home half of the first, with Torrey Charnock getting on with a walk, stealing second, moving to third on a wild pitch and scoring on a single by Liam McDonough.

Despite issuing five walks and permitting four hits in four innings of work, Blais pitched out of trouble, helped by his five strikeouts.

Rogers Post put the game out of reach in the fourth. Corey Henderson walked and Simpson singled to open the frame. Blais and DeLong followed with run-scoring singles, while Blais beat the throw to the plate on a grounder by Tucker Beaudoin for a 6-1 lead. Welch lifted a flyball to score DeLong.

Smith-Tobey battled right back, getting a pair of runs in the fourth. Ryan Lathrop’s RBI single scored Chris Paulus, while Barrett came home on a wild pitch. But, the first of three base-running errors kept the damage to a minimum, with Smith-Tobey also running into outs in the fifth and sixth innings.

“We had three outs on the bases, and who knows what you may get after that?” asked Neron. “In a game like that, I will wonder tonight what might have been.”

Beaudoin pitched the final three innings for the save on two strikeouts, one walk and two hits (pinch-hit singles by Nick Karkos and Reid Drouin). Tyler Rose finished up for Smith-Tobey, allowing one run on three hits in three innings. Rose struck out two.

The second game featured a strong pitching performance by New Auburn’s Nate Pushard, who went the distance on nine strikeouts, one walk and four hits.

“He had an off-speed pitch, change-up, and it was superb,” said Neron.

Rogers scored three runs off Charnock, who threw 107 pitches in four innings. He struck out six, walked eight and permitted four hits. Drouin and Trent Moore combined to pitch three innings on four hits, two walks and three strikeouts.

New Auburn opened the scoring in the second. Pushard, Brandon Dubuc and Blais walked to load the bases. Simpson poked a single to right field for a 1-0 lead. Charnock escaped further damage with a pair of strikeouts.

Smith-Tobey tied it in the bottom of the frame, loading the bases with no outs and getting its run on a sacrifice fly by Paulus.

The teams traded a run each in the third. Corey Mulholland drove in JJ Jackson for New Auburn, while Smith-Tobey’s Zach Groat, who was 2-for-3, used his speed to tie the game. He stole second, and when the throw skipped into the outfield advanced to third. The throw back to the infield sailed past third, allowing Groat to trot home.

Jackson’s RBI fielder’s choice in the fourth scored Blais with the game-winning run, and Pushard gave the visitors a 4-2 lead in the sixth with a two-out RBI single to score Welch.

“These guys had one win coming in, but I feel we needed a kick and hopefully this will get us going,” said Neron.

Charnock and Wade Hunt each singled for Smith-Tobey.

SMITH- TOBEY 2

ANDY VALLEY 1

On Thursday, Groat had two hits, and Lathrop scored on a seventh-inning wild pitch to lift S-T to a victory over winless Andy Valley (0- 6).

Down 1-0 in the fourth inning, Groat and McDonough ripped back-to-back doubles to tie the game.

The game remained deadlocked through six. Lathrop walked to begin the seventh frame, stole second, went to third on an error and scored when Andy Valley pitcher Josh Bunker (complete game, 10 strikeouts, four hits, four walks) uncorked a wild pitch.

Karkos earned the mound win, going six innings on seven strikeouts, four walks and three hits.

Charnock picked up the save, tossing one inning on two hits and one strikeout.

Trent Charnock also singled for Smith-Tobey.

Rogers Post 8,
Smith-Tobey 3

First game, at Kelley Field
Rogers — 300 401 0 — 8-10-1
S-T — 100 200 0 — 3- 7-1
Nate Blais, Tucker Beaudoin (5) and
Frankie Welch; Aaron Barrett, Tyler Rose
(5) and Torrey Charnock.
Doubles — (R) Welch, Blais; (ST) Barrett.
Repeat hitters — (R) Welch (3), Blais (3).

Rogers Post 4,
Smith-Tobey 2

Second game, at Kelley Field
Rogers — 011 101 0 — 4-8-2
S-T — 011 000 0 — 2-4-0
Nate Pushard and Frankie Welch; Reid
Drouin, Torrey Charnock (2), Trent Moore
(6).
Double — (R) JJ Jackson.
Repeat hitters — (R) John Simpson,
Nate Blais; (ST) Zach Groat.
Records — Rogers Post 3-6, Smith-
Tobey 4-5.
Next for Smith-Tobey — Thursday at
Windham, 5:30 p.m.

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