SACO — After watching a 4-0 lead fizzle in the first game of a doubleheader through no fault but its own, Biddeford Savings came back in the second game and made sure it stayed on top, beating Fayette-Staples to salvage a split of the American Legion baseball twin bill at Thornton Academy on Saturday.

Fayette-Staples starting pitcher Matt Rutherford opened the first game with a 1-2-3 inning. The next two innings, however, would not be so easy. Rutherford got Biddeford Savings cleanup hitter Corey Brown to pop up to second to lead off the top of the second, but getting outs after that was a struggle. Rutherford walked Casey Twomey and gave up a single to Nate Huot. Both runners then advanced on a wild pitch, and Randy Vadnais drove in Twomey with a sacrifice fly to right. Rutherford then struck out Kevin Descoteaux, but catcher Drew Gelinas couldn’t handle the swinging strike three, and Descoteaux easily reached first. Fayette-Staples then further dug itself into a hole when shortstop Dillon Dunbar couldn’t handle a grounder from Dominick Day, allowing Huot to score. Another run scored on another wild pitch before Rutherford struck out Corey Creeger looking to end the inning.

second, but Ben Lambert grounded into a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded to end the inning.

Biddeford Savings added another run in the third when Kerry Crepeau doubled to lead off and scored on a sacrifice fly from Twomey. That was all the visitors could muster, though, as they left runners on second and third when Lambert took over on the mound and got the final out of the inning.

“Sometimes you jump out to an early lead and guys feel comfortable, and they take their foot off the gas pedal,” said Biddeford Savings head coach Keith Leblanc.

The four-run lead was short-lived for Biddeford Savings, as the sloppy play made its way across the diamond. Huot, who started the game on the mound for Biddeford Savings, got Ryder Kenney to line out to second to lead off the inning, but then gave up an infield single and a walk. Cam Jackman then hit a fly ball to right that Descoteaux failed to get a glove under to load the bases. Huot struck out Justin Campbell-Cloutier for the second out of the inning, but Dunbar then singled to drive in two runs. Jackman then scored on a wild pitch ball four to Gelinas, and Dunbar scored on a balk by Huot. Biddeford Savings finally got out of the inning when Rutherford lined out right to Twomey at third.

Fayette-Staples scored the eventual winning run in the fourth with two outs, as Caleb Burpee singled past short and scored on a double down the third base line by Alex Fallon.

“We gave them six outs in the second inning, and we kept it close after that. We chipped away, and got it done,” said Fayette-Staples head coach Ray Petit. “They battled. They fought. They did a good job staying with it. They could have just folded the tent and quit there, but they didn’t.”

Lambert and Dunbar gave up just two hits combined over 4 1/3 innings of relief as Fayette-Staples held on for the 5-4 win.

“Lambert pitched to contact and kept the ball down. He did a nice job,” said Petit.

Fayette-Staples took some momentum into game two, but it did not last long. The home side took a 2-1 lead after one inning thanks to consecutive RBI doubles by Burpee and Fallon, but they did not score again, despite having base runners in every inning.

“I think they were a little bit out of gas,” said Petit.

Biddeford Savings took control of the game in the second inning again, but the second time around made it stick. Tyler Bellerose led off with a single, and moved to second on a groundout. Day then reached on an infield single that dribbled down the third base line to put runners on the corners. Bellerose scored when Gelinas” throw to second on a double steal was off-target and dribbled into shallow center. After Creeger drew a walk, Biddeford Savings scored runs on three-consecutive plate appearances thanks to an RBI groundout, a double, and finally on a single by Twomey.

“Second game we did a nice job of jumping out and keeping that lead,” said Leblanc.

Twomey drove in two more runs in the fourth on a double to left-center, and Taylor Reuillard ”“ who went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and twice hit into double plays in the first game ”“ brought home the final run in the fifth on a fly ball to left that Lambert couldn’t glove, as Biddeford Savings secured the split with an 8-2 win.

“On these doubleheaders, you want to at least split,” said Leblanc. “Ideally, you’d like to take two. But to be able to split like that, and keep us in good shape in the standings, is good.”

— Staff Writer Wil Kramlich can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 323. Follow him on Twitter @WilTalkSports.