SACO — The biggest win of the season for the Saco Little League 10-and-11-year-old All Star team started and ended with Grant Dow. In between were plenty of hits for Saco and few for Dirigo as the hosts won 13-0 in five innings to force a deciding game for the state title.
Saco won its first two games of the tournament by a combined score of 31-0, but had a power shortage in a 2-1 loss to Dirigo on Saturday. That put Saco into the losers’ bracket, where it beat Portland Bayside 5-0 to set up a rematch.
“They woke our team up. Districts to states, we dominated. Our team got a little relaxed,” said Saco manager Shawn Gaudette. “Playing against Dirigo they let their guard down. Today, they came back and they understand they better hit the ball.”
Scoring runs wasn’t a problem for Saco the second time around. Dow opened the game with a solo home run, and two batters later Kobe Gaudette hit a two-run round-tripper.
Dow wasn’t done at the plate, as he smacked a two-run homer of his own in the top of the second after Austin Morin led off with a single. Gaudette scored later in the inning on a single by Cal Christoforo to give Saco a 6-0 lead.
“He’s been hitting the fence, hitting the fence, hitting the fence,” Gaudette said of Dow. “Today he actually hit two over the fence, pushed our runs in when we needed.”
Dow finally showed he was human when he grounded into the final out of the third with two runners in scoring position. Saco didn’t score in that inning, but made up for it with two more runs in the fourth, and a big inning offensively in the fifth to bring the 10-run rule into play.
Hayden Lehigh led off with a single, and Dow followed with a walk on four pitches. That knocked Dirigo starter Dominic Denico out of the game and brought on Austin Dunn. That didn’t stop the Saco bats, as Ben Ham homered to make it 11-0. The next seven batters all reached for Saco to bring in two more runs.
“I can’t say enough about the kids here hitting the ball. We practice every night with these kids,” said Gaudette. “They’re strong hitters. And tomorrow, you’re going to see a lot more.”
Luke Ham was spectacular on the mound for Saco, giving up four hits and striking out six batters through four innings. With a 13-run lead in hand, Ham set out to finish what he started. He was able to get the first two outs, on consecutive groundouts to first, but ran his pitch count to ran to the 85-pitch limit after the second out.
“Luke is phenomenal,” said Gaudette. “Luke is always a sure thing.”
Gaudette brought in Ryan Penney to close the game out, and after walking Dunn ”“ the first walk issued to a Dirigo batter all game ”“ he got Ryan Creamer to fly out to center ”“ right into the glove of Dow.
The same two teams play today at 5:45 at Saco Little League Field on Summer Street in Saco. Saco will be trying to repeat as state champions.
— Contact Staff Writer Wil Kramlich at 282-1535, Ext. 323.
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