CAPE ELIZABETH — William Bryant pitched six solid innings Wednesday to help Greely down Cape Elizabeth 5-4 in a Western Maine Conference baseball game.

The Rangers (7-2) scored three runs in the first inning, when the Capers committed two infield errors that allowed Justin Leeman and Caleb Normandeau to score. Miles Shields also scored in the inning.

The Capers (5-4) picked up a run in the bottom half of the first off Bryant, who walked the first two batters, then later threw a wild pitch that allowed Dylan Roberts to score.

“I definitely started out rough, allowing consecutive runners to reach,” Bryant said. “But I was able to get my curveball working toward the middle and end of the game.”

Cape inched closer in the second. Aaron Dobieski began the inning with a single, advanced to second base on a balk, then scored on a single by Michael Best to make it 3-2.

The Capers then made it 3-3 when Dobieski singled in Tim Brigham.

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“We made some physical errors and we made some mental errors to give them some runs,” Greely Coach Derek Soule said. “But we were able to settle down and that’s big for a young team.”

Greely, which has only four returning starters from last year’s Class B state championship team, played solid defense into the middle innings to back Bryant, who finished with eight strikeouts.

“This game was very reflective of this season,” Soule said. “We’ve been pretty inconsistent all year and were shaky early. We’re striving for consistency game to game; I don’t think we’re quite there yet.”

Greely reclaimed the lead in the sixth off Cape starter Marshall Peterson, when Ryan Twitchell reached on a fielder’s choice, then eventually scored on an error to make it 4-3.

Leeman singled to lead off the top of the seventh for Greely, advanced to second on a sacrifice and scored on a single by Shields to make it 5-3.

In the bottom of the seventh, Brigham led off by doubling off Normandeau, who came on to relieve Bryant to start the inning, then scored on Matthew Denison’s single to center to make it 5-4.

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Denison advanced to second on a groundout, then reached third on a wild pitch.

But Normandeau induced a groundout to end the game.

“We need to get better at playing well consistently,” Bryant said.

“The whole season we’ve played well one game, then not so well the next, so it was great to come together and play a solid game.”

For Soule, the game gave his team something to build on as well as a victory.

“It’s good for us to experience those pressure situations late in games,” he said.

“We’ve done it this season, but it’s even better when we can experience those situations in a win.”

Cape Elizabeth will look to get back on track Friday at home against Kennebunk, and Greely will look to continue its winning ways Monday against Fryeburg Academy.


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