STANDISH — Biddeford turned some heads last year, as the Tigers went 14-2, secured the No. 3 seed in the Western Maine Class A playoffs and advanced to the quarterfinals. But those same heads are shaking this season, as Biddeford fell to 1-7 with a 7-4 loss to Bonny Eagle in an SMAA baseball game Thursday.
“It’s a lot of things, but can’t seem to get anything rolling, in a sense,” said Biddeford head coach Keith Leblanc.
Leblanc was talking about Thursday’s game, but it’s also an indictment of the Tigers’ season as a whole. Biddeford has been in every game this season but one ”“ an 11-1 loss to perennial power Marshwood. That game followed the Tigers’ lone victory so far this season ”“ a 5-4 win over Gorham.
Biddeford got off to a good start Thursday against the Scots (6-3), as Kerry Crepeau led off the game with a base hit and later scored to put the Tigers up 1-0.
But while one run was a nice start, the Tigers left two runners on base, leaving more to be desired on offense.
“Make one run into three and it changes the ball game a little bit. That’s been kind of the way all year,” said Leblanc. “We just struggle to knock in that runner. We haven’t had many two-out this in clutch situations.”
Bonny Eagle answered right back in the bottom of the frame, with a lead-off hits of its own. Dana McKay singled past third and later scored on a bases-loaded walk. It was a rough first inning on the mound for Biddeford’s Nate Huot, but the left-hander was able to strike out Noah Scribner with the bases loaded to get out of the jam with the score tied 1-1.
Huot wasn’t as fortunate in the second, giving up hits to the first three batters ”“ including McKay at the end of the string ”“ and allowing all three to score.
Huot pitched a scoreless third, but gave up a single run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to close out his start.
“He battled through his five innings, I thought,” said Leblanc. “He didn’t have his best stuff today, but he continued to battle. He struggled a little bit with his location of his changeup and fastball.”
Huot allowed seven runs on seven hits, with seven strikeouts and three walks. He also hit a batter and fired two wild pitches.
“He was a little wild early, and we just didn’t give in to him,” said Bonny Eagle head coach Rick Hession. “We got guys that just put together good at-bats against every pitcher, and got guys that wait for their pitches.”
McKay led the Scots charge at the plate, as he reached base four times ”“ on the two hits, a walk and an error ”“ and scored three runs. In addition to the first, he also led off the fourth and sixth innings.
“We plug him at the top of the order, and he just does a great job every game,” Hession said of McKay. “When he’s not on base more than half the time during the game it’s kind of a surprise. He’s kind of what sets the pace.”
McKay also set the pace for Bonny Eagle on the mound, as he outdueled the more accomplished Huot. McKay scattered four hits while striking out five and walking three in 6 1/3 innings.
“I thought he did a good job pounding the strike zone. He’s still kind of new to pitching, and I think he’s learning some things as he goes,” said Hession. “I liked the way that he fought through a little bit of adversity. He just never kind of gave in.”
“He was throwing first-pitch strikes every time. It seemed like he was always ahead in the count,” Leblanc said of McKay.
McKay delivered 1-2-3 innings in the second and fifth, needing just five pitches to get through the latter. He gave up single runs in the third ”“ on consecutive doubles by Casey Twomey and Huot ”“ and fourth but was able to strand seven runners, including four in scoring position.
McKay, both on the mound and at the plate, and the Scots frustrated Biddeford for seven innings. It’s a feeling that the Tigers have experienced seven times so far this season. Leblanc hopes it ends soon.
“Hopefully we can just kind of get something rolling. Get some excitement, some energy,” said Leblanc. “I feel like we just need one big inning to kind of get us rolling and get some excitement.”
— Sports Staff Writer Wil Kramlich can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 323 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @WilTalkSports.
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