KENNEBUNK — The Kennebunk baseball team went into Wednesday’s game with Lake Region with a 3-5 record and sitting just outside the final Class A South playoff spot.

The Rams needed a win to stay in the playoff hunt – and a pair of underclassmen made sure that happened.

Kennebunk sophomore Bryan Hickey provided what turned out to be the game-winning hit and freshman Derek Smith closed the door on the visiting Lakers as the Rams picked up a 4-2 win.

The Rams jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to an RBI single from Ryan Coughlan and a balk from the Lake Region pitcher.

Neither team was able to get anything going offensively over the next few innings as Kennebunk starter Justin Wiggins shut down the Lakers through the first five innings and the Rams’ offense also slowed down.

Hickey helped the Rams light up the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth as he came through with a clutch two-out single, which brought home Eric Aiken and Coughlan to make it a 4-0 Kennebunk lead.

“That was a big hit. He’s had a couple clutch hits for us this year,” said Kennebunk coach Brian Dill.

Those two insurance runs turned out to be crucial for Kennebunk as the Lakers were able to get to Wiggins in the top of the sixth.

The first two Lakers would reach on walks and then Nick Wandishin bounced a grounder right back to Wiggins, who misfired on his throw to second base, which allowed one run to score.

Following another error, which loaded the bases with no outs, Dill would call upon Smith to try and get the Rams out of the jam.

Smith would walk the first batter he faced, which brought home the Lakers’ second run, but he would then induce a grounder right back to the mound and the freshman was able to turn a nifty 1-2-3 double play.

The Kennebunk reliever was then able to strikeout the next batter he faced to get out of the inning and preserve a 4-2 lead.

“Derek’s a freshman, so it’s pretty nice to have him come in, without any warmup, with the bases loaded, and he gets out of that inning … that was great,” said Dill.

With the top of Lake Region’s order batting in the seventh, Smith would get the first two outs on a strikeout and groundout, but Damon Knight kept the Lakers alive with a single – which brought the tying run to the plate.

Smith quickly ended the Lakers’ threat – and the game – as he got Nate Smith to pop out to short.

Kennebunk improves to 4-5 with the win and, although a victory over Lake Region, which dropped to 0-9 with the loss, won’t give the Rams much of a boost in the playoff standings – every win matters at this point in the season.

“We hope to get to .500 on Friday. We are on the fringe … we have to win some games,” said Dill.

Kennebunk will host Poland on Friday afternoon.

NOTES: Derek Smith, who earned the save on the mound, also added two hits at the plate … The Rams also got a double from Eric Aiken and a single from Cole Hoffman.

— Sports Editor Pat McDonald can be reached at [email protected] or at 282-1535 ext. 322. Follow the Journal Tribune Sports Department on Twitter @ JournalTsports.