FREEPORT

Anthony Panciocco did it all Friday evening. The righty hurled six innings, allowing a pair of runs on five hits, while going 3-for-4 with two RBIs at the plate to help lead the Southern Maine Falcons to an 8-2 victory over Gray-New Gloucester in Junior American Legion baseball action at Freeport High School Friday evening.

“He did it all tonight,” coach Peter Wagner said of the soon-to-be sophomore at Freeport. “He was really hitting his spots with his curveball tonight, while also mixing in his fastball for strikes.”

Panciocco wasted no time displaying his mixture of pitches in the top of the first, using just nine pitches to retire the Patriots in order.

“He was hitting his curveball for strikes right from the beginning,” Freeport catcher Nick Signovelli said. “He had hitters guessing.”

The Falcons struck first in the bottom of the frame. Following a leadoff walk by Blaine Cockburn and a single from Panciocco, Shea Wagner took a Wyatt Kenny fastball into the netting behind the center field fence for a three-run homer.

“That was important getting runs in the first with Shea’s homer,” Panciocco said. “It helps me with my confidence out on the mound when we have the lead.”

The Patriots picked up a run in the second when Aiden Sweeney scored on a Kyle Plummer single after he led off the inning with a double. Plummer was thrown out by Signovelli two pitches later, and after a one-out walk, Panciocco induced a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.

In the home half of the second, the Falcons loaded the bases with a walk, error and hit batsman before Panciocco ripped a two-run single with two outs, plating Danny Fox and Nate Davis to help himself. The Falcons scored another unearned run before the inning was over and held a 6-1 advantage after two innings.

The Falcons knocked out Kenny in the third inning with two more runs. Kempton Von Glinsky-Gregoire led off the frame with a long double to the right-center gap and Signovelli reached on an infield error. After a balk scored Von Glinsky- Gregoire, Danny Fox and Connor Fox both singled to load the bases, ending the evening for Kenny. Cockburn greeted Logan True by knocking in a run with an RBI single, extending the lead to 8-1 after three innings.

Pitching with the lead

With a seven run lead, Panciocco was able to concentrate on getting ahead of the G-NG hitters, allowing only one hit and a pair of hit batters over the next three innings.

“I throw a lot of curveballs as I don’t throw my fastball hard,” Panciocco said. “I have total confidence in throwing my curveballs in the dirt with Nick behind the plate, I’ve been pitching to him for years.”

His catcher also had confidence in his pitcher.

“He was throwing his curveball for strikes, I didn’t have to get too many in the dirt tonight,” Signovelli said. “We had a good game plan and we were able to stick to it.

The duo of True and Nick McCann shut down the Falcons over the final 3 1/3 innings, allowing just one hit, not surprisingly, Panciocco’s third.

“Not only was his pitching tonight possibly the best I’ve seen it,” coach Wagner said. “Tonight was the best I’ve seen him at the plate.”

Cockburn came in for the seventh, allowing a pair of hits and a walk, but was able to pick off a runner and strand a pair to end the game.

“Tonight’s win puts us eligible for the playoffs if our math is correct,” noted the Freeport coach.

The win, coupled with Sunday’s doubleheader loss to Lewiston (see story below), leaves the Falcons with a 6-9 record. The Falcons visit Topsham on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

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