WISCASSET — Boothbay sent 15 batters to the plate in the third inning, scoring 10 runs on seven hits as the Seahawks pulled away for a 20-5 victory in five innings over Wiscasset in Mountain Valley Conference high school baseball action Wednesday.
Boothbay improved to 2-4, while the Wolverines fell to 0-5 and are slated to travel to Dirigo on Friday for a 4 p.m. game.
The Seahawks were led offensively by Steve Reny’s four hits, including a double. Hunter Crocker, Will LaBrecque, Owen Barter, Colby Babcock and Jordan Carrier each had two hits apiece in the 15-hit attack. Barter had three runs batted in, while LaBrecque and Reny each knocked in a pair. The visitors swiped 15 bases during the contest, led by Reny’s four, followed by two apiece by Crocker and Babcock.
“Making contact, that’s what we were talking about the whole time,” Boothbay coach Ed Crocker. “He was throwing strikes, with a little different speed than we’ve seen, so it took a little bit for them to get swinging, but they did. This team loves to swing the bat, whether they hit or not, they like to swing.”
“These guys like to play, they always put in the effort. Our numbers are good, which is great considering they didn’t have a team a few years ago,” Wiscasset coach Gregg Wood said, as his roster has 18 strong. “They all want to play, they’re always asking me when are they going in.”
Wiscasset starter Kasey Mills threw the first three innings, allowing a dozen hits while striking out three and walking four.
Matt Eckert pitched the final two frames for the Wolverines, allowing two earned runs on three hits and a walk, striking out two.
Barter earned the victory for the visitors, pitching three innings, allowing one earned run while striking out six and walking none.
“He’s pitched well for us all year, he hasn’t given up too many earned runs, he just hasn’t had consistent defense behind him,” Coach Crocker said.
From the start, the Wolverine defense struggled on the cool, brisk afternoon. A pair of opening inning errors, joined with two walks and a couple of singles put the Seahawks ahead after a half inning, 4-0.
“We’re just not making the plays in the field,” Wood said. “You can’t win games making error, after error, after error.”
Wiscasset answered with two runs in the bottom of the first, taking advantage of a pair of Boothbay miscues. Mills knocked a one-out single off the third-base bag, scoring Mohamed Khalique, and James Hodson came around to score off a Chris Roberts fielder’s choice.
“They’re getting more confidence with swinging the bats,” Wood said. “When they first got out there, they were a little timid, but they have gained some confidence and it showed against the last kid they threw, he threw hard.”
Leading 6-2, Babcock led off the third with a single and stole second, moved to third on a Carrier single, and came in to score on a passed ball. Following an error, walk and hit batter, Barter roped a two-run single to give the Seahawks a 10-2 advantage.
“It was nice to come out here and swing the bats today,” Barter said. “We’re usually pretty aggressive with the bats, we’ve been swinging pretty good these last two games.”
Boothbay scored 14 runs in a win against Telstar last week.
Reny knocked in Barter, while Babcock and Carrier each singled for the second time in the inning to continue the attack. The final blow in the inning came on a two-run double by LaBrecque, scoring Carrier and Jamie LaBrecque to push the lead to 16-2 after two and a half innings.
Khalique led off the bottom half of the third inning with a line single to left and stole second. He later scored on a throwing error. Hodson, who reached on an error, also came in to score when the Seahawks committed their third error of the inning.
“We need to focus more on defense,” the Boothbay coach said. “They need to take some of the focus they have on hitting and use it out in the field.”
Billy Pinkham knocked in Mills with a single, plating the Wolverines third run of the frame.
Reny kept the home team off the board in the final two innings, allowing one hit, four walks and fanning a pair to seal the victory.
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