FREEPORT — The regular season of the CM Mortgage Wooden Bat Baseball League came to a close on Thursday for Freeport and Tucker Ford of Yarmouth.
However, the way the game went, it seemed neither team was quite ready to close things out.
In a contest that lasted 11 innings and three hours, Tucker Ford’s Teddy Norton finally ended things, with his bases-loaded walk-off single giving the “home” team from Yarmouth a 1-0 win at Freeport High School.
“There was good pitching and pretty good defense today,” said Freeport coach Peter Wagner, whose 4-5 squad will play a preliminary playoff game on Tuesday (time and site to be determined).
Tucker Ford starter Jason Lainey threw six no-hit frames, fanning nine and walking two. Despite throwing just 84 pitches, he was relieved by Will Cox to begin the seventh.
On the other side, Anthony Panciocco wasn’t quite as dominant, with walks bringing his pitch total up to 104 through five innings. He struck out seven and walked five but permitted just two hits.
Zane Aguilar relieved Panciocco, and the incoming Freeport freshman did the job, going 3 2/3 scoreless frames on two strikeouts, three walks and one hit.
“I was really pleased with Anthony (five innings, no runs, two hits, seven strikeouts, five walks) and Zane, a freshman who came on and did a real good job,” said Wagner.
Big pitches
With Yarmouth High School’s home field closed for repairs, Tucker Ford hosted the contest in Freeport. Lainey came out dominant, striking out six Falcons in the first three innings, with only Caden Benedict reaching for Freeport on a third-strike wild pitch.
Tucker Ford threatened in nearly every inning of Panciocco’s outing. After stranding Cox in the first, the right-hander lost his control in the second, with walks to Jack McGosh, Jake Gautreau and Will Dickinson loading the bases with two outs. But Panciocco escaped with a big called third strike.
“I had some trouble in the second inning, but I thought I did good today. I was feeling good, especially throwing from the stretch, and my fastball was pretty good,” said Panciocco. “It was a pitcher’s duel, and there was a lot of small ball. We just need to be more aggressive at the plate and I think we will be good.”
“Anthony is a competitor and knows how to win. He just doesn’t like to lose. When the stakes were the highest, with men on base and behind in the count, that is when he was at his best,” Wagner said.
Yarmouth (5-5) threatened again in the fourth, with Norton’s double to left-center field putting two runners in scoring position with one out. Once again Panciocco came through, fanning two straight Tucker Ford hitters to keep the game scoreless.
Aguilar took over for Freeport on the mound in the sixth. He walked the first batter he faced, Jack McGrath, and with one out McGosh singled. McGrath headed for third, but a perfect relay from Benedict in center field to Panciocco at shortstop to third baseman Nathan Abbott cut the baserunner down.
Freeport picked up its first two hits in the seventh against Cox, who relieved Lainey. Finn Sharpe and Blaine Cockburn opened the frame with back-to-back singles, and Abbott walked to load the bases with one out. Cox retired the next two hitters to escape.
After Aguilar battled through a two-on, one-out jam in the bottom of the frame, Freeport opened the eighth with a double by Nick Signorelli, and Abbott doubled with one out in the 10th for the Falcons, with neither leading to a run.
Tucker Ford finally broke through against Freeport pitcher Finn Sharpe in the 11th. With one out, singles by McGrath and Max Brewer, and a walk to McGosh (1-for-3, two walks) set up Norton, who ripped a single to center field on the first pitch to end it.
Dickinson earned the mound win, pitching the 11th on one hit (Gus Wing) with one strikeout. Sharpe pitched 1 2/3 innings with one strikeout.
Freeport’s offense looks to get a boost on Tuesday, as Wagner expects three key players to return to the lineup, with Heath Cockburn, Gabe Wagner and Liam Holt hoping to be in the lineup.
“Heath will be cleared to play on Monday after a broken nose, and Gabe will be back, Liam is back, so I think we will be resembling back to full strength and hopefully back in the groove,” said Coach Wagner.
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