BOX SCORE

Falmouth 4 Scarborough 2

S- 000 002 0- 2 3 3
F-200 110 X- 4 3 2

Bottom 1st
Cowperthwaite and Hendry scored on error.

Bottom 4th
Gill scored on error.

Bottom 5th
Tracy flew out to center, Coyne scored.

Top 6th
Seguin doubled to right-center, Gower scored. Donahue singled to left, Seguin scored.

Runs:
S- Gower, Seguin
F- Coyne, Cowperthwaite, Gill, Hendry

RBI:
S- Donahue, Seguin
F- Tracy

Stolen bases:
S- Blanchette, Porter
F- Gay, Ham

Left on base:
S- 5
F- 7

Seguin, Griffiths (4), TJ Liponis (5) and Gower; Cowperthwaite and Hendry.

S:
Seguin (L) 3.1 IP 2 H 3 R 0 ER 4 BB 2 K 1 WP
Griffiths 1 IP 0 H 1 R 1 ER 2 BB 0 K
TJ Liponis 1.2 IP 1 H 0 R 1 BB 2 K 1 WP 1 HBP

F:
Cowperthwaite (W) 7 IP 3 H 2 R 0 ER 3 BB 11 K

Time: 2:06

FALMOUTH—The old baseball adage states that if you have a star pitcher on the ropes in the early innings, you’d better deliver a knockout blow.

And if you don’t, it’s probably not going to end well.

Saturday morning at John M. Croker Memorial Field, Scarborough put runners in scoring position in each of the first three innings against Falmouth junior ace Eli Cowperthwaite, but the Red Storm couldn’t plate any of them and it wound up costing them dearly.

The Navigators, meanwhile, took advantage of some Scarborough largesse in the bottom of the first inning, as an outfield error scored two runs to produce a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Falmouth tacked on another run in the fourth, again unearned, then in the bottom of the fifth, senior designated hitter Dom Tracy’s sacrifice fly made it 4-0.

The Red Storm refused to go quietly, however, and after senior Ben Seguin, who started the game, doubled home a run, senior centerfielder Thomas Donahue hit an RBI single to make things very interesting.

But Cowperthwaite escaped the jam there, then he slammed the door in the seventh to close out a 4-2 victory.

Cowperthwaite only allowed three hits and struck out 11 and the Navigators improved to 8-1 on the season, dropping Scarborough to 5-4 in the process.

“Every game we get better,” Cowperthwaite said. “We’re working hard in practice. We can win a lot of games, but it doesn’t mean anything if we’re not the best team at the end and that’s our goal.”

Houdini act

Falmouth started with a 12-2 (six-inning) home victory over Windham, then blanked host Portland (6-0), won at Massabesic (11-1), at home over Deering (8-1) and at Biddeford (2-0). The Navigators fell from the unbeaten ranks with an 8-1 home loss to Thornton Academy last Saturday, then bounced back to defeat visiting Noble (9-0) and host Cheverus (6-1).

Scarborough, meanwhile, was blanked at Thornton Academy, 5-0, in its opener, then shut out visiting Windham, 9-0. After falling at home to Westbrook in five-innings (12-2), the Red Storm won at Bonny Eagle, 9-5, downed visiting Kennebunk (3-1) and blanked visiting Biddeford (2-0). After a 4-3 loss at Portland Tuesday, Scarborough bounced back Thursday with a 9-0 home victory over Massabesic.

Last year, the Red Storm came to Falmouth and came away with a 9-3 victory.

Saturday, on a sizzling day (85 degrees at first pitch with nary a cloud in the sky), Scarborough hoped to make it four consecutive wins in the series, but instead the Navigators beat the Red Storm for the first time since May 12, 2018 (5-3).

Scarborough junior leftfielder Ashton Blanchette led off against Cowperthwaite and lined a single to left. Senior catcher Connor Gower then drew a walk, but Cowperthwaite settled in and caught both senior shortstop TJ Liponis and Seguin looking at strike three before getting Donahue to pop foul to sophomore catcher Ethan Hendry.

“It was a hot day and I started out a little rocky,” Cowperthwaite said. “My hands were sweaty. I figured it out and found the zone. I got stuck in a jam, but I just beared down and threw strikes and got out of it.”

Falmouth then went ahead to stay in the bottom half, with a little help.

Senior centerfielder Miles Gay drew a walk off Seguin leading off and after senior shortstop Brady Coyne flew out to deep left, Cowperthwaite ripped a double to the gap in left-center for the game’s lone extra base hit, putting runners at second and third. Hendry walked to load the bases, but with Tracy at the plate, Gower picked off Gay at third to put the Red Storm on the brink of escaping the inning. Tracy then walked to reload the bases and senior first baseman Patrick Gill lofted a fly ball to right for what appeared to be the third out, but after a long run to get to the ball, sophomore Zakary Sanders couldn’t squeeze it and the error scored both Cowperthwaite and Hendry. Seguin fanned senior third baseman Bennett Smith, but the Navigators were ahead, 2-0, and wouldn’t look back.

Scarborough had a chance to answer in the second, as sophomore first baseman Mason Porter drew a leadoff walk and after Sanders struck out, Porter stole second, but Cowperthwaite fanned both freshman third baseman Will Fallona and junior second baseman Jason Liponis to preserve the lead.

In the bottom half, sophomore second baseman Brennan Rumpf led off with a single to left on the first pitch, but junior rightfielder Mitchell Ham grounded into a short-to-second-to-first double play. Gay kept the inning alive by drawing a walk on four pitches and then stole second, but Coyne bounced out to third for the third out.

Cowperthwaite walked Blanchette to start the third and Blanchette stole second, but Gower watched strike three, TJ Liponis flew out to left and Seguin grounded to third and for the third consecutive inning, the Red Storm stranded a runner in scoring position.

Seguin had his best inning in the bottom half, catching Cowperthwaite looking at strike three, getting Hendry to fly to center and Tracy to ground to second.

Cowperthwaite started the top of the fourth by striking out Donahue. Porter then lined a ball to left, where senior Eban Daniels made a fabulous leaping, sprawling catch for the second out. Cowperthwaite then caught Sanders looking at strike three.

Falmouth added a run in the bottom half.

Gill grounded to short and when TJ Liponis’ throw was just wide for an error, Gill reached safely. Smith sacrificed bunted Gill to second and after a wild pitch, Rumpf grounded to third, where Fallona couldn’t handle the ball for another error and Gill came home to make it 3-0.

That was it for Seguin, who was replaced by sophomore Harrison Griffiths, who got Ham to ground back to the mound, which resulted in a 1-6-3 double play to end the frame.

In the top of the fifth, Cowperthwaite struck out Fallona swinging, got Jason Liponis to pop to second and Blanchette to bounce out to second.

The Navigators then tacked on another in the bottom half, as after Gay popped out to first, both Coyne and Cowperthwaite walked and after Griffiths was replaced by TJ Liponis, Hendry was plunked with a pitch to load the bases and Tracy hit a deep fly ball to center, which easily plated Coyne. Gill flew out to right, but Falmouth had a 4-0 advantage.

Scarborough then showed some life in the top of the sixth.

Gower led off and grounded to Smith, who made an error, allowing Gower to reach safely. Cowperthwaite then had an errant pickoff throw that moved Gower to second. Smith then redeemed himself, lunging to his right on a ground ball from TJ Liponis on a bouncer up the third base line before throwing him out, with Gower taking third.

“That error by Smith, then having him make that play on the line was impressive,” Falmouth coach Mike D’Andrea said. “That was a game-changer. He’s a senior and he’s been there before.”

Seguin then ripped a double to right-center to score the run and Donahue followed with a base hit down the leftfield line. Donahue tried to take second on the play, but was thrown out and that led to chagrin on the Red Storm’s side of the field, as they felt Donahue was interfered with on his turn at first, but the umpires didn’t agree. Porter’s line drive to right ended the frame and kept the score 4-2.

The Navigators had a great chance to add to their lead in the bottom half, but couldn’t do so.

After Liponis caught Smith looking at strike three, Rumpf struck out swinging, but strike three got away from Gower and Rumpf reached. After a wild pitch, Ham lined a hit-and-run single to left to put runners at the corners. Gay then walked to load the bases and Coyne followed with a sinking line drive to center, which Donahue dove to catch. Rumpf appeared to come home on the sacrifice fly, but Scarborough appealed and threw to third and Rumpf was ruled to have left early and was called out to end the inning, a call Falmouth wasn’t thrilled with.

With Gill and Rumpf primed to come on in relief, Cowperthwaite closed it out himself in the top of the seventh.

Junior pinch-hitter Aidan Bristol chased strike three to start the frame, then Fallona watched strike three. Junior pinch-hitter Owen Fellows kept hope alive with a single to left, bringing Blanchette to the plate representing the tying run, but he grounded meekly to second for the final out and the Navigators prevailed, 4-2.

“We didn’t take Scarborough lightly at all,” D’Andrea said. “They have a bunch of good athletes over there. They’re well-coached, but they lacked the big hit.

“What I’m most proud of today is that (Scarborough) had a couple surges and we weathered the storm and we didn’t let them take the game over. We still have a fairly young team, so it was nice to see that. Coming out and taking care of business in the seventh inning was big. Patrick Gill or Brennan Rumpf were ready to come in and those guys are tough out of the bullpen, but I never lost confidence in Eli. He only gave up two runs. His job was to keep us in the game and he did.”

Cowperthwaite only allowed three hits and three walks in going the distance. He fanned 11.

Offensively, Falmouth got runs from Coyne, Cowperthwaite, Gill and Hendry and an RBI from Tracy.

The Navigators left seven runners on base.

Scarborough got RBI from Donahue and Seguin and Gower and Seguin scored runs, but it wasn’t enough, as the Red Storm left five runners on.

Seguin took the loss, giving up three runs (all unearned) in 3.1 innings of work. Seguin gave up two hits and four walks and fanned two.

Griffiths pitched one inning of hitless relief. He gave up one run and walked two.

TJ Liponis didn’t surrender a run in 1.2 innings of relief. He gave up one hit, walked one and struck out two.

“It was a frustrating day,” said Scarborough coach Wes Ridlon. “They made the most of their opportunities and we didn’t. We gave them extra outs and some walks that hurt us. That summarizes it. I like the way we grinded it out and made a run in the sixth. That heart and toughness will help us in the long run. You have to play a full seven innings against Falmouth. They’re well-coached with some great players.”

Less than three weeks to go

The postseason begins early next month and both squads are primed to be at their best, but both still need to improve in the days to come.

Scarborough stays on the road, going to Gorham Monday and Cheverus Thursday before returning home next Saturday to battle Sanford.

“We just have to hit delete and move on,” Ridlon said. “I think we’re playing better baseball. It’s not showing in the win-loss column right now, but overall, we’re moving in the right direction. It’ll be about who makes the most of their opportunities ultimately.”

Falmouth, meanwhile, visits Marshwood Tuesday, welcomes Gorham Thursday and plays host to Bonny Eagle next Saturday.

“We have a tough stretch coming up,” said Cowperthwaite. “Those are big games for us and I think we’ll do well. Our hitting’s definitely progressing and we play defense very well.”

“We can’t take anyone lightly the rest of the way,” D’Andrea said. “We just focus on how we play.”

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.

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