TOPSHAM – The Mt. Ararat baseball team erased a 6-0 first inning deficit, beating Camden Hills 19-10 in a Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference game on Wednesday in Topsham.
The Eagles (8-3) had 17 hits and took advantage of 13 walks. Camden Hills (4-5) collected 11 hits, led by Liam O’Neal’s three knocks followed by a pair each from Hunter Norton and Joe Coffey.
“We have had a little trouble stringing hits together so it was today to put a few hits together and get some guys that had been struggling a little bit and get them some good at-bats,” said Mt. Ararat coach Brett Chase.
The hit-attack was spread around as Carson Taylor and Ryan Staples each had three hits. Ryan Robertson, Shea Farrell, Andrew Clemons and Chris Brady all had two hits apiece. Landon Chase, Tucker Swanson and Ethan Berry each had a single for the Eagles.
Taylor, Staples and Brady each knocked in three runs while Clemons and Brady Merrill each had a pair. Taylor and Farrell each scored four runs, with Landon Chase and Berry crossing home three times.
Mt. Ararat second baseman Ryan Robertson makes a throw to first during the second inning of a game Wednesday against Camden Hills. Eric Maxim/The Times Record
Berry picked up the win after relieving Robertson in the second inning. The freshman had seen a little time on the bump this spring, but was called upon early and needed some innings for the Eagles.
“He did exactly what we needed from him,” Brett Chase said. “He kept us in the game and gave us innings. Ryan (Robertson) was a little off today so he saved our butt.”
Berry scattered six hits over 5 1/3 innings, walking six and striking out six. He also hit a batter.
The hurler wasn’t planning on pitching today, but the righty took advantage of the moment.
“I was planning on pitching Saturday,” Berry said. “I felt good out there today. My arm may have been a little tired towards the end but the adrenaline kept me going.”
The Windjammers came out swinging in the first, sending nine men to the plate, collecting five hits, highlighted by Hunter Bell double, taking a 6-0 lead. In the bottom half, the Eagles answered back with four of their own aided by four walks and an infield hit by Clemons. After 75 total pitches and over a half a dozen walks, the scored stood at 6-3 after one inning of play.
Mt. Ararat freshman Ethan Berry fields a grounder in front of home plate during a game against Camden Hills on Wednesday in Topsham. Eric Maxim/The Times Record
The Eagles scored four more runs in the second, tying the score 7-7 on a Clemons sacrifice-fly that plated Taylor.
Mt. Ararat tallied 11 runs over the next two innings to take an 18-9 lead. A double by Farrell and a triple by Brady fueled the Eagles.
Each team managed to plate a couple of more runs before Clemons came into the game in the seventh inning to get the final two outs to seal the victory.
“We hit the ball well today and ran the bases well, it was a good win,” added Berry.
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