SCARBOROUGH—Deering’s baseball team is coming of age

Even though the Rams make life difficult on themselves at times.

Tuesday afternoon at the Kippy Mitchell Sports Complex, Deering made a midseason statement at previously undefeated Scarborough, but while the Rams proved to everyone that they’re a team on the rise, nothing comes easily in Class A South baseball.

Deering staggered the Red Storm in the top of the first inning, scoring a whopping seven runs, highlighted by a bases clearing double from freshman rightfielder Gus Groh, but while Scarborough was on the canvas, the Rams didn’t deliver a knockout blow.

The Red Storm got right back in the game in the bottom of the first, scoring three runs to gain some momentum, and with senior relief pitcher Mason Porter holding Deering at bay, Scarborough made things most interesting by scoring three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, highlighted by a two-run single from junior third baseman Matt Fallona.

Fallona then completed the comeback with an RBI single in the sixth, but the Red Storm couldn’t go in front, as they left two runners in scoring position.

Then, in the top of the seventh, Groh came up huge again, hitting a sacrifice fly to score junior third baseman Alex Jordan with the go-ahead run.

Junior Tavian Lauture, who had come on in the sixth, then ensured the Rams would get out of town with their biggest victory in years, setting Scarborough down in order to bring the curtain down on an 8-7 victory.

Deering improved to 2-6 and in the process, handed the Red Storm their first setback in eight outings this spring.

“This does mean a lot,” said Lauture. “We work hard every day. I’ve been here three years and we’ve had games like these in the past not expecting to win. This year, we know we can fight. This was a great win for us.”

Surprise, surprise

Scarborough, which went 11-6 a year ago, losing to Marshwood in the Class A South quarterfinals, wasn’t widely viewed as a favorite this season, but the Red Storm started fast and hadn’t let up.

After rolling at Noble in the opener (12-1, in five-innings), Scarborough held off visiting Massabesic (4-3), beat host Thornton Academy (9-3), then blanked visiting Sanford and host Gorham by 3-0 scores before rallying past visiting South Portland (5-4) and blanking host Cheverus (10-0, in six-innings) last weekend.

Deering, which went 0-16 a year ago, has been more competitive this spring under new coach Casey Lawrence.

After opening with losses at Biddeford (9-4), at Thornton Academy (6-3) and at home to Sanford (17-4, in six-innings), the Rams snapped a three-year, 24-game skid with a 4-3 victory at Windham. Deering then lost at home to Marshwood (10-0), at Noble (6-4) and at Massabesic (10-2).

“After the way the program’s been the past couple years, I wanted to step in and do what I could to build success back up and restore pride,” said Lawrence, who was part of Deering’s 1999 Class A state championship team.

Last spring, Scarborough prevailed, 15-0, in five-innings, at Hadlock Field.

Tuesday, on a gorgeous spring day (65 degrees at first pitch), the Red Storm expected to continue to surge, but instead, Deering beat Scarborough for the first time in exactly five years (7-3 on the road May 7, 2019).

Senior starting pitcher Avery Lawrence got the fun started leading off the game against Red Storm sophomore pitcher Nate Masters, grounding the ball past third, down the leftfield line and into the corner and Lawrence didn’t stop until he reached third base with a triple.

Masters got Lauture, who started the game at shortstop, to strike out swinging on a 1-2 pitch, but freshman catcher Miles Lawrence beat out an infield single to the hole between short and third to score Avery Lawrence with the game’s first run.

And Deering was just getting started.

Senior first baseman Jackson Forrest was next and he hit a routine fly ball to left, which somehow fell in, putting runners at first and second. With senior centerfielder Andrew Cook at the plate, Masters threw a wild pitch, putting runners at the corners, then Masters fanned Cook with some high heat, suggesting he might escape the jam. Instead, Masters walked freshman second baseman Yadier Lorda-Flores on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases and Jordan followed with a single to center to score Miles Lawrence and make it 2-0, leaving the bases loaded. When sophomore leftfielder Zeke Dewever drew a walk on a full-count pitch, Forrest came home to score and Scarborough coach Wes Ridlon pulled Masters for senior Tyler Archambault, who had begun the game at short.

Archambault fared no better, as he was greeted by Groh who drove an offering deep over the head of senior rightfielder Patrick McCue and Lorda-Flores, Jordan and Dewever all crossed the plate on the double. Avery Lawrence, who started the trouble, then drove in another run, with a single up the middle. Lauture singled to left-center to put runners at first and second and Miles Lawrence drew a walk to load the bases again.

“We got a lot of hits,” said Lauture. “We put the ball in play and got seven runs.”

“We’ve taught the guys to limit big innings because we’ve been on the other side of that,” said Casey Lawrence. “It’s tough to come back from that, so it felt good to have one.”

That would be it for Archambault, who was replaced by Porter.

Porter finally ended the frame by getting Forrest to fly out to center, but in a 24-minute frame, which saw 13 batters stride to the plate, seven of them scored to give Deering a seemingly safe lead.

But the Red Storm immediately began chipping away in the bottom half against Avery Lawrence.

Archambault led off by beating out an infield single, then he stole second. Senior centerfielder Zak Sanders followed by drawing a walk. That brought up Porter, who grounded to second, but Lorda-Flores’ throw back to Lauture at short was too late and the bases were loaded. Lawrence got McCue to ground out second-to-first, with Archambault coming home to break the ice and the other runners moving into scoring position. Fallona then flew out to center to score Sanders and move Porter to third. Sophomore Kayson Cyr delivered another run with a single through the hole. Cyr then stole second and when senior second baseman Lew Moynihan was plunked by a pitch, Scarborough was on the brink of narrowing the gap even further, but freshman catcher Kaiden Carrell grounded back to the mound and the Red Storm had to settle for pulling within four.

Deering threatened to return to its scoring ways in the top of the second, but couldn’t come up with a timely hit.

Porter got Cook to fly out right leading off, but Lorda-Flores singled to center and after Jordan watched strike three, Dewever reached on an error, but with a chance to play the hero again, this time, Groh struck out swinging.

Avery Lawrence settled in in the bottom half, getting senior leftfielder Tyler Kenney to ground to first on the first pitch of his at-bat and after Archambault blooped a single to right, he was thrown out trying to steal by Miles Lawrence before Sanders grounded out to second to end the frame.

Avery Lawrence led off the top of the third by working a walk on a 3-2 pitch. Lauture then grounded into a third-to-second force out and took second when a pickoff attempt from Porter was wild. He’d be stranded, however, as Miles Lawrence struck out swinging and Forrest flew out to center.

In the bottom half, the Red Storm put two runners in scoring position, but couldn’t cut into the deficit.

Porter led off by grounding out to short, but McCue walked on a 3-2 pitch and Fallona singled to left. When the ball was bobbled in the outfield, the runners moved up. Avery Lawrence then produced his lone strikeout at the most opportune time, getting Cyr to chase an off-speed pitch for the second out. Moynihan then lined out to center on a 3-2 pitch, keeping the score 7-3.

Porter got Cook to fly out to right leading off the top of the fourth, then he hit Lorda-Flores, but Jordan lined out to center and Dewever watched strike three for the third out.

In the bottom half, Scarborough put up another crooked number and pulled within a single run.

Avery Lawrence hit sophomore pinch-hitter Logan Noone, who then stole second. Kenney flew out to center with Noone taking third, and that ended Lawrence’s outing, as he was replaced by sophomore Zade Smith. Smith got Archambault to ground out to second, but Noone came home on the play. Sanders then drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch, Porter was hit by a pitch and McCue walked on four pitches to load the bases. That brought up Fallona, who lined a single to center, scoring Sanders and Porter and on the throw home, the runners moved up to second and third. Sophomore pinch-hitter Ryan Shugars wasn’t able to deliver the tying or go-ahead runs, however, as his grounder up the middle was fielded nicely by Lauture near the second base bag and Lauture threw on to first to retire the side, with Deering’s lead now a precarious 7-6.

The Rams went quietly in the top of the fifth, as Groh struck out swinging on a full-count offering, Avery Lawrence watched strike three and Lauture bounced out to third.

In the bottom half, Smith struck out Moynihan swinging on a 3-2 pitch, Noone flew out deep to left and after Kenney drew a walk on a 3-1 pitch, Archambault grounded back to the mound on the first pitch he faced to end the frame.

Deering tried to add to its lead in the top of the sixth, as after Miles Lawrence bounced back to the mound, Forrest reached on an error and junior courtesy runner Dash Newhall took second on a passed ball, but Porter got Cook to line to center, then ended his impressive outing by getting Lorda-Flores to pop out to short.

“We had to come back and respond and Mason picked us up and allowed us to stay close,” Ridlon said.

The Red Storm pulled even in the bottom of the sixth, but squandered an opportunity to take the lead.

Smith walked Sanders leading off and he was replaced by Lauture, who threw a wild pitch with Porter at the plate before bouncing back to strike him out looking. After McCue drew a walk on a 3-1 pitch, Fallona came up huge again, dropping a 2-2 pitch into right-center, scoring Sanders to tie it, with McCue moving to third.

Fallona stole second, but Lauture stood tall, catching Shugars looking at strike three on a 3-2 pitch, then fanning Moynihan on a 3-2 pitch to keep the score 7-7.

Deering was reeling, but shook off adversity and went back on top in the top of the seventh against McCue, who came on in relief.

Jordan reached leading off, when he took ball four with a 3-2 count. Jordan stole second and Smith followed by blooping a single down the rightfield line, putting runners at the corners. That set the stage for Groh and after Smith stole second, Groh hit a fly ball to center that was deep enough to score Jordan with what proved to be the winning run. Smith was thrown out trying to advance, but the Rams were back in front.

“We got some clutch hits today and (Gus) can be clutch,” Casey Lawrence said. “He did that our first game. He’s been going through a slump, but we told him to keep his head up and keep swinging because slumps happen to major leaguers too. We told him to keep swinging and he came through today.”

Avery Lawrence chased strike three to end the inning, but Lauture had a lead to protect in the bottom of the seventh and he’d make quick work of the Red Storm to close it out.

Lauture started the frame by getting sophomore pinch-hitter Daniel Polsiner to fly out deep to center. He then got Kenney to sky a 3-2 pitch to rightfield for the second out. That left the game up to Archambault, but Lauture caught him looking at strike three to cap an inspirational, marathon 8-7 victory.

“I knew we still had it, even after they tied it,” said Lauture. “I had trust in everyone. When I stepped on the mound, I knew we were going to win. I didn’t have a doubt in my mind. We had each other’s back. I have a lot of trust in my guys. That (last strikeout) felt great.”

“Scarborough did a great job coming back, but the guys didn’t hang their heads, “Casey Lawrence said. “It was a great team effort.”

Offensively, Avery Lawrence was the only multiple hitter with a pair. Jordan scored two runs, while Dewever, Forrest, Groh, Avery Lawrence, Miles Lawrence and Lorda-Flores all touched home plate once. Groh finished with four RBI, while Jordan, Avery Lawrence and Miles Lawrence added one apiece.

Deering stranded nine base runners.

Avery Lawrence didn’t earn a decision, giving up four runs on four hits in 3.1 innings. He walked two, hit two and struck out one.

Smith surrendered three runs on one hit in 1.2 innings of relief. He walked three, hit a batter and fanned one.

Lauture got the win with a solid relief outing, giving up just one hit in two scoreless innings. Lauture walked one and struck out four.

“It was a great effort by our pitching staff,” said Casey Lawrence. “We’re limited this week because of pitch count because we have so many games coming out, but guys stepped up. Great start by Avery. Zade Smith did his job in the middle innings. Tavian shut them down. ”

Learning experience

For Scarborough, Fallona was superb, producing three hits and driving in four runs. Archambault also had multiple hits with two, drove in a run and he scored another. Sanders touched home three times, Porter had two runs scored and Noone also crossed the plate. Cyr and McCue also had RBI.

The Red Storm left nine runners on and were doomed in part by four errors.

“I don’t think we overlooked them, I think it’s just that we didn’t execute in all aspects of the game,” Ridlon lamented. “What I’m most disappointed in is the mental execution. It’s baseball, anything can happen on any day. Deering came to play today and we didn’t and that’s something we pride ourselves on. Casey’s done a really nice job with that program. They play hard, they play the right way, they get it. It’s not the same Deering group of the past few years, so it’s great to see. Kudos to them. They made plays and got hits. We didn’t. We need to have better at-bats. The guys know that.”

Masters gave up six runs (one earned) on three hits in his 0.2 inning start. Masters walked two and fanned two.

Archambault didn’t retire any of the four hitters he faced. He was charged with an earned run on three hits and a walk.

Porter only gave up one hit and one walk in 5.1 shutout innings of relief. He struck out six.

McCue took the loss, giving up a run on a hit in one inning. He walked a hitter and fanned one.

Second half

Scarborough hopes to get back on track Thursday at Bonny Eagle. After welcoming Westbrook Saturday, the Red Storm host Biddeford Tuesday of next week.

“We’ll be better for this,” Ridlon said. “We’re excited for the rest of the season. We’ll hit delete and move on. Hopefully, we learn from this adversity.”

Deering has another huge road test Thursday, at undefeated, preseason favorite Falmouth. The Rams will play rival Portland Friday, not at Hadlock Field, but instead at the Ballpark in Old Orchard Beach. Deering hosts Gorham Tuesday of next week.

After this triumph, the Rams can no longer sneak up anyone.

“This gives us confidence going into our next games,” Lauture said. “It’s a lot more fun to win.”

“We have a big game Thursday and that will be a tough one too,” said Casey Lawrence. “Hopefully, we’ll play Portland Friday in our rivalry game. We’re slowly progressing. We’re still making a lot of mistakes, but it’s a learning process. The guys respond well at practice. They’re learning more and are becoming better baseball players. We hope to get some big (Heal Points) and sneak into the playoffs and make a run.”

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. 

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