WINDHAM — Windham had six hits and scored nine runs ”“ and that was just in one inning. The Eagles were trailing Sanford heading into the bottom of the fifth, but rallied in a big way in the frame on the way to an 11-3 victory in an SMAA baseball game Thursday.

Sanford (0-5) led 3-2 after scoring the go-ahead run in the top of the fifth, but got off to a bad start in the bottom half. Josh Dugas dropped a bunt to third that Sanford third baseman Matt Toth threw off-target to first, allowing Dugas to reach and advance to second. Tanner Bernier followed with a slow roller through the right side of the infield that scored Dugas, but Bernier was gunned down at second after trying to gain an extra base.

That was the only out the Spartans got for a while, and the last one starting pitcher Brandon Wambolt would get in his outing. The next nine Windham (2-3) batters reached, with Wambolt getting pulled after the first eight. James Roche came on in relief and surrendered two final runs as the Eagles totaled nine in the inning ”“ none of which was earned.

“Baseball is a very simple game and right now we don’t always make it simple. You catch the ball, you throw the ball, you hit the ball,” said Sanford head coach Mark Boissonneault. “It seems like every game, one inning we can’t put all of that together.”

The Eagles sent 14 men to the plate in the inning, with Dugas scoring the first and last runs.

“We just put the pressure on their defense. We put the ball in play, especially on the ground. We try to do our best to make their defense make the plays versus sitting back on our heels at the plate and have Brandon throw strikes past us all day,” said Windham head coach Brody Artes. “As long as we’re aggressive at the plate, put the ball on the ground, try to dig it out, good things will happen.”

Wambolt’s final line ”“ 11 runs on nine hits, with five strikeouts and no walks in 4 1/3 innings ”“ wasn’t indicative of how he pitched for the first four innings of his outing. He allowed just two earned runs on four hits while picking up all five of his strikeouts ”“ including four in a row ”“ during the first four frames.

“He’s throwing well,” Boissonneault said of Wambolt.

Sanford was nearly as adept at getting runners on as Windham ”“ the Eagles out-hit the Spartans by just a 12-8 margin ”“ but the visitors stranded runners in every inning, including leaving runners at third in three of the first four frames.

“You got people in scoring position, you got to get them in,” said Boissonneault. “And that’s the difference between our team and other teams right now ”“ they’re getting them in. They’re putting the bat on the ball and pressuring the defense, and it doesn’t seem like we are.”

The Spartans were the team taking advantage of the situation early, as they scored their first run in the third thanks to a pair of Windham errors. Infield hits led to single runs in the fourth and fifth. But only two of Sanford’s eight hits came around to score.  Brad Bouchard and Chase Eldredge both scored after smacking one-out singles in the fourth and fifth, respectively. Eddie Michetti plated the Spartans’ first run after reaching on a throwing error and scoring on another in the third.

Designated hitter Keith Kerrigan led Sanford with a pair of hits, but was left in scoring position both times. Wambolt was stranded at third after leading off the second with a single.

Windham’s three pitchers ”“ starter Eli Williams and relievers Ryan Gorman and Giovanni Ruotolo ”“ combined to strike out just four batters, but got outs when the Eagles needed them. With some help, added Artes.

“They’ve done a really good job at making a good pitch here and there in the right situation. But also our defense has done a good job,” said Artes. “We don’t have a staff that’s going to be able to mow a bunch of kids down. But we can make a good pitch and throw a groundball, throw a fly ball, and let our defense do the work.”

Thursday’s games wasn’t much different than the first four for Sanford, which has let leads slip in every game so far this season, including against perennial contenders South Portland, Cheverus and Thornton Academy. Boissonneault said that something seems to be missing with his squad.

“We’re not a bad team, we’re not a bad team at all. When we play like we should, we’re pretty solid defensively,” said Boissonneault. “I think we’re a better team than what our record indicates, I do know that. We just need to eliminate those bad innings.”

— Sports Staff Writer Wil Kramlich can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 323 or [email protected].