TOPSHAM

Mt. Ararat starting pitcher Garrett Moody was pitching well. His pitches had the Lewiston High School hitters off-balance, and his team staked him to a 4-1 lead.

But, the Blue Devils refused to be silenced, rallying to secure a 6-4 Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference win at Bruce Kingdon Field on Thursday.

Both teams left the field with 1-3 records, but for the Blue Devils, who had lost their first three games this season under first-year coach Will Emerson, the win might just be the momentum swing the squad needed.

“We played seven solid innings of baseball and executed on the basepaths,” said Emerson. “We were down 4-1 and nobody was hanging their heads, saying we had lost our first three. The guys stayed positive and focused, and did what they needed to do to get the win.”

For Mt. Ararat coach Bob Neron, he saw his Eagles battle to the end.

“We are not striking out like we were in the past, and we are just a hit or two away from being right there,” said Neron. “Our guys battled right to the end, and I will take that every single time out. We are not that far off from being a pretty decent team.”

After Lewiston grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on an RBI single by Dalton Wing, Mt. Ararat rebounded for a 2-1 advantage off of Blue Devils starter Brady Cusson. Ryan Mello launched Cusson’s third pitch to the fence in left field for a leadoff double, followed by a walk to Cam Cox and an RBI single by Jacob O’Neill. After a walk to Nate Leslie loaded the bases, Nick Merrill lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to complete the opening inning.

Mt. Ararat extended its lead in the third. Four-pitch walks to O’Neill and Leslie and a single by Merrill loaded the bases with no outs. Cusson nearly escaped, retiring the next two Eagle hitters, but Kyle Brennan (2- for-3) drove in two runs with a single to right field for a 4-1 Mt. Ararat advantage.

Cusson pitched three innings with one strikeout and five walks.

Lewiston rallies

The Blue Devils took advantage of a pair of Mt. Ararat miscues in the field to draw to 4-3 in the fourth. Evan Cox (2-for-4, run) drove in a run with an infield single, and Brock Belanger scored on a throwing error.

Gordon Beckwith relieved for Lewiston and was stellar. He threw four innings on two hits, four strikeouts and two walks, keeping the Blue Devils close.

“He stopped the bleeding for them,” said Neron of Beckwith’s efforts.

“I was thinking just about throwing strikes and having the guys make the plays behind me,” said Beckwith. “This was a team effort today. We wanted to get that first win, and hopefully it will lead to more tomorrow.”

“I saw him get comfortable after the second batter he faced. He dug deep and threw the ball well today,” said Emerson.

Lewiston tied the game in the sixth when Belanger singled with two outs to score Corey Harvey, who had singled and moved to second on a passed ball.

The Blue Devils kept coming, picking up two more runs in the seventh for the win. Austin Wing (3-for-4, run) doubled to deep center field to end Moody’s outing. The right-hander threw six plus innings, striking out two, walking one and permitting 11 hits. Of the five runs he allowed, just one was earned.

Cam Cox relieved for Mt. Ararat , with Hunter Landry singling to score the go-ahead run. Landry later scored on a wild pitch to complete the scoring.

Beckwith walked Merrill with one out in the seventh, but retired the final two Mt. Ararat hitters on fly balls to end it.

“Garrett threw the ball very well today and gave us a chance to win,” said Neron of his starting pitcher.

Landry and Jack Leblond were 2-for-4 for Lewiston, which finished with 12 hits and didn’t commit an error in the field.

Mt. Ararat returns to action today at Brewer (5 p.m.), while Lewiston returns home today to face Camden Hills.

Lewiston 6, Mt. Ararat 4

At Topsham

Brady Cusson, Gordon Beckwith (4) and Brock Belanger; Garrett Moody, Cam Cox (7) and Sam Alexander. Doubles — (L) Austin Wing; (MtA) Ryan Mello. Repeat hitters — (L) Austin Wing (3), Evan Cox, Hunter Landry, Jack Leblond; (MtA) Kyle Brennan. Records — Lewiston 1-3, Mt. Ararat 1-3. Up next for the Eagles — Today at Brewer, 5 p.m.