Scarborough junior Morgan Pratt, left, is congratulated by sophomore catcher Cam Seymour after scoring the go-ahead run in the Red Storm’s 12-3 win over Deering Monday afternoon.

Joe Carpine / 365digitalphotography.com photos.

More photos below.

BOX SCORE

Scarborough 12 Deering 3

D- 002 010 0- 3 6 6
S- 004 170 x- 12 10 0

Top 3rd
Dacey scored on wild pitch. Bartell singled to right, Lynch scored.

Bottom 3rd
Seymour doubled to center, Carion scored. Plummer singled to right, Seymour scored. Panyi popped out to first, Plummer scored. Pratt scored on error. 

Bottom 4th
Seymour flew out to left, Cook scored.

Top 5th
Sinclair flew out to right, Dacey scored.

Bottom 5th
Panyi scored on error. Lamontagne singled to center, Alofs and Frink scored. Carion doubled to right, Cook and Oronato scored. Carion scored on error. Pratt singled to center, Seymour scored.

Multiple hits:
D- Dacey
S- Alofs, Cook

Runs:
D- Dacey 2, Lynch
S- Carion, Cook, Seymour 2, Alofs, Frink, Oronato, Panyi, Plummer, Pratt 

RBI:
D- Bartell, Sinclair
S- Carion, Lamontagne 2, Panyi, Plummer, Pratt, Seymour

Doubles:
S- Carion, Seymour 

Stolen bases:
S-Cook 2, Carion, Lamontagne, Panyi, Pratt, Seymour

Left on base:
D- 9
S- 7

Dame, Hill (5) and Yee; Panyi, Pratt (6), DeQuattro (7) and Seymour

D:
Dame (L, 1-1) 4.2 IP 7 H 11 R 3 ER 4 BB 5 K 2 HBP 1 WP
Hill 1.1 IP 3 H 1 R 0 ER 1 BB 0 K 

S:
* Panyi (W, 1-1) 5+ IP 6 H 3 R 3 ER 5 BB 5 K 3 WP
Pratt 1 IP 0 H 0 R 1 BB 0 K
DeQuattro 1 IP 0 H 0 R 1 BB 0 K 

* Panyi faced one batter in 6th.

Time: 2:20

SCARBOROUGH—It was a day not fit for man or beast.

Nor as it turned out, for pitchers or fielders.

Monday afternoon at Packy McFarland Diamond at the Kippy Mitchell Sports Complex, Scarborough hosted Deering in a pivotal early season baseball contest, but Mother Nature made life miserable for all on hand.

With the temperature in the low 40s, a steady mist falling and a breeze blowing in out of the east making it feel even colder, everyone that had to handle the ball struggled in a 2 hour, 20 minute marathon.

Scarborough junior Zoltan Panyi and Deering senior Colby Dame both were able to escape the first and second innings unscathed, but things degenerated quickly for both pitchers in the third.

In the top half, Panyi unleashed three wild pitches, one of which scored senior leftfielder Rob Dacey, and a single from senior rightfielder Riley Bartell brought home junior third baseman Jack Lynch to make it 2-0.

Just when it appeared the Rams were in control, however, things went south quickly in the bottom half, as Deering committed four errors and the Red Storm’s bats came to life. Sophomore catcher Cam Seymour doubled in a run, sophomore Wyatt Plummer singled in Seymour to tie it and Panyi’s fly ball about 20 feet behind first base turned into a sacrifice fly and another run when the throw home got free.

Scarborough went up, 5-2, in the fourth, as Seymour hit a sacrifice fly, but the Rams were poised to retake the lead in the fifth, as they loaded the bases with one out. Senior shortstop and slugger James Sinclair came to the plate and drove the ball deep down the rightfield line. Sophomore Nolan Lamontagne managed to get to it, however, and he dove to make a game-altering catch. A run scored on the sacrifice fly, but the Red Storm remained on tip.

Scarborough then ended all doubt in the bottom of the inning, scoring seven unearned runs with two outs, highlighted by a two-run single from Lamontagne and a two-run double from senior centerfielder Tim Carion.

The Red Storm then shut the door from there and went on to a 12-3 victory.

Scarborough got hits from eight different players, nine different players scored and Panyi earned his first victory of the season as the Red Storm improved to 2-1 on the year, dropping Deering to 2-2 in the process.

“We’ll take it,” said Scarborough coach Mike D’Andrea, the former Deering coach who led the Rams to seven state titles. “The conditions weren’t ideal. It was bad baseball all around. Neither team played well, but we feel fortunate to come away with a win over a good baseball team. We feel good about that.”

No day for hitters

Monday wasn’t exactly an optimal day if you like offense. The temperature at first pitch was 45 degrees and it only dropped from there.

Regardless, Deering and Scarborough took the field for a contest that will loom large down the road.

The Rams, quarterfinalists a year ago, opened with a 1-0 home win over Sanford, then won at Thornton Academy, 4-2, and lost at home to Gorham, 10-1, Saturday.

The Red Storm, who got to the Class A South semifinals last spring, fell in their opener, 3-2, at Portland, then beat visiting Westbrook in a slugfest Saturday, 12-7.

Last year, Scarborough won, 7-1, at Deering to cut the Rams’ all-time series lead to 13-4 (see sidebar, below).

This time around, the Red Storm persevered and took advantage of Deering’s six errors as they wound up on the winning end.

Panyi had his easiest inning in the top of the first, getting Lynch to fly out to center, junior centerfielder Luc Harrison to ground out to first and Bartell to ground back to the mound.

Dame got the first two batters he faced in the bottom half, getting Lamontagne to ground out to short and Carion to bounce to second, but Dame hit Seymour with a pitch and after Seymour stole second, Plummer walked on a full count pitch. Dame escaped by striking out junior shortstop Morgan Pratt.

In the top of the second, Sinclair struck out swinging and Dame grounded out to short, but junior second baseman Alex McGonagle walked on a full count pitch. Junior first baseman Joe Pelletier then looked at strike three to end the frame.

In the bottom half, Panyi struck out swinging and freshman designated hitter Zack Alofs did the same, but sophomore third baseman Noah Frink drew a walk and moved up on a wild pitch. Frink was then stranded when senior leftfielder Matt Cook stared at strike three.

Deering got the jump in the top of the third.

After freshman catcher Princehoward Yee looked at strike three, Dacey singled to right for the game’s first hit. Panyi then threw a wild pitch and Dacey didn’t stop at second and ran for third. The throw from Seymour to Frink appeared in time for the out, but Dacey slid under the tag. Lynch then walked and ball four got away, allowing Dacey to score the game’s first run. 

The Rams weren’t done, as Harrison singled just past Panyi and another wild pitch put both runners in scoring position. Bartell popped up to short right-center. Lamontagne and Plummer surrounded the ball, but a communication breakdown led to it landing untouched as Lynch scored for a 2-0 lead. Panyi then got Sinclair to ground out to second and Seymour picked Harrison off third to end the frame.

Scarborough got those two runs back and then some in the its half of the third.

Lamontagne started the inning by flying to center, but Carion drew a walk on a full count pitch. After Dame’s pickoff throw to Pelletier got away, allowing Carion to go all the way to third, Seymour doubled past a diving Harrison in center to cut the deficit in half. Plummer was next and his single to right brought home Seymour to tie the game, 2-2. When Dame threw wild again on a pickoff attempt, Plummer got all the way to third. Pratt popped up to first, but Pelletier couldn’t handle the ball and the Red Storm had runners at the corners. Panyi then popped up behind first. Pelletier caught the ball, but D’Andrea sent Plummer, who scored, and when the throw got away from Yee, Pratt came home too to make it 4-2.

Alofs kept the pressure on by singling to left, but Frink grounded out to first to end the inning.

Panyi started the fourth by getting Dame to ground out to second and striking out McGonagle, but Pelletier beat out an infield single which died on the infield grass. Yee made good contact, but flew out to left for the third out.

Scarborough added a fifth run in the bottom half, as Cook singled to right and after Lamontagne flew out deep to left, Cook stole second and third base. Carion walked and stole second and Seymour flew out to left. Cook came home to score, but Carion was thrown out at third, a split second after the run scored, to end the frame.

Panyi’s final complete inning was the top of the fifth, but he had to work out of a big-time jam, thanks to a superb defensive play.

Dacey got things started with a single to center and Lynch walked on a full count pitch. After Panyi struck out Harrison, Bartell grounded the ball to the left of the mound and beat it out to load the bases.

That brought up Sinclair, who hit a game-winning home run at Thornton Academy last week. Sinclair made solid contact and sent a line drive toward the rightfield line. The ball was tailing away from Lamontagne, but the rightfielder managed to run it down and dove, making the catch cleanly. Dacey scored easily and Lynch moved to third, but by a matter of inches, the Red Storm had retained the lead.

“That was a fantastic catch,” D’Andrea said. “In the dugout, I said, ‘That’s trouble.’ I thought it was going to drop. That was a very big play. Nolan had a very good game for us.”

“That was an unreal catch, especially in these conditions with the wet track and it being hard to see,” lamented Rams coach Josh Stowell. “We could have gotten three runs and kept the inning going.”

Dame walked to load the bases again, but Seymour picked Lynch off third to keep Scarborough on top, 5-3.

The bottom then fell out for Deering in the bottom half.

The frame began auspiciously enough for Dame, as he got Plummer to chase strike three and Pratt to fly to right. Panyi then hit a slow roller to the right of first base which appeared to end the inning, but neither Dame or McGonagle was able to cover first in time to take the throw. Panyi then stole second and scored on an error on a ball off the bat of Alofs to make it 6-3. After Frink was hit by a pitch, Cook reached on another slow roller to first to load the bases. That brought up Lamontagne, who ripped a single to center, scoring Alofs and Frink, ending Dame’s afternoon.

Sophomore Luke Hill came on to pitch and was greeted by Carion, who, after Lamontagne stole second (and was hurt on the play and was replaced by senior Nico Onorato), doubled to right, scoring Cook and Onorato to make it 10-3. A wild pitch moved Carion to third and after Seymour walked, Plummer’s fly ball to center was dropped for an error, letting Carion score. Pratt singled to center to score Seymour for a 12-3 advantage. Panyi then had a chance to end the game via the 10-run mercy rule, but his line drive was caught by Dacey in left to keep the game going.

Panyi started the sixth by walking McGonagle and D’Andrea replaced him with Pratt, who got Hill to ground into a force out. After Yee walked, Dacey grounded out to third and Lynch grounded out to second.

In the bottom half, Scarborough again had a chance to end it early, as Alofs singled to center and after Frink struck out swinging and Cook popped out to short, a wild pitch put Alofs in scoring position, but Carion’s line drive was caught by Dacey to send the game to the seventh.

There, junior Zach DeQuattro came on to slam the door.

Junior Keegan Stanton led off by drawing a walk, but Bartell looked at strike three, senior pinch-hitter Jacob Gikas flew out to center and after Dame was hit by a pitch, McGonagle looked at strike three to mercifully bring an end to the Red Storm’s 12-3 victory.

“With this team right now, we’re still figuring things out,” said D’Andrea. “I don’t know how much the weather played in this. We just tried to do little things and play good baseball. On a day like today especially, you have to put the ball in play. You do whatever you have to do because the ball will get soaked by the time they field it.”

Panyi evened his record at 1-1 after allowing three earned runs on six hits and five walks in five-plus innings. Panyi struck out five and threw three wild pitches.

“He’s competing,” D’Andrea said. “He’s going in the right direction. This was a better outing than his first. Hopefully, he’ll continue this pattern. I’ll take what he gives me. He’s trying. He’ll put the work in and I know by the end of the year, he’ll be a tough guy to beat.”

Pratt and DeQuattro both threw a scoreless, hitless inning, walking one.

Offensively, the Red Storm got multiple hits from Alofs and Cook. 

Carion, Cook and Seymour all scored twice. Alofs, Frink, Oronato, Panyi, Plummer and Pratt had one run apiece.

Carion and Lamontagne both drove in two runs, while Panyi, Plummer, Pratt and Seymour had one RBI each.

Carion and Seymour both doubled.

Cook stole two bases, while Carion, Lamontagne, Panyi, Pratt and Seymour each had one steal.

Scarborough stranded seven runners.

Deering got two hits from Dacey, who also scored twice. Lynch also touched home. Bartell and Sinclair had RBI.

The Rams left nine runners on base.

Dame fell to 1-1 after giving up 11 runs (just three earned) on seven hits and four walks in 4.2 innings. Dame struck out five, hit two batters and threw a wild pitch.

Hill gave up one unearned run on three hits and a walk in 1.1 innings of relief. 

“This was a tough one, but this is baseball in Maine in May and it’s what we have to deal with,” Stowell said. “We played in the same conditions, but they made more plays and we didn’t. The ones that are tough are mental errors, not knowing situations or being in the right spot. That’s what comes back to hurt you. Physical errors will happen. We need to know what’s going on when the ball is hit to us. We can’t make those mental errors. Those typically compound into more and more runs.”

Challenging week

Deering will play at Massabesic Tuesday, its fifth game in six days, then meets Portland in the longtime rivals’ lone regular season meeting Saturday night at Hadlock Field.

“If we can get through these five games, we won’t face anything as tough the rest of the season,” Stowell said. “A lot of teams don’t want to play four in five games and we’re playing five in six. If we can be over .500, I’ll take that. We’re still trying to figure things out. We’ll hop on the bus tomorrow. Massabesic gave us a tough game last year. They’ll scrap and we’ll have to be ready to go. We’ll see how well we mentally handle today’s loss with how we handle tomorrow.”

Scarborough travels to Gorham Tuesday, hosts Massabesic Thursday and is at Thornton Academy Saturday.

“This is a confidence builder,” D’Andrea said. “After dropping the first one, it’s nice to get two wins. We have a busy stretch. Let’s go play baseball. It’s what we signed up for.”

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

Scarborough junior Zoltan Panyi throws a pitch. Panyi earned his first victory of the season.

Deering senior Colby Dame shows his form.

Deering junior first baseman Joe Pelletier beats out an infield hit as Scarborough freshman first baseman Dom Spina takes the throw.

Scarborough sophomore catcher Cam Seymour slides into second base with a steal as Deering junior second baseman Alex McGonagle receives the throw.

Deering senior third baseman Jack Lynch dives back into the first to avoid a pickoff throw.

Previous Scarborough-Deering results

2016
Scarborough 7 @ Deering 1 

2015
Deering 6 @ Scarborough 1 

2014
@ Deering 4 Scarborough 3 

2013
@ Scarborough 6 Deering 0

2012
Scarborough 11 @ Deering 0

2011
Deering 4 @ Scarborough 3

2010
@ Deering 13 Scarborough 3 (5)

2009
Deering 22 @ Scarborough 4 (5)
Western A Final
Deering 16 Scarborough 10

2008
@ Deering 10 Scarborough 0 (6)

2007
@ Deering 6 Scarborough 0

2006
Scarborough 6 Deering 5 (8)
Western A quarterfinals
@ Deering 10 Scarborough (9)

2005
@ Deering 8 Scarborough 3
Deering 17 @ Scarborough 3

2004
Deering 9 @ Scarborough 2
@ Deering 10 Scarborough 0 (6)