3 min read

MONMOUTH — Lisbon escaped a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the fifth inning, but Monmouth Academy filled the bases again an inning later and this time capitalized for eight runs to claim a 10-0 six-inning victory Wednesday in a Class C South baseball quarterfinal.

“We knew it was going to be a tight game, and it was a tight game. It was not a 10-0 game,” Monmouth coach Eric Palleschi said. “Those guys put a lot of pressure on, and then we put the pressure on them. They made a couple of mistakes, and fortunately for us, we were able to capitalize on them.”

The third-seeded Mustangs (13-4) will face the winner of Thursday’s quarterfinal between No. 2 Maranacook (12-4) or No. 10 Dirigo (8-9) in the semifinals on Saturday.

Monmouth held a 2-0 lead going into the b0ttom of the sixth, which Gavin Hall led off with a single.

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“It was just a close game, got to get runners on base, (and) got to produce on the base path,” Hall said. “So I’m just looking for that first fastball, first good pitch, just put the ball somewhere and try and leg it out.”

With the bases loaded, a Zane Foyt single drove home Hall. One batter later, an infield error scored two more runs, then a Sam Schultz bases-loaded walk stretched the lead to 6-0.

Gavin Parsons pinch hit for Hall and cleared the bases with a three-run single. Rory Foyt’s RBI double scored Parsons to put the mercy rule into effect.

Lisbon coach Randy Ridley, whose sixth-seeded team ended the season with a 10-7 record, took responsibility for the rough inning.

“I think we rushed it,” Ridley said. “I think there was some indecision, instead of trusting your first instinct. I think they didn’t quite trust the situation enough to make the play, and that’s on me because I haven’t put them in those situations in practice … that one’s on me. I’ve got to do a better job next year of getting those kids to understand what we’ve got to do in those situations.”

Pitching duel early

• Both starting pitchers were on their game. Monmouth starter Levi Laverdiere pitched a three-hitter with eight strikeouts and one walk.

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“He was mixing pitches, he was hitting spots, just the stuff he’s done all year. … He’s been tough,” Palleschi said. “The kid’s ERA is under one, so I think he lowered it today, too.”

• Laverdiere helped his cause in the bottom of the first inning with a single that led to a run on a double steal.

• Lisbon starter Cody Osmond only went four innings because he developed a sore arm. He fanned five batters, allowed three hits and walked one.

Both runs Osmond gave up were unearned. After an error with two outs kept the second inning going, Bryce Fletcher had an RBI single.

Statistical leaders

• Lisbon: Cody Osmond (5 Ks, 3 hits allowed, 1 walk), Spencer Franks (2 hits), Aiden Golino (double)

Monmouth: Levi Laverdiere (8 Ks, 3 hits allowed, one walk; single, run), Bryce Fletcher (single, RBI), Rory Foyt (double), Gavin Parsons (single, 3 RBI)

Nathan Fournier has been a sports reporter for the Sun Journal the past eight years. He enjoys hanging out with family and friends, watching sports when he's not working. He's a 2010 graduate of the New...

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