Maine news, sports, weather | Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

Cony comes back 3 times to win in 12th

By Gary Hawkins ghawkins@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

AUGUSTA -- Cony High School baseball coach Don Plourde left early in Saturday morning's game against Oxford Hills to receive his Masters degree in a ceremony at Thomas College.

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TYING RUN: Cony's John Hall, left, congratulates Ncik Lucasss after Lucas scored the tying run on single by Corey Lapierre in the bottom of the 9th inning Saturday afternoon in Augusta. Cony ended up winning 7-6 in the 11th.

Joe Phelan

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He missed a heck of a game.

Cony came back three times in the game, twice in extra innings, eventually winning 7-6 in the 12th on a bases-loaded single by Jason Burns.

"It probably goes down as one of the greatest games this team has ever played," said Cony senior Charlie Partridge, who had a big hand in the outcome.

Partridge hit a towering two-run homer through a stiff wind in the fifth inning to tie the game at 3, and drew a bases-loaded walk in the 12th to force home the tying run. The win was the fourth of the week for the Rams (9-1), all of them coming at home, while Oxford Hills falls to 7-2 in Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class A play.

"We told ourselves all week we've got four games and Oxford Hills is the biggest," Burns said.

The Vikings got to Cony starter Ryan Minoty for a run in the first inning and two more in the third. The senior right-hander struggled with his control but got through seven innings, allowing three runs on four hits while walking seven and striking out 11.

"I liked the way we handled Minoty," Oxford Hills coach Shane Slicer said. "Even those innings when he struck out the side we made him pitch."

The Rams got a run back in the fourth off Oxford Hills starter Erik Henderson when Burns walked, took third on a Nick Lucas single to right and scored on a wild pitch. In the fifth, Luke Duncklee walked and came home on Partridge's homer over the left field fence.

"I was just trying to sit back and get a pitch to hit," Partridge said.

Jake Beland, who relieved Minoty to start the eighth inning, ran into trouble in the ninth. Kyle Farrar singled and Nate Dubois walked to set the stage for Matt Verrier, the Vikings catcher who will play at the University of Maine next year. Verrier delivered a two-run double to left-center to put his team up 5-3. Beland (5-0) escaped further damage by fanning the next two hitters.

The Rams tied the game with two in the bottom of the ninth off reliever Cody Hadley. Partridge led off with a single and scored when Lucas' single to right was misplayed for an error. Lucas scored on a base hit by Corey Lapierre. Beland ran into trouble again in the 10th after giving up a leadoff double to Ethan Davidson. After a bunt moved Davidson to third, Beland caught Brandon Campbell looking at a nasty curve for strike three. Farrar, the No. 9 hitter, tried a bunt but first baseman Jake Lachance made a diving catch just before it hit the grass.

"It was definitely do or die," Lachance said of the catch. "I was thinking about picking our pitchers up. They threw well all day and making plays behind them is the right way to pick them up."

Beland got more help in the 12th as Lucas started a nice around the horn double play at third base. An infield error allowed Henderson to reach, however, and he scored on a single by Farrar. With two out and runners on first and second, Beland bailed himself out of the inning by picking Farrar off first base.

Colin McKee led the Cony 12th with a single to right and Lachance followed with an infield hit. Duncklee's sacrifice bunt fell for a hit, loading the bases and setting the stage for Partridge's walk and Burns' game-winning hit.

"It was a damn good game," Slicer said. "You've got to give them credit. That lineup's tough to get through, get through and get through."

Gary Hawkins -- 621-5638

ghawkins@centralmaine.com