LEWISTON — Edward Little’s supportive offense and errorless defense did wonders for pitcher Drew Smith’s confidence.
The Red Eddies (8-8) ended the regular season on a high note with an 8-1 victory over rival Lewiston (5-11) on Tuesday. Smith went all seven innings, striking out 11 batters and allowing only two hits and three walks.
“I thought my breaking ball was on today,” Smith said. “I just tried to keep that confidence on the mound, and go in there with every intent to strike everybody out.”
Equally impressive as his pitching was Smith’s defensive play on the mound. He made four put-outs from the rubber, including snatching a line drive that was destined to become a gaper between the first and second baseman.
“Today is one of those days I was just on,” Smith said. “The team did great. The bats were hot.”
“I thought pitching was solid,” Edward Little Dave Jordan said. “Drew has done a great job of getting better, better in every outing. He is just a young guy who just keeps getting better and better.
“We had some good clutch hitting. That was something that during the season we weren’t necessarily getting that. Today, the guys came up and had very good at at-bats.”
Edward Little’s offense heated up in the second inning, using two walks, a double and two hits to push three runs across the plate. Gavin Levesque brought home the first run with an RBI double, and designated hitter Brady Keefe delivered another run with a sacrifice fly to right field. Outfielder Braden Paradis’ RBI single gave the Red Eddies a 3-0 lead.
Lewiston produced a run in the bottom of the second inning when outfielder Aidon Cox walked and moved all the way to third base on two stolen bases. He stepped across the plate on Mike Caron’s RBI single.
But after the second inning, the Red Eddies’ combination of Drew’s pitching and splendid defense allowed Edward Little to set down the side in order in the third, fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
Lewiston starting pitcher Jefferey Randall was relieved by Joe Dube in the beginning of the third inning. Dube held the Red Eddies scoreless until the fifth inning when they exploded with another five runs. Edward Little finished with eight hits in the game.
Edward Little capitalized on four walks, two errors and a two-run single by Campbell Cassidy and an RBI single by Kam Masselli to allow the Eddies to leap ahead to an 8-1 lead.
Lewiston coach Chris Reed said Smith’s pitching kept his Blue Devils at bay.
“We struggle when we see guys like that throw with that type of velocity and take command,” Reed said. “I think everybody does.”
Reed noted that all three pitchers, including Caron, who saw action against Edward Little are all freshmen.
“We have relied on two of those freshmen all year long,” he said. “And they have answered the bell every single time.”
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