AUGUSTA — Edward Little made it this far last year but lost a low-scoring duel with Bangor at Morton Field.
Wednesday’s Class A North final featured the same teams at the same place, but this time the Red Eddies won a high-scoring showdown, 10-6, to earn a spot in the Class A championship game.
“We played the same team last year, right at this point. We wanted revenge,” Edward Little senior Campbell Cassidy said. “… I think that really lit a fire under our butts.”
The Red Eddies earned a regional title for the first time since 1992. That year, they went on to beat Old Town 8-7 in the state final.
“It is surreal. It is surreal, man,” Edward Little left fielder Caleb Albert said. “There’s no words to describe it, it’s just a one-of-a-kind feeling.”
Edward Little (12-7) will face A South champion South Portland (16-3) in the Class A title game at the University of Southern Maine on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Bangor (10-9) entered Wednesday’s game having won seven of the past eight regional finals, including a 1-0 win over Edward Little last year.
This matchup was nothing like that game. Both teams scored in each of the first two innings, and both kept scoring.
“I was expecting a low score — like 1-0, maybe a suicide squeeze to win the game,” Albert said. “I did not expect — I mean, it’s hot, the ball was moving far today. But I did not expect this. I did not expect a 10-6 win.”
Eighth-seeded Edward Little struck first in its half of the first inning, but seventh-seeded Bangor answered with a run in its half of the first.
Brady Vincent, who scored the Red Eddies’ first-inning run, drove in two in the second with a deep double over the center fielder’s head that scored Albert and Eli St. Laurent.
“I just saw a pitch that looked high and in — that’s a pitch I like,” Vincent said.
“Brady’s been hot all year,” Cassidy said. “He’s been in a little slump these past two games, but came alive again here. It’s expected.”
Bangor matched that by manufacturing a pair of runs in the bottom of the second, by Yates Emerson and Ted Stephenson, tying the game at 3-3.
In the third, Albert brought in two more, Kade Masselli and Gage Ducharme, for Edward Little with a single, and then Brody Keefe scored when St. Laurent reached on an error.
“We hit the ball really well today,” Albert said. “A lot of good plate appearances, a lot of productive ones. Just clutch timing. I mean, we just saw the ball well and put the barrel on the ball. And it worked out for us.”
After Eddies starting pitcher Drew Smith notched the first scoreless inning in the bottom of the third, Edward Little extended its lead to 7-3 when Ducharme singled home Smith in the top of the fourth.
After that, Bangor replaced starter Matt Holmes on the mound with Kyle Johnson.
“The bats were hot,” Cassidy said. “I don’t know what to say. Their pitcher, credit to him, he’s a great pitcher, we just happened to make him throw a lot of pitches and exit the game.”
The Rams responded in a big way in the bottom of the fourth. Left-handed hitter George Socolow hit a three-run homer that cleared the fence in right field and cut Bangor’s deficit to 7-6.
“I just knew it was going to be a close game, and that, you know, we had to stay mentally tough, and that we would have some opportunities for us, and also be some for Bangor,” Edward Little coach Dave Jordan said. “And I thought that guys did a great job of responding every time something didn’t go our way.”
Edward Little plated three more runs in the top of the fifth. St. Laurent doubled in Cassidy and later came home on a throwing error when the Rams tried to prevent TJ Kramarz from stealing second. Kramarz scored the third run of the frame when Kade Masselli managed to get his bat on the ball for a sacrifice bunt.
“I think we did a great job of answering, then they’d answer,” Bangor coach David Morris said. “They answered just a few more times than we could. That was the difference.”
Smith earned the win for Edward Little. He struck out six batters in four-plus innings. Cassidy pitched the final three innings and had four strikeouts.
“Drew Smith pitched a hell of a game. Campbell Cassidy came in and finished it,” Albert said.
Vincent and Albert each finished with two hits and two RBIs for Edward Little, which has won nine of its past 11 games after starting the season 3-5.
Socolow had two hits and four RBIs for Bangor. Holmes also had two hits for the Rams. On the mound, he struck out four in 3 1/3 innings.
Harris Tapley replaced Johnson with no outs and two runners on in the fifth. He got out of that jam and pitched three scoreless and hitless innings.
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