AUBURN – Sorry, Ernie Banks. ‘Twas not a great day to play two.

One was abundantly adequate on a soggy Tuesday afternoon at Pettengill Park. In fact, five uninspired innings provided precious little evidence that Edward Little collectively wanted to play that one scheduled contest.

The mercy rule lived up to its name in South Portland’s 11-1 SMAA baseball victory, with the 10-run cushion officially allowing EL to call it quits and come in out of the cold rain.

“I don’t even want to try to understand the mindset,” said EL coach Scott Annear, whose impassioned pleas in the dugout after an eight-run top of the second inning revived the Red Eddies about a half-hour too late.

EL (0-3) committed six of its eight errors in that frame. Fourteen Red Riots strode to the plate and wrought their damage with an assortment of bobble-inducing bloops and bleeders.

Matt Damon stroked an RBI double, the only extra-base hit of the afternoon for South Portland (3-0). Bob Hood and Angel Cota also slapped run-producing singles at the expense of losing hurler Rory Flynn, who yielded to Matt Bennett in the third.

“I thought Rory had some good stuff, but I don’t care who you are. If you stay out there that long, you’re going to get hurt,” Annear said. “It’s true from Randy Johnson on down. Pedro (Martinez) wouldn’t have survived that kind of inning.”

The Riots’ Charlie Furbush scattered five hits, struck out four and benefited from tidier defense.

South Portland third baseman Scott Guillerault triggered two double plays off the bat of Derek Miller, the first an unassisted effort to stifle a third-inning rally and the second ending the game.

“It’s tough to play defense on a day like today. I thought we were lucky to get the game in,” said South Portland coach Tony DiBiase. “We hit the ball pretty well. Flynn is usually a pretty tough pitcher, so that’s encouraging.”

Flynn’s day began innocuously enough with a hitless first, but a throwing error put leadoff hitter Scott Leeman aboard to open the interminable second. Mike Wells followed with a single to left.

Next up, Justin Collette waved his bat at a two-ball, two-strike offering and dropped a dribbler in front of the plate, triggering an ugly play that ended with Collette out at third but Leeman and Wells both crossing the plate for a 2-0 lead.

The first error belonged to Flynn, who fired wide of first in his attempt to nab Collette. Leeman subsequently scored, but right fielder B.J. Mooney rifled the ball in to Flynn, who teamed with second baseman Joe Simpson to nail Collette in a rundown.

Wells then strayed too far away from third and had himself stranded in a second pickle. He escaped harm’s way and trotted home with the second run when catcher Miller threw the ball into left field.

Trouble emerging from the gate was the last thing Annear wanted to see in the second half of this home-and-home series. In last Friday’s game at South Portland, EL dashed to a 6-2 lead after two-and-a-half innings before fading to a 7-6 defeat.

“What I was fearful of today was falling behind. We worked hard the other day and came up just a little short against this same team,” Annear said. “It’s just going to be an uphill battle when you play them again. That’s a lot to ask of anyone. Being early in the season, I don’t think we’ve found our stride yet, and that makes it tough for us to find our way out of that.”

EL scratched out its run in the third on consecutive singles by Mooney, Nick Lawler and Flynn. Miller also hit the ball on the money, but Guillerault needed only one step to his right to snag the line drive and one more step to swipe the bag and nab Lawler at third to quell the threat.

Guillerault was the hitting star in South Portland’s home win over EL. The Riots shared the wealth this time. Hood and Andy Wood were the only repeat hitters. Collette was the lone man in the lineup who didn’t score a run, but in addition to his troublemaking hustle in the second, the right fielder drove in a pair with two sacrifice flies.

“We only have three seniors, and our starting catcher and right fielder have been hurt,” said DiBiase. “The kids stepping in for them have done a nice job.”

EL’s chance to get South Portland out of its system comes at home Thursday against Biddeford.

“That’s what I tried to tell them. The great thing is that you don’t just play one game a week. You get three,” Annear said. “You have to get back on the horse.”

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