Portland rallies with two outs in two innings to beat Edward Little.
By Peter Mullen
Staff Writer

AUBURN – You can learn a lot about a baseball team by what it can do with two outs.

Portland rallied for the tying run in the fifth and a pair in the sixth to secure the win, all with two outs, as the Bulldogs edged Edward Little, 6-4, in SMAA high school baseball action at Pettengill Park Tuesday afternoon.

“Anytime you get runs with two outs, that’s saying something,” said Portland coach Mike Rutherford. “I give my kids credit.”

In the top of the first it looked like it would be anything but a close game as the unbeaten Bulldogs came out swinging against winless EL.

Travis Anthoine and Andrew Campbell opened the game with singles, but the team could manage just one run in the inning on a wild pitch.

“We had a chance to put a four or five spot up there,” said Rutherford. “It would have been a different game.”

The Bulldogs made it 3-0 in the third when Campbell doubled with one out and Ryan Baker homered to left with the ball landing on top of the fence. It was Baker’s fourth home run of the season.

The Red Eddies used walks, a balk, an error, and three hits in the fourth to plate four runs and take the lead.

Jamie Martel led off the frame with a single to left and with one out, David Lutz and Bryan Mooney walked. Martel scored on a balk, and Mooney was driven home on Nick Lawler’s single to center. After Rory Flynn reached on the fielder’s choice, Derek Miller doubled, scoring Kyle Smith who reached on an error.

Flynn appeared to score even though Miller overran second base and tagged for the third out, but EL was not credited with the run.

Portland tied the game in the fifth when Baker walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a single to left by Andrew Nodine.

A walk also opened the door for Portland in the sixth. After John O’Brion took the free pass, Anthoine doubled him home. Anthoine scored on a single by Campbell.

“Two-out walks, they hurt,” said Edward Little coach Scott Annear. “The good thing is that we played such a quality game that we can talk about the difference a two-out walk makes rather than just throwing strikes and making plays.”

“We have come so far in the week,” said Annear. “We talked about it at the start of today, we make plays and we will have a chance to win this game. It was a good learning experience.”

Jason Carter earned the win for the Bulldogs, pitching six-plus innings, and Rocco Toppi earned the save.

Brandon Elie also pitched in the seventh for the Eddies in taking the loss.

Campbell led Portland with three hits and Anthoine added two.

Martel had two of Edward Little’s four hits.

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