WALES – A group of Sabattus Little Leaguers sat behind the backstop for Friday’s game between the teams with the best and worst records in the KVAC, Oak Hill and Lincoln Academy.

During warmups and the early stages of the game, the youngsters’ coach implored them to watch the Oak Hill players and see how baseball meant to be played. By the fourth inning, though, the kids weren’t paying very close attention.

Just as well, because by that point, the game, which Oak Hill won 13-3 when it was called after five innings for the 10-run mercy rule, had turned pretty ugly.

The Raiders’ concentration lapsed a bit after they’d opened an insurmountable 11-0 lead in the second inning. Pitchers stopped throwing strikes, fielders started throwing to the wrong base, and baserunners stopped at third despite being waved home. The letdown led to a 10-minute talk with the team after the game by coach Bill Fairchild.

“Not a productive day,” Fairchild said. “At least we got everybody in today, but I was a little disappointed that we didn’t play sharper.”

The first five batters reached for Oak Hill in the bottom of the first, and the rout was on. Kyle Harrington, Adam Shaffstall and Pat Duchette scored a run in each of the first two innings. Kyle Lunn drove in a pair, and Adam Labbe had two hits.

“We’re just seeing the ball real well right now,” said center fielder Harrington, who also had two hits. “We go out and try to get one run in every inning.”

Pat Duchette earned his fourth win of the season for the Raiders, pitching three scoreless innings while giving up one hit. Lincoln (1-11) got all its runs in the fourth on RBI singles by Mike Fossett and Brent Rainey.

The Raiders (12-1) have been playing with a renewed sense of purpose since suffering their first loss of the season against Winslow on Wednesday.

“What I was interested in after we lost is how we came back the next day,” Fairchild said. “We played excellent (Thursday in an 8-1 win over Camden Hills), and I think we were ready for it today.”

“I think that loss woke us up and makes us play a lot tougher now,” said Lunn.

Oak Hill closes the regular season next week with games against Rockland, Belfast and Mt. View, three of the top five teams in the most recent Eastern Class B Heal Point standings. The Raiders are ranked first in the West.

“Those games are going to be worth some points,” Fairchild said. “Two out of three would be great. A sweep would be fantastic, because I would like to have home field advantage in the playoffs.”

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