Ben Saviello tosses a three-hitter as Mt. Blue tops Leavitt.
FARMINGTON – Two weeks ago, the Mt. Blue baseball team spent a weekend in New Jersey to get ready for the season.

They didn’t plate a single run, even in a four-walk inning.

When Adam Wallace crossed the plate in the second inning against Leavitt on Monday, Mt. Blue coach Gary Parlin and the rest of the bench could be excused for showing a bit more emotion than normal.

As it turns out, it would be the only run the Cougars would need.

Ben Saviello pitched a complete game, three-hit shutout and smacked two of Mt. Blue’s seven hits to lead his team to a 4-0 opening-day win over Leavitt at Hippach Field in a game moved from Turner to Farmington because of bad field conditions.

“It’s good to get on the board early like this,” Parlin said, “but we’re playing way too early to begin with. Still, everyone is in the same boat as far as scheduling is concerned.”

For Saviello, the cooler weather and the early start were actually advantages.

“Coming from inside a gym to playing outdoors is hard on everyone,” Saviello said. “But I think it gives an edge to the pitchers, which worked for me today.”

Not normally known as a strikeout pitcher, Saviello rang up eight Hornets in seven innings, allowing just two infield hits, a bloop single and three walks.

“He didn’t let us get things going,” Leavitt coach Dave Morin said. “He was solid and didn’t let our hitters get into a rhythm. I think our pitching was solid, too, but we still need to figure out how to plate some runs.”

Hornets’ pitcher Brandon Smith allowed one run on three hits through four innings before surrendering two runs on three hits in the fifth. Ben Berube pitched the sixth for Leavitt, allowing one run on one hit.

“When we made good contact, they were able to make the plays they needed,” Morin said. “When they made good contact, they found the gaps.”

After Wallace scored in the second on a John Moloney single, Moloney and Steve Wells scored on a walk and three consecutive singles to lead off the fifth. Jordan Stevens touched home with the Cougars’ fourth run in the sixth on a Wells sacrifice fly.

Berube had two of Leavitt’s three hits, while Dustin Gilbert had an infield single to lead the Hornets’ offense.
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