SOUTH PARIS – The winner would not only take command of first place Saturday but would also have the upper hand in holding it.

That’s what both Bessey Motors and Gayton Post knew was at stake in Saturday’s American Legion doubleheader. Both teams were 7-1 and don’t play each other the rest of the regular season.

“We knew if we lost two today, we’d be looking back without a chance to play them again to catch up,” said Bessey Motors coach Shane Slicer. “If we beat them twice than they’d really have to fight to catch us.”

Bessey Motors managed to seize the advantage in Zone III. It built a 5-0 lead in the first two innings in an 8-2 win in the first game. Then rode the pitching of Corey Tielinen in a 2-0 shutout that completed the sweep.

All three of Gayton’s losses have come against Bessey Motors, including a 5-4 loss two weeks ago.

“We’ve got to have someone else knock them off and that’s never a good thing,” said Gayton coach Jason Fuller.

Bessey Motors got a pair of strong pitching performances. Andrew Stacy earned the win in the first game, scattering six hits while striking out six, despite enduring a one-hour rain delay. Tielinen allowed five hits and struck out five in the second game.

“I think that’s been true all year long,” said Slicer. “Last Saturday in a doubleheader against Andy Valley we threw two shutouts. Stacy threw six innings and gave up one run against them last time. We’ve had a lot of low scoring games which is in our favor because we’re pretty deep. Our pitching has helped us, and our defense played pretty solid.”

Gayton (7-3) got some solid pitching Saturday but couldn’t get the offense needed. Dustin Longchamps allowed just one hit in the 2-0 loss. After giving up five hits in the first two innings of the opener, Luke Potter allowed just one the following three innings. Gayton, however, left seven runners on in the first game and six in the second game, including the bases loaded with one out in the second.

“You’ve got to score runs with the bases loaded and one out,” said Fuller. “We haven’t hit the ball at all this year. We seem to get to second or third and in scoring position, but we can’t seem to plate them.”

Bessey Motors (9-1) managed to break the deadlock in the pitcher’s duel in the Game Two in the fourth. Three walks and a passed ball allowed Joe Baker to score the first run. Then in the fifth, a walk and an error put Chris Jennings in scoring position. He scored on a Chris Henderson ground out.

“The walks hurt us on the first run, and we didn’t play good defense on the last one,” said Fuller.

Henderson finished with six RBI between the two games.

“It felt good to be in first place and help out as much as I did,” said Henderson.

Gayton threatened in the sixth with two runners on with one out. David Labonte hit a sharp liner to first that was grabbed by Ben Ryerson and turned into a double play.

“That double play in the sixth, that really helped,” said Slicer. “I expect them to at least get a run and maybe tie the game up in that situation.”

In the first game, Bessey Motors built a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Henderson doubled in two. Mike Stacy followed with a ground out that scored Andrew Stacy. A Henderson two-run single in the second made it 5-0.

“Batting in the fourth spot, I think that’s what Slice puts me there for,” said Henderson.

Gayton’s only scoring came on a Jack Lavoie RBI single in the fourth, and Tyler Turgeon’s run on an error in the sixth. Henderson and Ryerson each singled in runs in the bottom of the sixth.

“We weren’t ready to play, no question about it” said Fuller. “That hurt us. To play a great team like that, they’re going to find a way to pick on you and they did.”