LIVERMORE FALLS – The Livermore Falls Andies chose a convenient time to play their best game of the season.
The seventh-seeded Andies were solid in every phase of the game on Tuesday. Their pitchers walked none, and the one error in the field went relatively unnoticed. At the plate, the Andies were smoking.
They had an eight-run uprising in the third and cruised to a 12-2 victory over No. 10 Lisbon in a Western C preliminary baseball game.
“This was the first game this year where we’ve put it all together,” said Livermore Falls centerfielder Levi Armandi. “This was the best we’ve played all year. We had a great week of practice. We prepped really well for this game.”
Armandi delivered the key blow in the decisive third inning. Trailing 2-1, the Andies (10-7) got rolling when No. 9 hitter Kevin Gats lined a single to left.
Jake Marceau then belted the first pitch he saw from Greyhound starter Mike Wilkins (2-5) for a ground-rule double to center.
Armandi followed Marceau’s lead by lining Wilkin’s first offering over the right-field fence for a three-run homer.
“Our team likes to jump on the first pitch,” said Armandi. “On the first pitch, I was thinking, That’s a fat pitch.’ Right when I hit the ball, I knew it was gone.”
Andies starter Brad Bryant continued the momentum by driving a pitch low and away to right for a double, and then catcher Tyler Cote hit a two-run shot to left. Cote’s home run chased Wilkins.
“It feels good to string some hits together,” said Livermore Falls coach Brian Dube. “One thing we hadn’t done is get the big hit when we get guys on. Today, we did.”
Sophomore Brandon Riordan took over the mound duties, but the right-hander struggled to throw strikes. He walked four of the next six batters and hit another as three more runs crossed home.
“I don’t know what was worse,” said Lisbon coach Randy Ridley, “them hitting the ball on us or us walking them around the bases.”
The Greyhounds (6-11) did reach Bryant for five hits and two runs in the first three innings.
“That’s what we did the last game we played against them,” said Ridley. “We put the bat on the ball.”
Lisbon first baseman Mason Lavers had two singles off Bryant. He scored Lisbon’s first run when Kyle Neagle knocked him home on a sacrifice fly to center in the second. One inning later, Wilkins’ second hit of the game plated Devon Knight who had reached on an error and stole second to put himself in scoring position.
The Andies put the game away in the bottom of the fifth when Cote’s ground-rule double to right field scored Bryant to invoke the 10-run rule.
The Andies now travel to Monmouth on Thursday to play the No. 2 Mustangs.
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