RUMFORD – In a bizarre twist of fate, Mountain Valley received a second chance, and Alex Gagnon drew a bases-loaded walk to score Cody McPherson in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Falcons rallied for a 5-4 victory against snake-bitten Monmouth Academy.

Mustangs southpaw Josh Boisvert shut down Mountain Valley (5-0) until Tad Woods walked with one out in the seventh and Dean McCrillis beat out an infield hit.

One out later, McPherson walked and Justin Staires (two hits) came up with the bases loaded. Staires swung at the first pitch hit a pop up. The right fielder charged in, but the ball dropped from his glove. Woods and McCrillis each scored and Staires alertly raced to second base. Matt Laubauskas was intentionally walked to load the bases to set up a force at any base.

The move backfired when Gagnon waited out a free pass.

“I really feel bad for (Monmouth coach) Erik (Palleschi),” Mountain Valley coach Steve LaPointe said. “He runs a quality program and that’s the best 2-3 team in the MVC, if not the state. But, we never gave up. He (Boisvert) had our number throughout the game.”

Monmouth, playing its third game in three days, was stunned by the events.

“This was a tough one,” Palleschi said. “We always have great games at Hosmer Field, and unfortunately, this one got away. We hit the ball well, but couldn’t string any together.”

The Mustangs grabbed a 4-2 lead by scoring two runs with two outs in the sixth. Mike Lindholm doubled and Parker Ferland and Derrick Gray each hit RBI singles.

Falcons starter Matt Laubauskas was roughed up for two runs in the first, but the right hander regrouped to strike out seven.

He was lifted in the seventh and Connor Blais earned the win.

“Matt settled down after the first,” LaPointe said. “He threw well and hit his spots for strikes.”

Mountain Valley scored single runs on a Jon McKenzie’s RBI ground out, and Staires scored from second on a throwing error.

The defense came up big as Staires and center fielder Garrett McPherson each threw runners out, and Laubauskas picked off Ron Hobson.