AUBURN – The host Winthrop Red Sox rallied in amazing fashion, batttling back from down eight runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to knock out the Central Maine Green Wave, 12-11, and sweep their best-of-three Pine Tree League senior baseball championship series at Pettengill Park.

Josh Nichols’ two-out walk-off single allowed the Sox to repeat. Prior to that, it was an often frustrating night for both teams, as they left a combined total 27 runners on base and made costly mistakes somewhat due to the lighting situation.

The Green Wave sent nine men to the plate in the first inning, including base hits from Shane Kibler, Jesse LaCasse and Rick Doble. After an error, a walk and a fielder’s choice the Wave had a 3-0 lead right out of the gate.

Central Maine struck for two more runs in the second and one in the third to take an early 6-0 lead.

Wave starting pitcher Doble held Winthrop scoreless until the fourth inning, when Bob Cochran and Eric Palleschi had back to back RBI singles and cut the the lead to 6-2.

Red Sox pitcher Jim Morris got into more trouble in the seventh, as an error, a Doble single and a walk loaded the bases with one out. Dennis McHugh came on in relief of Morris in a tough spot. Two walks, a hit batsman and an RBI single by Kibler left the Wave with a commanding 10-2 lead, or so they thought.

Winthrop would stage its comeback in the bottom of the eighth, sending 12 men to the plate. Mike House got things things started, followed by consecutive hits from Matt McCarthy, Matt Richardson and Brett Witherell. A hit batter, Ian McCarthy’s RBI single and an error led to five runs before House and McCarthy struck again with their second hits of the inning. Each drove in two runs to put the Sox up 11-10.

McHugh walked Kris Targett to start the ninth, then was relieved by Game 1 winner Torey Carr. Targett eventually scored on a passed ball, knotting the score at 11.

Relieving Doble in the ninth, Targett retired the first two batters he faced before plunking Cochran, putting the winning run on first base with two outs. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases to set up Nichols.

Winning pitcher Carr belted three singles for the Sox, with Nichols and Witherell repeating as well along with House and McCarthy. Green Wave’s Doble and LaCasse collected three hits each, while Kibler and Joel Fernald chipped in with two apiece. Winthrop wrapped up at 16-3 on the season, with the Green Wave finishing at 15-4.