PORTLAND – The Lewiston Lumberjaxx youth baseball team swept its first weekend of regular-season play in the Frozen Ropes Fall League, lighting up the Portland (Bayside) team by scores of 12-1 and 17-3.

Lewiston scored five times in the first frame of the opener. Gage Cote and Brady Cusson led the attack with singles. Austin Merritt followed with an RBI double. Hunter Landry also had an RBI single in the first.

Three more runs highlighted the top of the second on singles by Isaac Escobar and Cote.

Luc Dostie cruised through three innings of work in the mound, striking out five of the 11 batters he faced. He also helped his own cause with a solo home run to straightaway center.

The fourth inning saw two more Lumberjaxx runs on an RBI single by Sean O’Donnell and some aggressive baserunning.

Portland’s lone run came in the bottom of the fourth. Reliever Damien St. Pierre struck out the first batter he faced before a walk, a steal and an error led to the run. Merritt closed out the fifth by striking out two of threee to end the game by mercy rule.

Game two saw the onslaught continue. The Lumberjaxx scored five runs in the first inning on hits by Grant Hartley and O’Donnell along with some aggressive base running by Escobar and Jalen Allison.

Five more crossed the plate for the ‘Jaxx in the second, fueled by base hits by Landry, Cote, Escobar and Hartley. The Lewiston nine added yet another five in the third on singles by O’Donnell and Dostie and a two-bagger by the speedy Cote. Kaleb Morrisette also had an RBI double in the fourth.

Hartley went 3-for-3 while Cote and O’Donnell were 2-for-2 for Lewiston.

Cusson started and got the win with three well-pitched innings, striking out five and allowing only one hit. The catching tandem of St.Pierre and Cote threw out three would-be base stealers.

Escobar, Morrisette and Landry also pitched well in their debuts.