PARIS — Erik Henderson knew it was going to be a long night when his knuckleball had better location than his heater or his curve.

Even when he was ahead in the count, Henderson’s offerings dove for the Gouin Athletic Complex dirt like a 4-year-old in search of his lost Matchbox car.

And now, a little perspective: Just about every other pitcher in Zone 3 American Legion baseball would sign over a check from his summer job in return for such an “off” night.

Henderson gutted out six scoreless innings and combined with Brandon Campbell on a three-hit shutout Thursday in Bessey Motors’ 4-0 victory over Rogers Post of Auburn.

“I felt good and everything. It was just one of those days,” Henderson said. “It made me realize that not every day is going to be a great day, but I can still buckle down and get guys out.”

Designated hitter Campbell went 3-for-3 and pitched a perfect seventh inning for Bessey (7-3). He scored Bessey’s first run after back-to-back doubles by Campbell and Travis Linehan in the second.

Five of Bessey’s seven hits off Rogers’ Tucker Beaudoin went for extra bases. Nick Dyer delivered a pinch-hit double in the fifth and later scored. Danny Place and D.J. Croy each tripled.

“I just felt dialed in,” Campbell said. “I like being the DH, because I don’t have to think about anything else except hitting.”

And his presence in the cleanup spot gave Henderson the freedom to focus on wheeling and dealing.

Henderson, who pitched in two games as a freshman at Husson University this past spring, stranded at least one runner in each of his six innings.

Rogers left eight aboard in all. Henderson threw 110 pitches.

Eight strikeouts offset four walks, a hit batsman and a wild pitch. Bessey also overcame three errors.

“He battled and got the strikeouts when he needed them,” Bessey coach Shane Slicer said of Henderson. “We didn’t chart his pitches tonight, but I knew he was getting up there. Erik’s best when he can finish an inning, so I didn’t want to have to go out there and get him.”

Campbell cleaned up without a hitch.

Brady Whetzel popped out to first, Jeremy Kearns looked at strike three, and John Simpson flied to center to end it.

“It was fastball, fastball, fastball,” said Place, Bessey’s catcher.

Ben Bowie’s groundout pushed home Linehan to make it 2-0 in the second. Campbell followed Place’s triple with an RBI single in the fourth.

After his fifth-inning double, Dyer advanced to third on Kyle Farrar’s sacrifice bunt and scored on Cody Farrar’s grounder to second.

Rogers (3-7) had its opportunities.

Luke Farrago cranked a one-out double in the fourth. Cam Ivers drew a walk with two outs.

Henderson’s attempt to pick off Ivers sailed high over first baseman Ethan Davidson’s head. Farrago attempted to score from second, but Davidson’s strike to Place nailed him at the plate.

Farrago and Corey Moholland reached on a single and a walk, respectively, with one out in the sixth. Henderson escaped with a strikeout and a groundout.

“When my fastball wasn’t working I’d mix in a curve,” Henderson said, “and when my curve wasn’t working I would come back with a fastball.”

Beaudoin went the distance for Rogers, striking out two and not issuing a walk until the sixth.

With the short season passing the halfway point, Bessey stayed in the hunt for the No. 2 seed in the upcoming zone tourney.

Thursday’s rosters were a study in contrast.

Rogers sat out the 2010 season due to a shortage of players and forfeited one game this summer for the same reason. Henderson is one of six 19-year-olds in the Bessey lineup, five of whom played for 2010 Class A high school champion Oxford Hills.

“We should be 9-1 instead of 7-3,” Place said.

“We’ve got a lot of older guys who are leaders,” Henderson said. “We need to keep our concentration at times, like when it’s the second game of a doubleheader, and stay on top of everyone.”

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