All those descriptions have applied to Shawn Ricker throughout his Lewiston baseball career, and they’ve worked so well that he’d love to stay in the shadows even as a senior.

Games such as Wednesday’s KVAC season-opener at Franklin Pasture won’t help with the anonymity. Ricker tripled, doubled and singled, drove in two runs and caught a combined 15 strikeouts from Matt Bowen and Corbin Hyde in an 8-4 win over Cony.

“I’ve been on the back burner for three years,“ Ricker said. “I have huge shoes to fill, so I’m trying to be quiet about it.”

Ricker has moved from second base to behind the plate, replacing four-year starter Mekae Hyde, who graduated and took his skills a mile away to Bates.

He also has advanced a few rungs in the batting order to fifth, a spot where Ricker remains shielded by the hard-hitting front four of Luke Cote, Nate Berube, Corbin Hyde and Chris Madden.

“It’s easy to hit behind those guys. They’re always on base,” Ricker said. “The spotlight‘s on Corb. Behind him I’m nobody so I’m seeing all fastballs.”

Cote, Berube and Hyde combined to score seven of Lewiston’s eight runs. Ricker doubled with two out in the first, then drove in two with his triple after Madden’s sacrifice bunt in the third.

Ricker also walked during a three-run rally that made it 8-2 in the fourth and singled in the fifth.

“Even with (the newly mandated composite) bats, when we have runners in scoring position we can still drive in runs,” Lewiston coach Todd Cifelli said. “That’s what it’s going to be about this year is us being unselfish in the lineup and turning the order over.”

Although the ball isn’t flying the way it did off the trusty aluminum, Lewiston had better luck against Cony starter Zac Lachance with the new tools.

Lachance handed Lewiston its lone regular-season loss in relief at Augusta a year ago. This time the Devils reached him for eight runs and eight hits in three-plus innings.

Bowen worked four innings and left a six-run lead on Hyde’s explosive left arm. Each allowed two hits and two runs, one earned. Bowen struck out nine and walked four. Hyde fanned six and issued two free passes.

“I felt pretty good out there. I struggled a little bit in the beginning but I calmed down,” Bowen said. “I was getting a lot of the corners today. My fastball was moving a lot.”

Cony left at least one runner on base in all four of Bowen’s frames. The Rams occupied second and third with one out in the fourth before Bowen froze Charlie Hallak with strike three and coaxed a comebacker from Lachance to protect a 5-2 lead.

Cote and Hyde each reached on a booted grounder, sandwiched around a Berube single, to help Lewiston pad that advantage. Berube scored on a wild pitch by reliever Tyler Lewis. David Cusson later drew a bases-loaded walk.

Bowen had an RBI groundout and Nick Perreault notched a single after Ricker’s rope down the right field line in the third.

“People have to step up this year,” Bowen said. “We don’t have the big hitters we did last year. Everyone’s got to do their part in the lineup one through nine.”

Ryan Edwards, Chandler Shostak, Ben Lucas and Simon Yorks had the hits for Cony, all singles.

“Our calling card is going to be our arms this year. That’s a very good lineup and they looked strong in batting practice, so for us to get 15 whiffs was great,” Cifelli said.

[email protected]