LISBON — Two common denominators connected most of the important plays in Wednesday’s MVC baseball game at Doughty Diamond. They happened at home plate, and they involved Ben Holmes.

Dirigo’s senior pitcher scored the go-ahead run on a straight steal with two strikes and two out in the fourth inning. He slapped the tag on Lisbon’s Brandon Hovey to cut down the potential tying run in the sixth. And he chucked a one-hitter and rang up 13 strikeouts, etching the bottom line in a 4-1 victory.

The game-saver provided the second out of the sixth and cleared the base paths, protecting a one-run lead.

Hovey drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a sacrifice by Aaron Boyington and stole third on the first pitch to Kyle Priddle.

Two pitches later, Holmes’ offering sank to the dirt, eluded catcher Jake Dowland and rolled to the Lisbon on-deck circle. Dowland and Hovey made their break simultaneously. Dirigo’s backstop retrieved the ball, pivoted and fired a strike to his classmate from one knee to peg Hovey on an extremely close play.

“That was a great play by Jake,” Holmes said. “It was a perfect throw, and I was able to get the tag down.”

Holmes subsequently struck out Priddle to make it a baker’s dozen on the day, then retired the side on five pitches after the Cougars (3-1) collected a pair of insurance runs in the seventh.

“Dowland has been our savior the first four games,” Dirigo coach Ryan Palmer said. “He’s been solid back there. Not much gets by him, and when it does he’s on it. He showed his hustle right there. That’s what you’re going to get out of Jake.”

What Lisbon (0-1) saw from Holmes is what the rest of the league will get, too.

Dalton Dunphy’s windblown, leadoff double in the second was the Greyhounds’ only hit and led to their lone run.

Holmes pitched around three walks, a balk and three Dirigo errors. He stranded runners at second and third base in the second, fourth and fifth innings.

“Early I threw a lot of change-ups, and I don’t usually throw a lot of change-ups. I think the first one was the one (Dunphy) hit for a double. That was pretty bad, but then I settled down. Then the curveball was working pretty well and I was spotting my fastball, which was key.”

He needed every pitch in the repertoire to trump Kyle Bourget, who started Lisbon’s season-opener as a rookie and showed not an ounce of fear.

Bourget didn’t allow a hit until Chad Snowman’s single with one out in the fourth. He struck out six and walked one.

“My freshman exceeded all my expectations out there. They have big, strong experienced hitters who hit the ball over the field,” Lisbon coach Randy Ridley said. “I am not disappointed with how we played. First game of the year against a quality team like that? I am not upset one bit.”

Dirigo lived on the edge during its two-run rally in the fourth.

Snowman stole second but took too wide a turn at third base after Holmes’ infield single and became embroiled in a rundown. He escaped and scored on Cody St. Germain’s sacrifice fly, with Holmes advancing to third.

Palmer waved off the first call for Holmes’ steal, then put it back on with an 0-2 count despite hitter Spencer Trenoweth being left out of the loop.

“It was supposed to be planned,” Holmes said. “The second time (third base coach Dave Berry) was like, ‘Do it! Go!’ And thankfully Spence didn’t swing.”

“That was a very, very (gutsy) call with two strikes and two outs, but at that point we were trying anything,” Palmer said. “Strike three and the inning’s over.”

Lisbon’s more conventional attempt to finagle a run on the would-be passed ball, conversely, fell shy by a whisker.

“We had to do something. We weren’t hitting the ball. We were facing a heck of a pitcher,” Ridley said. “He did his job that he was supposed to do. We manufactured a run and tried to get a couple more.”

Trenoweth’s double preceded an RBI single by freshman pinch hitter Tyler Frost and Hunter Ross’ triple in the seventh.

Ross ended the game with a brilliant sliding catch in left field foul territory off the bat of Mason Smith.

“I’ve got to credit Lisbon. Coach Ridley is one of the best coaches in the state and they deserved this game,” Palmer said. “We did not play well. We got a late start on the bus and it snowballed from there.”

koakes@sunjournal.com

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