LEWISTON — The wind was shifting with such frequency and force at Franklin Pasture Friday that Corbin Hyde may have had it at his back all the way around the bases in the third inning.

Hyde’s blast to the center field fence at spacious Franklin Pasture didn’t need any help from the wind. As it turned out, his legs didn’t need any assistance, either, as he reached home standing up on a three-run inside-the-park home run that highlighted unbeaten Lewiston’s 27-4 demolition of Mt. Ararat.

“I was pretty excited. It’s really one of the best balls that I’ve hit all year,” Hyde said. “I rounded second and I didn’t see coach (Todd Cifelli) waving me in, but I just knew I was going to go (home). As I was rounding third, he was waving me, but I didn’t think I was going to get in standing up.”

Blue Devils were already circulating the bases like empty, wind-blown recycling buckets in the street long before Hyde’s trek around the bases. Lewiston scored three in the first and 10 in the second before dropping a dozen runs on the Eagles in the third.

Hyde and Alex Small led the 17-hit barrage for Lewiston (4-0) with two hits and four runs batted in each. Shawn Ricker went 3 for 4 with two doubles, three RBIs and four runs scored. Luke Cote scored four times and drove in a pair and David Cusson went 3 for 4 with three runs scored. Nate Berube and Nick Perreault scored three times apiece and Chris Madden scored twicce and drove in a run.

The game was called after 4 1/2 innings due to the 10-run mercy rule. It was originally scheduled to be played at Mt. Ararat in Topsham, but the field was still too wet after Thursday’s rain.

Mt. Ararat (2-2) actually led, 2-0, after the top of the first, and tied the game at 3-3 in the second when Torrey Charnock’s pop fly dropped between three infielders near first base.

“It was brutal conditions for both teams,” Cifelli said. “We didn’t handle the baseball very well early, but I think as the game went we battled the adversity and ended up having some quality at-bats.”

Lewiston starter Luke Cote (5 IP, 3 ER, 7 Ks, 3 BB) gave up five hits, including a solo home run to Brandon Glass in the third. The day posed two challenges to Cote and Mt. Ararat’s four pitchers, getting a grip on the baseball in the numbing chill and getting the ball over in winds that gusted over 30 mph.

“The ball was moving everywhere,” Cote said. “Fastballs were tailing. You can’t really control it, so I had to learn how to work outside. My fingers were numb. I had to keep my hands in my pockets as much as possible to keep them warm.”

“Luke concentrated well in the tough conditions and some bad luck that went against him,” Cifelli said. “He was very, very mentally tough today.”