DIXFIELD — It was a defensive duel from the get-go for Dirigo and Lisbon in Thursday’s Mountain Valley Conference baseball game between the two evenly matched teams. 

But there were also splendid performances from both pitchers before Lisbon’s four-run outburst in the fifth inning eventually led to a 4-2 victory. 

Sophomore winning pitcher Cody Osmond went all seven innings, striking out five batters, walking one and giving up six hits for Lisbon (7-3). 

Losing pitcher Trent Holman also turned in a complete game, striking out four batters, walking four and giving up nine hits. Holman’s defense also rescued him with the bases loaded in the second inning, which included a putout at home plate.

Osmond was quick to credit his teammates who backed him on the mound. 

“Just believing in my teammates and trusting them behind me,” Osmond said. “Just throwing strikes and letting them make the plays. 

“(The Cougars) are a good team. They showed up and showed up more. We wanted it more, I think.” 

Dirigo (6-3) got the first run of the game in the bottom of the first. Trent Hutchinson doubled, stole third base and came home on Austin Adams’ flyout to left field. 

The Cougars clung to that 1-0 lead for four innings before the Greyhounds’ four-hit, four-run eruption in the top of the fifth. 

Keeghan Morrissette started the ‘Hounds’ parade at the plate with a one-out double. Jimmy Fitzsimmons and Osmond each singled to load the bases. Levi Tibbetts got on with an error when Morrissette came home with Lisbon’s first run. Fitzsimmons and Osmond made it two more runs across when Jack Ramich reached on an error. Tibbetts scored on Jacoby Tuplin’s RBI single to give Lisbon a comfortable 4-1 lead. 

“It was a defensive duel — no doubt about it,” Lisbon coach Randy Ridley said. “Cody came out and he was efficient. He threw strikes. It was one of our best defensive games we’ve had all year. Like I said, Cody pitched great. The defense was great. 

“They made some mistakes, which we capitalized on. When you’ve got young teams, that’s what you’ve got to do to win — and that is what we’ve got. I was very proud of my boys today. They battled, battled, battled and they came out with a ‘dub.’” 

The Cougars picked up one more run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Hutchinson got on with a fielder’s choice and eventually moved to third base on Adams’ single. Hutchinson made a play for home and scored on a passed ball. 

“There were some good parts and some bad parts,” Dirigo coach Gavin Arsenault said. 

The first-year coach has been impressed with his pitching staff. 

“I am loving it,” Arsenault said. “The last three games, we’ve had our three pitchers do a complete game. It is saving us because we have five games this week. It really helps out. 

“It was a good battle (with) a good team.” 

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