AUBURN — St. Dom’s spotted Dirigo three runs in the first inning, then chipped away to tie the game before pulling away with a five-run sixth inning for a 9-4 win in the MVC baseball championship game Friday.
It was the fourth consecutive year the two schools played for the conference title and the first win for the Saints since 2010.
The two teams finished tied for first place in the conference Heal Points standings with identical 14-2 records. Dirigo won a coin toss to determine the No. 1 seed in Western Class C and who would be considered the home team Friday, even though the game was played at St. Dom’s.
The Cougars jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on a three-run triple by Kaine Hutchins.
The Saints answered with single runs in the second and fourth and two in the fifth to tie the game at 4-4. In the fifth, Mike Richard crossed the plate with what proved to be the winning run, scoring from third on the back end of a double steal. Will Desmarais followed with an RBI triple and Mike Bryant a two-run single as the Saints broke the game open with a five-run inning.
Zak Johnson picked up the victory in relief, blanking the Cougars over the final three innings while allowing two hits and fanning three. Bryant and Richard led the offense with two hits apiece, including a double. Hunter Ross had two hits for Dirigo.