The Dunkin Comrades got a two-run first inning double from Kyle Johnson, and a great performance on the mound from Mathieu Turcotte on Monday afternoon to defeat Oxford Hills 6-1 in the opening game of the Senior Legion State Baseball Tournament on Ronald J. St. Pierre Field at Mansfield Stadium in Bangor.
Gavin Glanville-True led off the game in the top of the first inning with a walk, and Ian Boudreau followed with an infield bunt single. After Glanville-True and Boudreau advanced to second and third on a wild pitch, Johnson hit one about halfway up the fence in left centerfield for the two-run double which ended up being the game winner. On the mound, Turcotte carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning with two outs that was broken up by a Cam Pulkkinen RBI single. That was the last batter he would face as he reached his pitch count (105). The Comrades had picked up some insurance earlier in the contest on a RBI hit by Boudreau, and a RBI fielders choice by Jonas Gilley. They capped their scoring in the seventh on a RBI sacrifice fly by Aiden Oullette. A throwing error on the same play brought home a second run.
Pulkkinen had the lone hit and RBI for Oxford Hills in the defeat. Logan Norris suffered the pitching loss allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits with five walks and eight strikeouts in five innings. Oxford Hills (15-5) was scheduled to play an elimination game against the GSM/Trenton loser later on Monday night. Johnson led the Comrades with his two RBI, while Ethan Sproul, Boudreau, and Owen Glanville-True had two hits each. Owen Glanville-True also scored twice, while his brother Gavin reached base three times with one hit and two walks. Turcotte had a final line on the mound of 4.2 innings pitched, giving up one run on one hit with five walks and nine strikeouts. Blake Littlefield took care of the final 2.1 innings to pick up the save, not allowing any runs or hits while striking out three and walking one. The Dunkin Comrades (15-7) play either GSM or Trenton in the winner’s bracket on Tuesday at 5 p.m.
