Lincoln Academy opened their Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference 2011 spring season with a 12-0 five-inning mercy ruling win over Medomak Valley on Friday. The Eagles plated six runs in the top of the sixth to put the game away early.
Brandon Reilly went the distance in the shortened game (6K,2H,1B). Isaac Greenrose took the loss (4B,5H,2K) and Shane Osier pitched in relief (1B,1HP,1K).
The Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Stephen Quinlan hit a lead off single, moved over on a Kyle Scherer bunt error, and scored on a Jeff Lamb RBI sacrifice.
Lincoln added two runs in the third on a Reilly walk, Lamb RBI error, and Everett Martin RBI single. They added three runs in the fourth. With two outs Reilly drove Quinlan home on an error, and Merritt Wotton and Lamb hit RBI singles.
Lincoln put the game away with a six run fifth inning. Martin reached on an error and scored when AJ Oliver reached on an error, McLain hit a sacrifice bunt, and Quinlan singled to set up an RBI sac fly from Scherer.
Reilly walked and Wotton was hit by a pitch to load up the bases for an RBI walk to Lamb, and two run single to Leeman. Lamb scored on a passed ball.
Lincoln played errorless defense in the win, and Medomak committed five errors.
Hitting for Lincoln was Quinlan with 2 singles, and Wotton, Lamb, Leeman and Martin a single each. Lamb drove in four runs and Leeman two. Hitting for the Panthers were Isaac Durkee with a fourth inning single and Osier with a fifth inning single.
“Lincoln Academy executed on the mound, in the field and at the plate. We struggled to hit Reilly, and had several fielding errors that led to runs and extended innings. Isaac Greenrose pitched well for us, giving up no earned runs. But, you can’t make five errors against a team like Lincoln Academy and expect to win. However, there is a lot of time left in the season and we expect to turn things around next week,” Medomak coach Scott Hastings said.
Miles Wotton, grandson of Bob Fossett, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. He was joined on the mound by Lincoln player and grandson Brandon Reilly.
The Eagles will be honoring the memory of Fossett with a patch on their team under-shirts. The patch was designed by freshman AJ Oliver.
“Brandon is playing with great heart. No one wants to pitch to him. He has been walked six times in two games,” coach Greg Rice said.
The Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Reilly walked, stole second and scored on a Merritt Wotton single.
Lincoln added two runs in the third. Kyle Scherer and Reilly drew walks to set up RBI singles to Wotton and Leeman. They added three runs in the fifth inning. Reilly smashed a two run homerun, scoring Quinlan. Wotton doubled and scored on a Lamb single. The Eagles scored two more runs in the sixth on a walk to Quinlan, sacrifice bunt to Scherer, and RBI singles to Reilly and Lamb.
Winslow scored a run in the fourth and sixth and three runs in the seventh. Chris Smith hit a solo homerun in the sixth. John McCabe drove in two runs with a double.
Wotton went four for four at the plate with a double and three singles, Reilly was two for two with a homerun and single, Lamb had two hits and Leeman a single for the Eagles. Hitting for Winslow were Smith with a homerun and double, Caleb Hill 2 singles, John McCabe a double and Zach Guptill and Zach Casey a single each.