Bangor East edges Kennebunk to advance to 11-12 state championship

By Skip Hawkes and Ron Hawkes
MaineSportsReport.com

Thursday night at the Thomaston Little League field, it was a case of win or go home for the two teams vying to take on South Portland in the state 11-12 year old baseball tournament. Despite being out hit 9-8, Bangor East got some clutch hitting from Ben Crichton and Liam Harrigan while Justin Courtney provided some power in a 7-5 victory over Kennebunk/Kennebunkport.

Bangor East players Robbie Moore, left, and Nick Moore show some emotion after winning Thursday's game to put them in the State 11-12 Little League championship. Robbie picked up the save on the mound while Nick made the play at third base to end the game. Bangor East won 7-5. Photo By Ron Hawkes

Bangor East (2-1) is scheduled to play South Portland Friday evening at 6 p.m. at the Thomaston Little League field for the State 11-12 year-old Little League championship with a Saturday game (Time TBA) should Bangor win Friday.

Courtney, Andrew Hillier and Robbie Moore worked the mound for Bangor East allowing a combined five runs, two earned runs, on nine hits and two walks while striking out seven. Courtney go the win and Moore picked up the save.

Colby Lapointe and Caleb Burpee pitched for Kennebunk allowing seven runs, five earned, on eight hits and five walks while striking out three.

Harrigan had two doubles and three RBIs to lead Bangor East at the plate. Courtney added a home run and an RBI; Moore had a double and single; Crichton had a double and an RBI; and Ryan Brookings added a double. Alex Welch chipped in with a single.

Lary had a double, two singles and an RBI to pace Kennebunk. Robbie Burns added two singles; Burpee had a single and an RBI; and Billy Risigo, Kip Richard, and Shane Normandeau each had a single.

Kennebunk took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI double by Lary, and held that lead until Bangor East tied the game in the top of the third inning.

The Kennebunk/Kennebunkport faithful had their rally caps on in the sixth inning, but to know avail as Bangor East held on for the 7-5 win. Photo By Ron Hawkes

Bangor added two more in the fourth inning when Courtney led off the inning with a home run and Harrigan doubled and later scored to give Bangor a 3-1 lead. Kennebunk got one run back in the bottom of the inning when Lapointe scored on a passed ball to cut the Bangor East lead to 3-2.

In the top of the fifth inning, Bangor East plated three runs on an RBI double by Crichton and a 2-run double by Harrigan to take a 6-2 lead. Kennebunk would not go away quietly, plating two runs on RBIs from Burpee and Lapointe and another on a Bangor East error to close the gap to 6-5.

Bangor added an insurance run in the sixth inning when Matt Duff walked and pinch runner James Deane scored on a Nick Moore double before Moore was thrown out trying to advance to third base.

Kennebunk opened the bottom of the sixth with back to back walks, but left both runners stranded as the next three batters went down in order ending the tournament for Kennebunk and sending Bangor East into the championship round.

Click to see all nine games and the opening ceremony photo galleries from the state 11-12 baseball tournament