It was a pitchers’ duel in last Thursday’s Houlton Area Little League Town Championship in the Major’s Division.
Ben Boutilier of Machias Savings Bank lifted his team to a 2-1 victory over Savings Bank of Maine with a walk-off double in the last inning.
To open the game, Kole Buzzeo of Savings Bank of Maine drew a walk and scored on a long drive to the outfield by Kyle Bouchard, who tripled. Savings Bank of Maine held a 1-0 advantage through four innings, as Bouchard and Gage Hunt of Machias Savings Bank went head-to-head off the mound, with strong pitching performances.
Second baseman Cameron Clark of Savings Bank of Maine made an outstanding defensive stop in the fourth when he snagged Ryan Dee’s line drive shot to rob him of a hit.
After the first run, the pitchers settled in and put up goose eggs until Nick Hagan’s single in the fifth inning. In the bottom of the inning, Boutilier of Machias Savings Bank stroked a triple to a gap in right center field. Then, Devin McLaughlin drew a walk and Hagan delivered a run-scoring hit on the first pitch, knotting the game at 1-all.
Reaching the pitch count, Hunt (nine strikeouts) of Machias Savings Bank was relieved by Nick Cowperthwaite after four and 2/3 innings of work. Cowperthwaite closed the door on Savings Bank of Maine, holding them scoreless in an inning and 1/3 of work.
In the decisive sixth inning, Ryan Dee of Machias Savings Bank reached base on a one-out single. He then moved to second on a wild pitch. As Bouchard (eight strikeouts) exhausted his pitch count after five and 2/3 innings of work, Cameron Clark came on in relief.
With two outs, Boutilier was in the box for Machias Savings Bank. He ripped the ball down the third baseline for a double, bringing in Dee with the winning run.
Hunt singled for Machias Savings Bank, while Bouchard tripled and singled and Chase Brewer singled for Savings Bank of Maine.
