GORHAM—Deering handed Gorham their second straight loss on Thursday afternoon, May 10. Deering jumped on top 2-0 in the early going and ultimately eked out a 3-1 triumph.

Deering’s first couple batters – Jack Lynch and Luc Harrison – grounded out to short and flew out to center, respectively. When Keagan Stanton-Meas stepped to the plate, however, kismet smiled on the team: Stanton-Meas singled to reach base, advanced 90 feet when Brown (Gorham’s starter on the mound) tried to pick him off at first but whipped the ball a little high, and ultimately rounded to home during Luke Hill’s ups.

Gorham’s first at-bats turned up no runs. David Drew grounded for the team – Drew reached base on an error by Deering shortstop Alex McGonagle – and soon stole second, but his teammates in the batter’s box couldn’t keep him moving: Kyle King lined out to right and Brogan McDonald struck out to close the inning.

Deering went up 2-0 to start the second. Brown hit No. 6 batter Bobby Ridge with a pitch – hit him in the ankle – then walked McGonagle for two men on. Ridge slid over to third on a Mike Jones sac bunt and scooted home on a Caleb Delano single.

“Especially when you’re not hitting, you can’t give guys extra outs, extra bases,” Gorham head coach Chuck Nadeau said. “We did that. I think all three of their runs were the result of extra stuff we gave them. But give them credit, they took advantage of some of our mistakes. That’s what we’re not doing on the other side of it.”

Gorham responded in the bottom of the second. Brown, batting fifth in the lineup, singled; he stole second during Will Prescott’s at-bat and grabbed third when Prescott grounded out to short. Finally, Roop brought him home, belting a beautiful drive to center.

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The well dried up for Gorham after that – for Gorham, but not for Deering. Deering added their third run, the 3-1 run, in the top of the sixth. Brown lured Ridge into a 6-3 groundout to open the stretch, but then nailed McGonagle in the elbow. McGonagle would shortly find his way across the plate.

Deering improves to 5-2. The Rams kicked off their spring a 6-5 victory over Windham, who currently sits in first. They suffered a 5-0 beating when Scarborough came to town, but then slipped past Massabesic, crushed Westbrook and dispatched Kennebunk. Prior to dropping in on Gorham, they stumbled hugely – to the tune of 13-3 – at home against Biddeford. Next up: a road battle at Marshwood. 

Gorham, who’ve been in a bit of a hitting slump, recently lost to South Portland as well, an 8-3 defeat. Still, these Rams remains on the plus side of .500 at 4-3. They opened their schedule with a win over Cheverus, before slipping to 1-1 vs. Biddeford. A trio of victories followed – against Bonny Eagle, Scarborough and Falmouth; they match up at Thornton Academy on Saturday the 12th, and host Massabesic on Tuesday the 15th and Sanford on Thursday the 17th.

Adam Birt can be reached at abirt@keepmecurrent.com. Follow him on Twitter: @CurrentSportsME.

Bobby Ridge leads off third for Deering early in the game.

Gorhamite David Drew steals second; Deering shortstop Alex McGonagle fields the throw.

Luc Harrison gets under a flyball for Deering.

Gorham’s Nolan Brown launched a deep double into left-center in the bottom of the fourth; he lucked out and extended his run all the way to third when Deering baseman Dan Hill couldn’t quite keep his glove on the throw.

Deering’s Keagan Stanton-Meas readies himself at the plate.


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