LEBANON — Sometimes the magic runs out when you least expect it.
Kennebunk lost the Maine District 4 All-Star Championship game 12-5 to South Berwick on Thursday at STS Field in Lebanon. Kennebunk, which had three come-from-behind wins during the tournament, finishes with a record of 4-2.
Both teams were tied 4-4 heading into the fourth inning. But South Berwick took an 8-4 lead after both Ryan O’Neil and Jake Lebel hit two-run homers.
“This feels great,” Lebel said. “This is the first time this has ever happened to us.”
From that point on, it was all South Berwick, who added four more runs in the final two innings. It also wouldn’t be the end of the home run parade for South Berwick, as both O’Neil and Lebel added another home run to have two a piece.
South Berwick took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI double by Lebel, plating O’Neil. Kennebunk came back to take a 3-1 lead in the third inning, thanks to an RBI single by Colby LaPointe and a two-run error that scored both LaPointe and Brandon Hall.
South Berwick took a 4-3 lead in the third thanks to a three-run blast by Lebel, hit deep into the trees beyond the left field wall.
Kennebunk tied it again at 4-4 in the fourth when John Jarowicz hit an RBI single to score Gordon McCullogh.
Lebel said Kennebunk gave South Berwick plenty of competition.
“They really did give us a run for out money in the beginning, and then we just took off,” Lebel said.
It was then that South Berwick would go on its scoring spree, including the final two home runs by both Lebel and O’Neil. Kennebunk added one run in the fifth inning, when Erik Aiken hit an RBI single to score LaPoint.
Kennebunk starting pitcher Chris Coughlan pitched over three innings and finished with six strikeouts. Alex Gaulkin came in relief for Coughlan and struck out three batters.
Kennebunk picked up wins over Shaker Valley, Saco, East Biddeford and West Biddeford during the tournament, while both of its losses came at the hands of South Berwick, who finishes the tournament with a perfect 5-0 record. South Berwick moves on to the state tournament, which will be held in Hampden beginning on July 23.
— Contact Dave Dyer at 282-1535 ext. 318.
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