OLD ORCHARD BEACH — The way Fayette-Staples was scoring runs early, it looked like Saturday’s American Legion opener at The Ballpark in Old Orchard Beach would be a walk in the park. Yet, walks allowed by Fayette-Staples’ pitchers almost blew it, as it hung on for a 6-5 win over Staples Crossing.

Fayette-Staples was favored to win the Zone 5 region this season by many of the coaches in the league, and they showed why early in the game. Jeff Gelinas was pitching, and the offense scored five runs in the first two innings.

Fayette-Staples scored three runs in the first, as six straight batters reached after Steve Harmon struck out leading off. They may have scored more if not for Cam Jackman’s inning-ending double play. Fayette-Staples put two more runs across in the second, as Gelinas hit a two-run single to right.

Gelinas was strong on the mound early on. Over his first three innings, he allowed just two walks while striking out five and not allowing a runner past first base. However, he got wild in the fourth, and Staples Crossing pounced on the opportunity. A single, a hit by pitch and a walk to lead off the inning loaded the bases for Jordan Roberge. Roberge then hit a dribbler back to Gelinas, who’s off-balance throw home was mishandled by Josh Coffin, allowing Tyler Pratt to score. Two batters later, Conor McFarland hit a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 5-2. Staples Crossing may have scored more if it weren’t for a diving catch by center fielder Jack Kenney to end the inning.

“We gave him the player of the game, because that was a big catch,” Fayette-Staples coach Ray Petit said of Kenney. “That was a real, big catch. That would have changed the whole game right there.”

Fayette-Staples scored what turned out to be the winning run in the bottom of the inning, as Kenney had a wild trip around the bases. He led off the inning by striking out, but reached base on a wild pitch strike three. He then stole second base two batters later, just barely beating the tag. He then moved to third and eventually scored when Zach Quintal threw two wild pitches to Dillon Dunbar.

Staples Crossing scored a single run in the fifth cutting it to a three-run deficit, which created the drama in the seventh inning. With Harmon on in relief to try and close out the game, Pratt walked to lead off. Alex Grammenos then lined a grounder through the right side of the infield to put the first two hitters on. A flyout by Noah McDaniel then moved Pratt to third. With Jack Craig batting, Harmon threw the ball away on a pick-off move, allowing Pratt to score and Grammenos to advance all the way to third. Craig then grounded out to first to score Grammenos. Dan Eddy stepped to the plate with two outs representing the tying run, but grounded out to third to end the game.

— Contact Staff Writer Wil Kramlich at 282-1535, Ext. 323.