WATERBORO — Massabesic got solid starting pitching and used aggressive baserunning to sweep Saco Bay PT on Saturday, clinching a Zone 5 American Legion tournament berth in the process.

Corey Mongiat pitched a complete game shutout in Game 1 as Massabesic won 8-0. Massabesic scored three runs in the bottom of the third without getting a hit, using its aggressiveness to manufacture runs.

Shawn McCarthy led off the inning with a walk, and scored on a hit-and-run as Cody Frazier bunted to third and Saco Bay PT’s Kyle Cone threw the ball out of play. Hunter Duncan then walked to put two runners on. Two batters later, Brandon Coulombe’s sacrifice fly brought home Frazier, and Duncan scored on a wild pitch with Brian Wardwell at the plate.

“We’re aggressive. We stay aggressive, we’ve been aggressive all year, and that’s what we’re going to continue to do. Put pressure on other teams and make them make the plays,” said Massabesic coach Jeff Cessario.

Massabesic scored twice more in the fourth on an RBI double by Frazier and a wild pitch that brought Frazier home two batters later.

Massabesic rounded out its scoring in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run double by McCarthy and a sacrifice grounder by Duncan.

Though Mongiat had plenty of run support, he pitched a great game in his own right. He gave up just five hits and struck out seven, and he showed a lot of poise in the fifth inning when he pitched himself out of a jam. After giving up consecutive hits to start the inning, Mongiat got an out at the plate and a strikeout before an error loaded the bases with two outs. He then got Ben Lawler out on a routine fly ball to end the inning.

Saco Bay PT played with a depleted roster from the start, with only 10 players making the trip to Waterboro. Brandon Pridham, Cole Boston and freshman Derick Neal all had to pitch in both games. Pridham pitched two scoreless innings to start the first game before being lifted for Boston. Boston struggled with his command in the first game and walked his only two batters in the second, in a role he doesn’t usually fill.

Neal gave up seven earned runs on 11 hits over the two games.

“We’re teaching with him on the fly,” said Saco Bay PT coach Chuck Chadbourne. “He’s having to make some serious adjustments in how he pitches. He’s going against seniors and post-grads, where this past year he was pitching against a bunch of ninth graders.”

Massabesic blew a 1-0 game open in the third inning of the second game. The first three batters all walked, and a double steal brought home Frazier. Duncan scored on a sacrifice fly, Caleb Campbell later scored on an RBI single by Mongiat, and Mongiat scored on a throwing error on Gavin Campbell’s single.

Saco Bay PT scored in the top of the fourth to prevent a shutout sweep. Neal tripled with one out, and barely beat the tag at the plate on Alex Mercurio’s sacrifice fly to right.

The sweep secured a spot in the Zone 5 tournament for Massabesic, who was just ahead of Saco Bay PT in the standings. Saco Bay PT now looks to finish strongly with the young roster it has left after a season ravaged by injuries.

“We weren’t as good as the team we played today, but I thought we played as hard as we could possibly play. And that’s all you can ask of a bunch of kids on a 95-degree Saturday when we’re missing five or six core guys,” said Chadbourne.

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