OLD ORCHARD BEACH – For Pastime Club of Lewiston, the objective was to go on the attack.

Mission accomplished.

Pastime, the two-time defending state champion, scored eight runs in the second inning and rolled past Gardiner 13-1 in seven innings Thursday in an elimination game at the American Legion baseball state tournament at The Ballpark.

The game ended after seven innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.

“We just wanted to be in attack mode,” said Pastime Manager Todd Cifelli.

“We have a very capable offense and we showed that today against a good team.”

Pastime, the Zone 3 champion, plays Westbrook at noon Friday. The loss eliminated Zone 2 runner-up Gardiner (17-6), which dropped its opener to Bangor, 3-1.

Matt Bowen went 3 for 4 with two doubles for Pastime (20-3), which collected 16 hits. Ben Wigant went 1 for 4 with a two-run double in the fourth inning and three walks. David Cusson had two singles and scored a run.

Left-hander Luke Cote struck out five and gave up four hits and one run through six innings. He also went 2 for 5.

“Cote gives us a lot of confidence,” Bowen said. “We know he can throw strikes and get ground-ball outs.”

The confidence flows both ways.

“After that inning,” Cote said, “I got ahead on almost every count.”

Gardiner took a 1-0 lead in the first when Kyle Fletcher, who was hit by a pitch, came home when Pastime put out Ben Crocker at second on Spencer Allen’s fielder’s choice.

Pastime opened up the game in the second when 12 batters reached, including five in a row, to build an 8-1 lead. Mekae Hyde (two RBI) and Corbin Hyde (one) hit consecutive doubles for a 5-1 cushion.