QUINCY, Mass. – One horrid inning and an uncharacteristic epidemic of errors sabotaged Portland in a 14-4 loss to Waterford, Conn., in a winners’ bracket game of the Babe Ruth Baseball New England Regional on Saturday at Adams Field.

The game was stopped in the sixth inning because of the 10-run mercy rule.

Portland, which won its tournament opener Friday, 2-1 against Coventry, R.I., will play an elimination game at 8 p.m. Sunday against Quincy, Mass., or St. Johnsbury, Vt., who played late Saturday.

Portland led 4-1 before things started falling apart in the bottom of the third. With two on and two outs, Waterford strung together four hits, including a Jesse Coates double inside the left-field line that made it 4-4.

Kyle Chung’s seeing-eye infield single scored the go-ahead run, and an errant throw to the plate made it 6-4. After another single, a hard-hit grounder was misplayed for another unearned run, and an ensuing grounder also was booted.

“That (six-run) inning killed us today,” said Portland Manager Ian Boyle. “I thought we actually hit the ball well, the best we have in all our tournament games. We were just hitting it right at people, not finding the holes.

“Coming out with that three-run lead and then walking the leadoff guy was the start of it, and then we started missing on plays we’ve been making all year. That was tough, coming off our own big third inning, and I think we lost a little life after that. We let their pitcher off the hook and he really settled down.”

Waterford added three in the fourth on three hits and a walk. In the sixth, three walks combined with three hits and an outfield error accounted for three more Waterford runs.

The final run, which invoked the mercy rule, came on a bases-loaded walk.

“We always say we want to win with pride and lose with pride,” said Boyle, “so we just have to tip our caps to Connecticut and hopefully put it behind us.

“We should be fine with pitching (for Sunday night’s game) and we’ll start Sam Luebbert, who should be able to give us six good innings after his brief appearance (a third of an inning) today. But almost everyone will be available. (Brad) Sowerby (who pitched Friday) would be the only pitcher not available.”

Portland scored four runs in the top of the third on four hits and a pair of walks. Travis Godbout led off with a walk and Will Barlock singled to left. After a wild pitch, Joe Apon’s infield hit to the shortstop hole scored Godbout.

Pat Ball then ripped a line drive over third to score Barlock. After Dan Kane walked, Sowerby blasted a line drive to right-center, and when an attempt at a diving catch failed, Sowerby had a two-run double and Portland enjoyed a 4-1 advantage.

“Brad Sowerby is really swinging the bat well,” said Boyle, “and Pat Ball always seems to put the good part of the bat on the ball, which is why we bat him fourth.

“He also helps keep everyone motivated as a real team leader.”