OLD ORCHARD BEACH— First Title had a long time to think about what could go wrong over the last three innings of the State American Legion championship game. The team, made up of players from Cheverus High School in Portland, led Pastime Club of Lewiston 4-2 after six innings on Sunday before rain postponed the game at The Ballpark in Old Orchard Beach. The game was resumed Monday afternoon, and the teams made the most out of the much-awaited finish. Pastime tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the ninth before First Title got a walk-off 5-4 win in the bottom of the inning on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly.

Harry Ridge took the mound for First Title, and had the unenviable task of just not losing the lead. Ridge knew the stakes he faced.

“It’s a lot of pressure,” Ridge said. “We’re a good team, but they’re a good team also. It’s definitely a lot of pressure though, with their offense.”

Pastime came back from a one-run deficit against Post 51 on Sunday to make it to the championship game, and hoped to repeat that again on Monday. Ridge allowed single runners in the seventh and eight innings before he ran into trouble in the ninth. He got two quick outs on a line-out to center and a routine groundout to second. Down to their last out, Pastime settled down and made Ridge work. Mekae Hyde walked when Ridge couldn’t find the strike zone. Corbin Hyde then doubled Mekae home with a shot to left-center. Shawn Ricker then doubled to the same spot on a 3-2 pitch to score Corbin Hyde, who was mobbed behind the plate after scoring the tying run. Ridge then was able to get out of the jam by getting Ben Wigant to fly out to shallow center.

Corbin Hyde came on for his third inning of work on the day, looking to force extra innings. After setting First Title down 1-2-3 in both the seventh and eighth innings, Hyde ran out of gas in the ninth. Nic Lops led off with a single up the middle that just eluded the middle infielders. Ridge then grounded to second for what could have been a double play, but he beat out the throw to first. Hyde then walked Peter Potthoff and Tyler Flaherty to load the bases. Drew Ferrick then stepped to the plate and was able to hit a fly ball deep enough to score Ridge and win the game.

It was a fitting end for Ridge, who blew the save in the top of the inning, only to score the decisive run in the bottom.

“Justice I guess you’d call it,” First Title coach Mac McKew said of Ridge cleaning up his own mess. “The right guy in the spot.”

It was a longer than expected wait to win the championship for First Title, and not something that McKew wants to go through again.

“Hate it. Hate it,” McKew said about having to sleep on a lead in a big game. “I can sleep tonight, I can tell you that.”

First Title now moves on to the American Legion Northeast regionals, which will also take place at The Ballpark in Old Orchard Beach. First Title opens play on Thursday with a match-up against the Rhode Island champion.

NOTES: First Title’s Louis DiStasio was given the Sid Schwartz Award as the tournament’s MVP. DiStasio had 10 hits in the tournament and pitched in three games, including pitching the first six innings of the championship game. Jeff Gelinas of Fayette-Staples was named to the all-tournament team despite playing in just two games. Gelinas had six hits over the two games, and allowed just one earned run in six innings in Fayette-Staples’ 5-1 opening round loss to Saco & Biddeford Savings of Westbrook.

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