KENNEBUNK — There’s an old sports cliché that goes “it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.” That sentiment was quite fitting for the Biddeford baseball team, for both the whole season and for Tuesday’s Western Maine Class A preliminary round game against Kennebunk.

The 11th-seeded Tigers, who were just 6-10 during the regular season but won three of their final four games, overcame a shaky start against the No. 6 Rams, but were solid at the end of a 4-1 upset win.

Kennebunk, which was 11-5 during the regular season, threw the metaphorical first punch in the game, as Kip Richard smashed a two-out, solo home run over the fence in right-center off Biddeford starter Casey Twomey to put the Rams up 1-0.

It looked like the Rams would kick Twomey while he was down in the second as the Rams loaded the bases with one out on two walks sandwiched around a Jack Lapham single. But Twomey got out of the jam, getting Thomas Wildes to pop out to catcher Joey Curit in foul territory before Justin Wiggins grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the frame.

“We got to put the ball in play there,” said Kennebunk head coach Brian Dill. “I think a groundball would have scored a run. They were playing back on the infield.”

Twomey said that Richard’s first-inning homer didn’t faze him, and that he didn’t worry when Kennebunk leaded the bases. The senior just focused in and trusted his defense.

“I knew I had a good D behind me, and I knew I could put all the weight in their hands,” said Twomey. “I just put it down the middle, I put in spots where I knew they’d hit it to the guys, and they executed it well.”

“I thought he showed a lot of poise,” Biddeford head coach Keith LeBlanc said of Twomey. “Did a nice job just staying within himself, not trying to strike every guy out himself, and just kind of letting the defense do the work. Defense played great today, and it makes the game pretty easy when that’s happening.”

The game turned at that point, as Twomey held the Rams hitless the rest of the way and Biddeford’s offense woke up.

It was Twomey that served as the wake-up call.

Nick Conley led off the top of the third with a single, but was picked off by Richard behind the plate when Colin Lavigne pulled back a bunt attempt. Lavigne then grounded out for the second out, putting Kennebunk starter Ben Lary in good position to get out of the inning, as he was cruising up until that point.

But Twomey prolonged the inning as he drew a walk. Kerry Crepeau then followed with a double to left-center and Twomey, rounding the bases trying to score, forced a bad relay throw that brought home the tying run.

Lary settled down after that, striking out Brady Crepeau to end the inning before throwing back-to-back 1-2-3 innings in the fourth and fifth.

“He pitched well enough to win,” Dill said of Lary, who struck out eight batters and gave up just one earned run.

Lary also walked two batters. And it was Twomey both times. And both times he scored.

Twomey led off the top of the sixth with a walk, then stole second to get into scoring position. Lary retired both Crepeaus to bring Nate Huot to the plate with two outs and Twomey on second. Huot, who was 0-for-2 with a strikeout and a grounder back to Lary up to that point, slapped a single down the third-base line that just stayed fair and just eluded the reach of third baseman Nate Lapointe, allowing Twomey to score the go-ahead run.

“In playoffs, every base runner is important. You saw, two walks can equal two runs, it doesn’t always have to be those big hits,” said Twomey. It’s just the scrappy base on balls, stealing bases and waiting for them to make errors.”

Biddeford plated a pair of insurance runs in the seventh, with Twomey in the middle once again. Dominick Day led off with a single past second and Conley followed with a bunt single that snuck between Lapointe and Lary. Lavigne moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt, then Twomey hit a hard grounder that second baseman Wiggins couldn’t handle, scoring Day. Conley then came home when Twomey stole second and Richard threw off-target trying to catch Conley off the base.

“You get on base any way you can, and just make the most of your opportunities,” said LeBlanc. “The kids did a really nice job of when the leadoff guy or guys were on base to knock them in, just to put the ball in play and see what happens.”

Twomey then shut the door on the Rams in the bottom of the seventh, striking out a pair around a fly out. He allowed just two hits while striking out four and walking three.

“Their pitcher pitched well, I thought. He did a good job,” Dill said of Twomey.

For Kennebunk, it was a hard pill to swallow for a team that had a good regular season and lots of experienced players, with nine seniors and five juniors.

“Not our plan, you know. I thought we were good enough to go further. Obviously you got to prove it, and we came up short today,” said Dill. “It’s tough to see the seniors leave.”

LeBlanc said his senior class came up big for his team. All four ”“ Twomey, Huot, Day and Conley ”“ reached base, to go along with Twomey’s brilliance on the mound.

Now the Tigers advance to the Western Maine Class A quarterfinals, where they will take on No. 3 South Portland on Thursday. Biddeford beat the Red Riots in a late-season matchup, and the Tigers team that struggled through much of the regular season now has some confidence heading into the rematch.

“It’s an exciting game, exciting time of year,” said LeBlanc. “We’re just hoping to keep it going for as long as possible.”

— Sports Staff Writer Wil Kramlich can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 323 or sports@journaltribune.com. Follow him on Twitter @WilTalkSports.