After an impressive run through the majority of the school season, South Portland met their match in the State Final versus Bangor. Their trip through the first 23 games of their American Legion season, during which they are properly known as Morrill Post, was likewise outstanding, and their 12-9 loss in the State Final on Sunday – again to Bangor – was equally crushing.

Morrill wended their way through an eight-team, double-elimination tournament – their final six games of the season, compressed into the span of five exhausting days – to fall in the Championship.

Morrill Post vs. Saco-Biddeford Savings

Morrill starting pitcher Henry Curran dropped Saco-Biddeford Savings batters like flies Wednesday morning, and his teammates pounded hit after hit into the field as the team opened the tournament with a 13-2, seven-inning win.

“Just a good all-around game,” said Morrill head coach Mike Owens. “We pitched well, played defense well and had good, timely hitting.”

Sam Troiano, Matt Beecher and Nick Troiano all crossed home in the bottom of the first for Morrill, giving them a quick three-zip lead. Sam Troiano and Beecher scored on Nick Troiano’s contact, a double to center, and Nick Troiano scored when Ben Conti reached first on an error at short.

The team hashed two in the bottom of the third – Jacob Brown and Conti scored on a Robert Graff double to shallow center – and three more in the bottom of the fifth, when Drew Abramson and Sam Troiano rounded home on an Anthony Degifico single and Beecher followed on another error at short.

Morrill logged their biggest inning, a five-run beast, in the bottom of the sixth. Brad Sowerby, Abramson, Sam Troiano, Beecher and Degifico all notched runs in the stretch, icing the cake and securing the W, 13-2.

Curran threw 9 Ks in the outing.

Morrill Post vs. Post 51

Morrill’s Thursday bout against Post 51, who hail from the Oakland area, ended more discouragingly than had their game with Saco-Biddeford Savings – oh, it looked like it might turn into another blowout when Morrill logged a five-run sixth inning to go up 6-0, but then Post 51 logged a seven-run seventh, flipped the battle on its head and ultimately won.

The result dropped Morrill to 1-1 in the tournament, slid them to the losers’ bracket and set them up to face fellow Zone Three contenders the Sebago Lakers, also 1-1, on Friday.

In the midday heat, the first four and a half innings rolled by like a tumbleweed. Finally, in the bottom of the fifth, someone got on the board – and it was Morrill. Conti doubled to right-center and reached home on a Graff double into wide left. Graff himself, in what would’ve been Morrill’s second run, got caught out trying for home on a pass ball.

Morrill tallied five more in the bottom of the sixth to, seemingly, take the matchup firmly in-hand. Sam Troiano singled to left to begin the ups. Two batters later, Degifico walked onto base, and both boys scored when Nick Troiano doubled.

Brown then singled and Conti walked, loading the bases and prompting Post 51 head coach Russ Mercier to relieve his starting pitcher, Cody Martin, with Devon Warren. Warren couldn’t get the Ks he needed, though; he lured Graff into a fly-out to right, but that permitted Nick Troiano to cross home, and Abramson drove a single to center, scoring Brown and Conti.

6-0, and Morrill had all the momentum. But Post 51 spun the game on a dime in the top of the seventh, hashing seven runs to seize a narrow lead. Zach Mathieu, Danny Pooler, Warren, John Wilkie, Jared Cunningham, Jake Dexter and Joe Leclair all crossed home for 51 on a bevy of powerful hits, including a three-RBI single by Wilkie midway through the ups. It was a long, taxing stretch on the mound for Morrill starter Graff.

Morrill had their chances in the ensuing innings, but couldn’t convert. In the bottom of the seventh, Sam Troiano grounded a single into left, stole second during Beecher’s at-bat and reached third on a pass ball – but got stuck there when Nick Troiano went down swinging for the team’s third out.

Similarly, in the bottom of the ninth, Beecher took a pitch square in the helmet to get on first, stole second during Degifico’s at-bat and reached third on Degifico’s infield single to short. Nick Troiano, perhaps looking to reverse his earlier fortunes, battled at the plate, but ultimately struck out swinging once more. It was the contest’s last out; 7-6 the final.

“We just needed to get a hit in a big situation,” said Owens. “That’s what it comes down to in these types of tournaments.”

Morrill Post vs. Sebago Lakers

Morrill piled a mountain of runs on the Lakers in the middle innings of the teams’ matchup, and found themselves down 10-1 after five. Respectably, tenaciously, Sebago scaled that mountain –and nearly summited it. Morrill held on, though, earning an 11-8 victory and one more day alive.

Sebago had the first quality opportunity to get on the board, in the bottom of the second. Spencer Hodge reached first on an error, a little bobble, by Morrill second baseman Conti. Ethan Petty followed Hodge to the plate, but flied to center for the Lakers’ first out.

Hodge then stole second during Max Salevsky’s at-bat and made it to third on Salevsky’s grounder single toward first. When Drake Laughlin also flied to center, Hodge must’ve thought it was his team’s third out, because he simply scooted home rather than tagging up at third. Morrill, realizing Hodge’s mistake, relayed the ball over to third and axed him as well.

So Sebago had to wait an inning to earn their first run. In the bottom of the third, however, they did just that. Andrew Whiting, who swung a reliable bat all tournament, opened the ups with a sailing single to right-center, then rounded to third on Dana McKay’s double to wide left. He crossed home on a Devin Butler single to wide right for 1-0.

Morrill responded in a big way in the fourth, and an even bigger way in the fifth. The team amassed 10 runs in the stretch to seize a huge advantage – one that would eventually prove insurmountable.

All signs pointed to a Morrill rout, but the Lakers were not so ready to fold as might have been expected.

Instead, Sebago flexed some muscle in the sixth – when they hashed three – and again in the eighth, when they grabbed four more. Hodge, Petty and Salevsky scored in the sixth, and Salevsky, Zack Conley, Whiting and McKay did in the eighth to chew the team’s deficit all the way to the bone: 10-8.

Morrill added one more in the late action. If Sebago managed to produce in the ninth like they’d produced in the sixth and the eighth, however, one extra run might not cut it.

Skillfully, though, Morrill held on for the win, downing the Lakers one, two, three in their last ups and eliminating them from contention.

Morrill Post vs. Coffee News Comrades

The team’s next challenge, against the Coffee News Comrades out of Bangor, also went their way, 4-3 thanks to a timely hit by Nick Troiano, though it proved a bit of an uphill battle after Coffee News built a small lead early.

Morrill fell behind in the very first inning, when starting pitcher Sam Troiano got into trouble. Troiano gave up a single to open the Comrades’ ups, then threw wild to second base on a fielder’s choice attempt before giving up a standing double two batters later.

The whole shebang cost him two runs. He kept his wits about him, though, so when one of his hurls got past his brother/catcher, Nick Troiano, he had the wherewithal to cover the plate and lay the tag on a Comrade trying to steal home. Two innings later, Coffee News added a third run, a confidence-booster.

Kelley relieved Sam Troiano in the bottom of the fourth. “Griffin did an unbelievable job of piecing it together,” said Owens.

In the top of the fourth, Morrill had managed to tie things up. Nick Troiano opened the ups with a single to center-right, and Jacob Brown followed up with another single, this one to left.

Conti reached first on an error by the Comrades’ shortstop, loading the bases for Graff. Graff grounded to third; the 5-2 fielder’s choice caught Nick Troiano out at home, but left the bases still loaded for Abramson.

Then Coffee News got a little sloppy. Pitcher Jesse Colford walked Abramson, and then walked Alex Livingston, cutting Morrill’s deficit for them, all the way to 3-2. Graff scored on a pass ball to even the tally.

In the top of the fifth, Morrill scored the game’s final run. Degifico belted a standing double that the Comrades’ diving centerfielder, Ryan Brookings, couldn’t quite grab; Nick Troiano next launched another hit in Brookings’s direction.

Brookings’s long throw home arrived just late, and Degifico gave Morrill the advantage – their first of the game, and the last they would need.

Morrill Post vs. Staples Crossing

Morrill faced a tall order – a double-header – on Sunday, championship day. To reach the final, vs. Coffee News, they would first need to off Staples Crossing, comprised primarily of Marshwood players. They managed to do so, 4-2, and had just about an hour to rest and rehydrate before playing their second straight game in the scorching heat.

The team jumped on top of Staples 2-0 in the bottom of the third, grabbing three quick hits to load the bases: Brad Sowerby grounded a single into left, Drew Abramson grounded one into center and Sam Troiano popped one to shallow left.

Anthony Degifico then skipped a shot to third. Staples baseman Nate Curtis opted for the 5-2 attempt home. His throw arrived in time to catch Sowerby out, but the subsequent 2-3 try for a double-play flew wide of first baseman Jake Lebel’s glove, giving both Abramson and Sam Troiano time to score. 2-0.

Staples answered in the top of the fourth, tying things at 2-2, but Morrill climbed back ahead at their next opportunity. Jacob Brown began the bottom of the fourth with a chop to center for his first 90 feet, and grabbed second on a pass ball during Ben Conti’s at-bat.

Graff split the Staples defense with a grounder up the middle, loading the bases for Sowerby, who belted a ball to second. Staples baseman Zack Quintal tried the 4-2 throw home, and though he couldn’t get the ball to the plate in time to catch Brown out, he did get it there plenty early to get Conti. Soon, however, Graff would also score, putting Morrill up 4-2.

The game devolved into a defensive standstill from there; Morrill eventually picked up the W and earned themselves the chance to play again that afternoon.

Morrill Post vs. Coffee News Comrades

The Championship bout, a rematch with Coffee News, bounced tensely back and forth: Morrill surged ahead in the top of the eighth, seeming to sew things up, but the Comrades battled back in a big way the following inning, and ultimately secured the crown 12-9.

Morrill grabbed a lead in the top of the first when Sam Troiano blasted a first-pitch, standing triple to deep centerfield and crossed home after tagging up on Matt Beecher’s fly-out to center.

But Coffee News took over in the bottom of the first, notching two as Trevor DeLaite and eventual MVP Sam Huston rounded the bases.

Morrill balanced the scales again in the fifth. Sam Troiano’s little trickler into the infield should’ve been an easy 1-3 ground-out for the Comrades, but DeLaite, the team’s starting pitcher, threw wide to first, handing Troiano a standing triple.

Coffee News made up for the snafu in the seventh, hashing three runs – by Ben Crichton, DeLaite and Huston – to snatch up a 5-2 advantage, but Morrill positively exploded in the top of the eighth. The hometown team scored seven runs in the stretch to regain the lead, 9-5, and seemingly the momentum.

For Coffee News to pull out the win, they would need to explode just as Morrill had – and they succeeded. The Comrades piled on seven of their own in the bottom of the eighth and recaptured a three-run lead, 12-9. To earn the title, they had to hold Morrill to fewer than two runs for just one more ups. They did, downing Morrill one-two-three in the top of the ninth.

Owens acknowledged as much: “It always is, this time of year, this time of the tournament. We all had a loss, so we all had to play that extra game, so you just grind, and ask guys what they can give you.”

Follow Adam @CurrentSportsME on Twitter.

Morrill ace Henry Curran notched 9 Ks in the team’s outing against Saco-Biddeford Savings Bank.Morrill rightfielder Jacob Brown loses his hat in pursuit of a fly ball against Saco-Biddeford Savings Bank.Drew Abramson reaches home – with a teammate not far behind – for Morrill Post in their 13-2 thrashing of Saco-Biddeford Savings Bank.Morrill’s Anthony Degifico hits into a sac grounder in the team’s game against Post 51.Morrill shortstop Drew Abramson hops into a throw to first in the team’s game against Post 51.Morrill third baseman Alex Livingston grabs a flyball in foul territory for a quick out in the team’s game against Post 51.Morrill first baseman Anthony Degifico waits on the 1-3 throw, hoping to catch a Post 51 runner out.Morrill’s Robert Graff started on the mound against Post 51.Morrill leftfielder Matt Beecher grabs a fly ball against Post 51.Morrill second baseman Ben Conti lets fly a ball toward home in the team’s game against Post 51.Brad Sowerby, Morrill’s starting pitcher for their game vs. the Sebago Lakers, whips a throw toward the plate.Anthony Degifico drops into a slide toward home in Morrill’s battle with Sebago, but gets caught out by Lakers catcher Dana McKay.Morrill catcher Nick Troiano lays a tag on a Post 51 runner.Morrill third baseman Alex Livingston hurls a fielder’s choice toward home against Post 51.Morrill rightfielder Jacob Brown makes a spectacular sliding catch on a fly ball in foul territory.Morrill’s Ben Conti arrives at third on a single shot to leftfield by teammate Robert Graff.Morrill runner Jacob Brown gets caught stealing second in his team’s championship battle with the Coffee News Comrades of Bangor.Morrill first baseman Anthony Degifico gets a little air – but still keeps one foot on the bag – while just managing to grab a high throw.A pitch zooms by Morrill catcher Nick Troiano in his team’s second matchup, the Legion Championship, with Bangor.Morrill’s Ben Conti drops into his slide at home vs. Staples crossing.Morrill’s Jacob Brown takes a cut in his team’s matchup vs. Staples.Morrill shorstop Drew Abramson fires a throw toward teammate Anthony Degifico at first after tagging second as part of a beautiful 6-3 double-play vs. Staples.Morrill third baseman Matt Beecher flings a throw toward first vs. Staples Crossing on Sunday.Morrill first baseman Anthony Degifico grabs an infield fly during his team’s game vs. Staples.Morrill centerfielder Sam Troiano dives for a blast during his team’s bout with Staples Crossing.Morrill’s Sam Troiano dives toward third in the team’s first contest with the Coffee News Comrades.Morrill shortstop Drew Abramson rushes to backup second base as a Bangor runner tries to steal in the teams’ first bout.Morrill shortstop Drew Abramson waits on the incoming throw as a Coffee News Comrade slides into second during the teams’ first bout.Morrill catcher Nick Troiano, who has the ball in his mitt, stands his ground against an incoming runner in the team’s first battle with Bangor.

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