LISBON

There was no quit in the Lisbon High School baseball team on Saturday in a Class C South semifinal with the Maranacook Black Bears.

Down 6-1 in the sixth, the Greyhounds reeled off three runs, highlighted by a Noah Austin two-run triple. Then in the seventh, trailing 7-4, Lisbon had the tying run at the plate.

But, the Black Bears, the No. 3 seed from Readfield, held on when closer Jay Lauter struck out the side in that final frame as Maranacook (15-3) advanced to Tuesday’s regional final at Saint Joseph’s College with a 7-4 win.

Lisbon, the defending regional champion, ended its season at 14-4.

Two key moments defined Maranacook’s win. Tied 1-1 in the third inning, the Black Bears jumped ahead on an RBI single by leadoff hitter Aric Belanger, who was 3- for-4 at the plate. Leading 3-1 and with runners on second and third, Lisbon starting pitcher Austin intentionally walked cleanup hitter Dan Garard. On a 1-1 pitch, Austin hit designated hitter Duncan Rogers in the shoulder with a pitch to force in a run.

Mitch Root followed with a ground ball that was misplayed for an error, with two more Black Bears touching the plate for a 6-1 lead.

“It was one inning that they capitalized on our mistakes,” said Lisbon coach Randy Ridley, who discussed his decision to walk Garard. “It was the right decision, and the pitch just slipped out of Noah’s hand and it hit (Rogers).

“Then we make a mistake and two more score. You just can’t make mistakes at this time of the year.”

Key pick

Lisbon looked to strike right back in the home half of the third. Nick Austin reached on an infield single, and walks to Jonah Sautter and Cole Bolduc loaded the bases with two outs. After a Maranacook mound conference, Black Bears starting pitcher Avery Beckwith picked off Bolduc at first base to end the threat.

“That was a big play that they made, the right decision at the right time, and who knows what we do after that?” said Ridley.

Noah Austin threw 101 pitches over his four innings of work. Only two of the runs he allowed were earned. He struck out five, walked two and permitted five hits.

Sean Scott relieved and kept the Greyhounds in it. He received two solid plays in the sixth inning from his outfield. Right fielder Neil Larochelle robbed Jackson McPhedran of extra bases with a diving catch.

Noah Austin, now playing center field, went a long way in center field on a drive off the bat of Garard, hauling in the deep fly by diving toward the fence to make the shoestring catch.

In the sixth. Larochelle singled and pinch hitter Noah Buiniskas was walked on four pitches by reliever Jared Beckwith. Noah Austin, Lisbon’s leadoff hitter who was 3- for-3, tripled to right-center field. Ridley brought senior Ben LeClair to the plate as a pinch hitter and he dropped a suicide squeeze bunt to draw the Greyhounds to 6-4.

“Ben laid down a beautiful squeeze bunt. It worked out for us there, and Sean Scott (three innings pitched, one strikeout, three walks, three hits) did a good job coming in to pitch. He kept us in it,” said Ridley.

“We didn’t quit. We battled to the very end. I was glad to be a part of it,” said Noah Austin.

A run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly ball by Jarred Schmidt made for a 7-4 game, and Lauter closed it out despite walking two Greyhounds.

“We haven’t made it this far in a couple seasons, and I think it is great for us during a rebound season after going 6-10 last season,” said Belanger.

McPhedran and Silas Mohlar had two hits each for the Black Bears, who pounded out eight hits. Avery Beckwith earned the win, going four-plus frames on one strikeouts, three walks and five hits. Jared Beckwith picked up the hold with two innings of work (one walk, two hits).