FREEPORT

Caden Benedict roped a two-run double in the sixth inning, breaking a 2-2 tie as the Southern Maine Falcons of Freeport downed Topsham Post 202, 5-2 in Junior American Legion baseball action at Freeport High School on Wednesday.

The win moves Freeport to 7-9, and awaits its opponent in the Junior Legion tournament scheduled for Sunday at Auburn Suburban Field. Topsham fell to 5-12 and is slated to play Oxford Hills at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday in Auburn.

Wednesday’s game was originally scheduled as a home game for Topsham, but a scheduling conflict between the two teams moved the game to Freeport High School, although the Falcons were still the visitors.

With that being the case, Freeport started the ball rolling in the top half of the first with back-to-back singles from Blaine Cockburn and Anthony Panciocco. After Shea Wagner grounded into a double play, his brother Gabe smacked a double to deep center field to plate Cockburn. Heath Cockburn followed with an RBI single to put the Falcons ahead, 2-0 after a half inning.

“We were able to string a few hits together in the first inning,” Freeport coach Peter Wagner said. “It was important to score early.”

Freeport benefited from timely defensive plays in the first couple of innings. Eli Ouellette received a leadoff walk from Panciocco, but was quickly doubled off when Lukas Holman lined to shortstop while Ouellette attempted a steal. In the second,

Trey Booty was doubled up when third baseman Shea Wagner snagged a Connor Smith liner and fired to first base for the double play.

In the third, Shea Wagner hit a two-out single and stole second before Gabe Wagner walked, chasing starter Cam Daly. Booty relieved, and after a balk, retired Heath Cockburn on a pop out to strand a pair of runners.

Topsham nibbled back, getting a run in the fourth off Panciocco. Ouellette led off the frame with a walk, but was immediately erased when Nick Signovelli threw him out on an attempted steal. Holman walked and Daly hit an infield single, Topsham’s first knock of the game, to put runners on first and third. A Panciocco wild pitch scored Holman with Post 202’s first run.

In the fifth, the “home” team tied the scored when Topsham’s Holden Brannon doubled and Ty Knowlton hit a ball to right field that was misplayed, scoring Brannon.

Breaking the tie

In his third inning of relief, Booty walked Gabe Wagner and hit Heath Cockburn to begin the sixth inning. The next batter, Caden Benedict hit a fly ball over the right fielder’s head, scoring both Wagner and Cockburn to break the tie. The throw to the infield was wild, tempting Benedict to third, but he was thrown out trying to take the extra base.

“Since I knew we wanted to get runners to second and third, I was trying to hit the ball to the right side,” Benedict said. “It obviously went deep enough and we were able to score two.”

“He had a big two-out double against Auburn in the second game of the year in a similar situation,” Coach Wagner said. “He makes it count.”

With two outs, three consecutive walks loaded the bases. A fielder’s choice ended the threat, but the damage had already been done as Freeport led 4-2.

Panciocco worked around a single and walk in the sixth to strand two more Topsham runners. Following his last outing against Gray-New Gloucester, where the righty struck out five and walked one, Panciocco struggled at times on Wednesday, but made the pitches when he needed to.

“ I told him it’s easy to win when you have all of your stuff,” Peter Wagner said of Panciocco. “Tonight, he didn’t, but he did enough to grind out the win. He worked hard tonight, knowing his curveball wasn’t working, and that’s a sign of pitching.”

Freeport added another run in the top of the seventh and Blaine Cockburn came on in the bottom half, striking out two for the save.

“We battled back, but we just couldn’t get over the hump,” Topsham coach Chris Hickman said. “We were feeling pretty good after our win Sunday night, and then to come out here today and drop this one, it’s disappointing.

“Our pitching was great today though. All three of them did a great job for us. I thought Holman was excellent as a 13-year old coming in and playing with the big boys.”

Offensively, Daly led Topsham with two hits and a pair of steals in the loss.

Panciocco finished with five strikeouts and six walks while allowing three hits and one earned run on the hill for Freeport.

Freeport 5, Topsham 2

At Freeport

Freeport — 200 002 1 — 5 6 4
Post 202 — 000 110 0 — 2 3 2
Anthony Panciocco, Blaine Cockburn
(7) and Nick Signovelli; Cam Daly,
Trey Booty (3), Lukas Holman (6) and
Ty Knowlton.
WP — Panciocco; LP — Booty; SV
— Cockburn.
Doubles — (F) Gabe Wagner, Caden
Benedict; (P202) Holden Brannon.
Repeat hitter — (P202) Cam Daly.
Records — Freeport 7-9; Topsham
Post 202 5-12.
Up next for Falcons — Junior Legion
Tournament, Sunday at Auburn, TBD.
Up next for Post 202 — Junior
Legion Tournament, Sunday against
Oxford Hills at Auburn at 11:30 a.m