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SOUTH BERWICK — It took three extra innings, but Biddeford High’s baseball team is going to its first Class A South final since 2010.

The Tigers scored three runs in the top of the 10th inning and held on in the bottom half to beat No. 1 Marshwood, 4-3, in a Class A South semifinal Saturday.

Biddeford starter Ernie Dore, a sophomore right-hander, was still pitching in the 10th but departed with one out after hitting his second batter of the inning and finally reaching his 110-pitch limit. Reliever Dom Smith threw a wild pitch and gave up a booming two-run double to Liam Tiernan but earned the save with a groundout and a strikeout.

Marshwood (16-2) lost twice this season. The other was a 1-0 loss to Biddeford in which Dore pitched a complete game.

Dore said he was a little surprised to learn he still had enough pitches available to start the 10th. He’d thrown 99 through nine innings.

“But I also knew the way I’ve been pitching throughout the season and how much confidence everyone has in me and how much confidence I have within myself that I could get through it,” Dore said.

No. 4 Biddeford (14-4) will face cross-river rival Thornton Academy (14-4) in the regional final at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph’s College in Standish.

EXTRA-INNING TURNAROUND

Marshwood had won four extra-inning games this season, in large part because of its ability to limit mistakes and put pressure on opponents.

Biddeford used the Hawks’ formula against them in the 10th. Ben Descoteaux started the inning with a single to center off Tyler Hussey, who relieved starting pitcher Gus Alexander (4 hits allowed) with one out in the eighth inning.

Descoteaux went to second on an errant pickoff attempt. Designated hitter Cullen Behan bunted, and Marshwood read the play and tried to cut down  Descoteaux at third, but another throwing error allowed  Descoteaux to score while Behan chugged into second. Smith came through with a two-out single to score pinch-runner Alex Gosselin, and Gavin Haggett’s double off the fence drove in Smith.

DORE SHUTS THE DOOR

Sam Gennaro led off the game with a double but was stranded at third. From there, Dore’s ability to change speeds and throw tempting pitches led to him being able to get through five innings with only 35 pitches thrown.

In the sixth, Marshwood tied the game 1-1 on suicide squeeze bunt by Tiernan that plated Gennaro, but the Hawks left the bases loaded. Dore finished the inning with his first strikeout of the game. He also worked around two singles in the eighth.

“It’s unbelievable how well he’s pitched all season long,” said Biddeford coach Keith Leblanc. “He pitched like that the first time we played these guys. He pitched like that all along. He’s just been outstanding, and as a sophomore, to do it in a pressure situation like that.”

For the fourth year, Marshwood’s season ended in the regional semifinals. The previous three years, Marshwood lost to the eventual state champion.

“At the end of the day, when you make mistakes you’re going to lose, and that’s what we did. We didn’t take advantage when we had opportunities, and then we made mistakes when they put pressure on us. We haven’t done that all season,” said Marshwood coach Eric Wells.