WESTBROOK – When Collin Joyce scored on a wild pitch to put Westbrook up 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning Saturday, it appeared Greg Souza’s team had just pulled another rabbit out of the hat. The Cheverus Stags, however, had other plans.

Chris Tinsman of Cheverus singled off Zack Bean (2-1) in the top of the sixth to bring in Nick Melville to tie the score before Mitchell Powers drove in Harry Ridge in the top of the eighth to make it 4-3, which proved to be the final score.

Powers, who had surrender the Blue Blazes’ third run, picked up the win on the mound, pitching three innings in relief.

While the Stags (8-4) are defending state champions and always a test on the diamond, the Blue Blazes know they let Saturday’s game slip away. Westbrook, a normally fundamentally sound team, made uncharacteristic base-running mistakes all afternoon to end potential threats.

“Today we found a way to lose,” said Souza. “And you know what, that’s why they are defending state champs. They know how to win.”

The most glaring mistakes by the Blue Blazes’ (now 9-4 after Tuesday’s loss to top-ranked Scarborough) came in the bottom of the fourth and the bottom of the seventh.

In the fourth, after Keenen Lowe singled to start the inning off of Stags’ starter Nate Smith, Kaleb Kent drilled a gapper to left center field. Lowe, who had taken off on contact, rounded second base but thought that the ball had been caught, not realizing the field umpire had signaled that the ball fell in safely.

Lowe promptly retraced his steps and headed back to first while Kent was left standing on the bag. Lowe was tagged out for the first out while Kent – on what should have been a double – had to settle of a single. The base-running gaff proved to be pivotal as Derek Bouchard singled to bring home Kent, who had reached third on consecutive wild pitches.

Despite the mental mistakes, the Blue Blazes took the lead in the bottom of the fifth when Powers struggled to find the zone and threw a wild pitch, allowing Joyce to score.

The Stags, who hadn’t had a base runner against Bean since the second inning, rallied in the top of the sixth.

Melville reached on an error to start the inning and reached second on a groundout by Ridge. Tinsman, Ryan Casale and Powers would connect for three straight singles to tie the game and load the bases.

Bean, however, remained composed, inducing a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

“That’s why he’s our ace,” said Souza. “He’s mentally tough.”

“Nothing bothers him, you wouldn’t know if he’s losing 10 to nothing or winning 10 to nothing. He has the same presence on the mound. He just gets the ball and focuses on every pitch.”

After the Blue Blazes were held scoreless in the bottom of the frame, Bean gave his team a chance to win going into the bottom of the seventh with a 1-2-3 top of the inning.

Joyce walked with one out and Kyle Heath smacked a single to left, putting the winning run in scoring position for Sam Stauble. The Blue Blazes poor base running once again came back to bite them, however. Stauble laced a shot to Stags’ shortstop Louis DiStasio, who quickly fired to first to double-up Heath, who had strayed to far from the bag.

This time, the Stags made the Blue Blazes pay.

After Bean retired the first batter of the inning, Ridge singled to right. Bean bounced back with a strikeout but was greeted rudely by Casale, who roped a laser off of Bean’s hip for an infield single.

Bean was quickly checked out by the coaching staff and trainer before being cleared to resume pitching. He got the first two strikes on Powers before the Cheverus batter singled to right to bring home what proved to be the winning run.

Bean dismissed the notion that the line drive he took off the hip had anything to do with the single.

“It wasn’t that,” said Bean. “I just left a curveball up in the zone and (Powers) took advantage of it.”

Zack Bean watches a fastball leave his hand during the Blue Blazes game against Cheverus on Saturday. Bean pitched an eight-inning complete game for Westbrook, but took a tough, 4-3 loss. (Staff photos by Nate Boroyan)
Collin Joyce crosses home plate after a wild pitch by Mitchell Powers of Cheverus in the bottom of the fifth inning. Joyce’s run gave the Blue Blazes a 3-2 lead.