BIDDEFORD — It was what the baseball people call a “bulldog performance.”

The determination and will on the part of a starting pitcher to finish a complete game, even if it takes a bit of bulldogging to get the final outs.

Such is what lefty Tyler Audie did for his Advanced Tech teammates, to help nail down a nervy 5-4 win over Fayette-Staples Post 57, Tuesday, in American Legion Zone 5 action at St. Louis Field.

Audie, pitched his way out of a seventh inning, two-on, none-out jam, leaving the tying run on second as he retired the final three Post 57 batsmen in order.

“I just try to stay as focused as I can,” said Audie of that final frame. “Just try to worry about each pitch. Everything was working.”

After issuing lead off hits to Sam Canales and Steve Trask, Audie fanned both Keegan Sullivan and Cody Petit.

Then he got Jon Pate to pop up, securing the win for Ad Tech, which improved to 11-3.

“I thought Tyler Audie pitched outstanding,” said Ad Tech assistant Keith Leblanc, speaking for the club. “Keeping the ball down in the zone, he was able to throw all three of his pitches for strikes. Which is big in a game like this.”

As games go, this one was full of twists and turns.

Ad Tech took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, then bulked the lead to 4-0 in the second.

Run scoring singles by Nate Curran and Scott Callahan, off Sullivan accounted for two runs.

The second of those was scored by pinch-runner Travis Vigneault, who entered the game when Ad Tech’s Nick Simpson took a pitch from Sullivan in the left eye, raising a large bruise.

“Everybody was kind of down, and worried for him,” said Audie, of his fallen teammate. “His eye swelled up pretty quick. We tried to not let that get to us, and just try to focus on the game. We knew he’d be alright.”

Fayette-Staples worked its way back into the game, and by the top of the fifth had pulled into a 4-4 tie on Sullivan’s two-run double.

“We were able to come back and chip away,” said Staples manager Greg Paradis. “That was huge for us. Being down 4-0 in the third inning isn’t great for a pitcher, but he (Sullivan) was able to settle down and throw strikes. What we tell kids is if we get down early, don’t try to get it back all at once. Get a few runs here and there, and that’s what we did.”

Ad Tech scored the winning run in the bottom of the sixth after Tyler Parker reached on an infield error, then scored when pinch-hitter Nate Cadorette’s bunt was misplayed into a two-base miscue.

“Overall,” said Audie, “we kept our head and battled. It was good to come out with a ”˜W.’”

As the final week of the regular season winds down, Post 57 will be at Massabesic, today, while Ad Tech will host Marshwood.

— Contact Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.com.