SACO — It takes a lot of moxie for a hitter to take a big swing with a 3-0 count and the bases loaded.

It takes a bit more for said hitter to want to pull the trigger, when he’d failed in the same setting each time before.

Then again, Thornton’s Sam Butts has moxie and more, which enabled him to club a key, two-run double that helped the Golden Trojans to a 9-6 triumph over South Portland, in an SMAA baseball tilt, Thursday.

Butts’ crucial blow sparked a six-run sixth inning that helped Thornton (5-5-1) pull back from a one-run deficit.

“We just keep competing,” said Butts, whose circus catch in center field in the top of the seventh ended the wild affair. “We keep grinding it out. It’s good to see that we could put it together.”

Trailing 4-3 heading into the last of the sixth, Thornton coach Greg Paradis played a hunch and sent up pinch-hitter Max O’Neil to lead off.

O’Neil responded by slapping the first offering from Red Riots starter Andrew Richards down the right field line.

“That was a big spark for us,” said Thornton starting pitcher Steve Trask. “When a guy comes off the bench and gets a hit like that, it gets the team going.”

That set in motion a sequence that included a sacrifice bunt by Max Dube, a walk to Chris Stasio, followed by a game-tying single up the middle by Sam Canales.

“I was swinging,” said Canales, who had fouled off a pair of 0-2 pitches.

Trask then walked, reloading the bases, which set the stage for Butts, who was now facing South Portland reliever Matt Seidl.

Butts took three straight pitches for balls, which under ordinary circumstances, would have Butts keeping the bat on his shoulder on the next pitch.

Not this time.

“I was 0-for-3 when I got to 3-0 counts, this year,” said Butts. “We (Paradis and I) talked about it before, that he might give me the green light if I wanted it. I got to 3-0 and looked up. He was giving me the go sign.”

Said Paradis, “It wasn’t a hunch. He’s had some opportunities when he’s been 3-0 and I gave him the take sign. He struggled a little bit after that. I just told him that the next time I’d give him the green light. He shot the ball the other way with a good fastball on the outside corner. That was huge.”

Butts’ double made it 6-4.

Thornton scored three more times before the end of the inning, which enabled starting pitcher Steve Trask to take home his first win of the season.

The Golden Trojans will play Portland at Hadlock Field, Saturday night (6 p.m.).

— Contact Dan Hickling at 282-1535 ext. 318 or dhickling@gwi.net