AUGUSTA — Augusta fell into a deep hole following a pair of losses at the Babe Ruth state tournament for 13-15 year-olds Friday afternoon.

The host team lost 4-2 to Portland in its opening round game then lost again later in the day 6-2 to Tri-County.

Augusta meets Apple Valley at noon today as the five-team, pool-play tournament continues. Each team plays the other teams in the tournament once and the two teams with the best records face off Monday in the championship game.

Apple Valley beat Portland on Thursday then knocked off Sanford 13-4 Friday to move to 2-0.

Augusta made four errors in each game Friday.

“We’re OK if we commit no errors or one,” Augusta manager Jeremy Porter said. “But we can’t afford too many. We don’t score that many runs.”

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Tri-County took advantage of errors in the first and sixth innings to score unearned runs but the team also collected 11 hits, including three by winning pitcher Garret Garbarini.

“I think we’re going to be better this year than we were last year (as 14-year-olds),” Tri-County catcher Cam Slicer said.

Slicer played center field as a freshman this spring for Oxford Hills High School but the left-hander found himself behind the plate Friday with the team’s regular catcher on the mound.

“I’ve only caught a couple of times this year,” said Slicer, who singled, doubled and scored three runs.

He set the tone for the game when Augusta’s Austin Stebbins led off with an infield hit and was thrown out stealing by Slicer. Slicer also gunned down Chandler Moore in the third inning after he led off with a walk.

Augusta didn’t do much with Garbarini until the fourth inning when an error and base hit from Mitch McFarland put runners on first and third. But Tri-County snuffed the threat when Colton Carson forced McFarland at second after Cole Lawrence’s sharp ground ball to left field.

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Meanwhile Tri-County got to Augusta starter Logan Porter for a run in the first inning and two more in the second as Will Dieterich singled and scored on Slicer’s base hit and Slicer scored on Jacob Blanchard’s single.

“This team hits the ball pretty well,” manager Matt Dieterich said.

Augusta scored two runs in the fifth on a walk, an error and ground ball outs by Dakota Andow and Stebbins. But Garbarini escaped further damage by getting Porter on a fly ball to center. He gave way after that to lefty Ashton Kennison, who retired the last six batters he faced.

Augsta managed just four singles in all while collecting five against Portland, including two apiece from Stebbins and Porter. Moore took the pitching loss.

Apple Valley collected five hits against Sanford but took advantage of a couple of errors and seven walks. Winning pitcher Jared Beckwith settled down after a shaky start, allowing four hits while striking out four and walking one. Reid Cote and Codie Duguay each singled twice for Apple Valley, while Jonah Bergeron doubled and Jackson Ladd scored three runs.


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