RUMFORD — Monmouth and Mountain Valley played Wednesday’s Mountasin Valley Conference baseball game with the urgency of two teams looking to bounce back from embarrassing losses.
They were close to even, too, through four-and-a-half innings anyway, before a couple of controversial calls went the Falcons’ way and helped them pull away with seven runs in the final two innings for a 12-5 win.
Dylan Desroches had a big day for Mountain Valley (6-3), going 4-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored. He finished a home run shy of hitting for the cycle. Teammate Garrett Garbarini did go deep for one of his two hits, while Jacob Blanchard had three singles as part of the Falcons’ 12-hit attack.
“One through nine, I feel like we’re probably the best team hitting right now,” Desroches said.
Trevor Flanagan led Monmouth (6-4) with two hits (double, RBI single), while Nick Dovinsky doubled, walked twice and scored twice.
Dovinsky pulled the Mustangs within 5-4 with his two-run double in the fourth. The Falcons put the pressure back on Monmouth starter Avery Pomerleau in the fifth by loading the bases on Desroches’ double and a pair of walks with no one out.
With the infield drawn in, Pomerleau got the grounder he was looking for right back to the mound. He fired home for the force and catcher Matt Fortin relayed to first for what was initially ruled an out and a crucial double play.
But the Falcons protested that Fortin’s throw pulled the first baseman off the base and, after the base umpire consulted with the home plate umpire, got the call reversed, loading the bases with one out rather than runners at second and third with two out.
On Pomerleau’s next pitch, Will Bean, a left-handed hitter, squared up to bunt for a suicide squeeze. As he offered at the pitch, he stepped out of the batter’s box and in front of Fortin, who was unable to field the pitch. It skipped to the backstop and Desroches, who was breaking home with the pitch, scored to make it 6-4.
Monmouth coach Eric Palleschi protested, claiming Bean interfered with his catcher, which would have resulted in Bean being out and Desroches returning to third. After another conference among the umpires, the initial ruling was upheld.
“It’s no different than if a batter swings and comes across the plate as the catcher is trying to make the throw to second. He doesn’t have to make contact with him for it to be interference,” Palleschi said. “He impeded my catcher’s ability to catch the ball. That’s clear.”
“That was a huge point in the game. It was a one-run game,” he added.
Pinch hitter Anthony Mazza followed with a bloop two-run single and Jacob Blanchard drove Bean in with another single off of reliever Flanagan to make it 9-4.
“We knew we could keep it going after (the calls) went in our favor,” Desroches said.
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