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ORONO — It was not the start the Cony baseball team, finally playing in the regional final after years of coming close, had in mind.

When faced with trouble, though, the Rams limited the damage. And as they’ve done throughout this playoff run, they followed their shaky start by making the plays they needed.

After falling behind 2-0 in the top of the first inning, Cony quickly regrouped and claimed a 4-2 victory over Hermon in the Class B North final Tuesday at the University of Maine’s Mahaney Diamond. The Rams advance to face South champ Fryeburg Academy (16-3) in the state final on Saturday at St. Joseph’s College in Standish.

“That wasn’t the start that we wanted, but we minimized the inning, and that kept us in it,” said Cony coach Don Plourde. “Good things come to those who work hard, I believe, and I can’t say enough about the hard work these guys do and the belief they have in each other.”

Parker Morin went 3 for 3, including a go-ahead triple in the fifth inning for second-seeded Cony (17-2), which also got two hits and two RBI from Nolan Noyes. Ben Allen earned the win pitching 3 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out four and allowing just one hit.

Mason Kinney had a strong game for Hermon, striking out 10 in a complete-game effort while registering three hits and two RBI. Camden Morrison and Sam Hopkins added two hits apiece for the fourth-seeded Hawks (13-6).

Hermon got to Morin early, tagging the senior for two runs on four hits in the top of the first inning. But with the bases loaded, Morin prevent any further damage with two straight strikeouts.

In the bottom of the first, Morin smacked a single that help Cony tie the game.

Morin held Hermon scoreless over the next two innings and singled to left as the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the third. Allen came on in relief in the fourth, after Hermon put runners on first and second with one out, and retired Hopkins and Tommy Meserve to end the threat.

“We knew that they were going to come swinging against us and bring the energy,” Morin said. “Coming into the game, I knew that I was going to have to go short and that Ben was going to come in and get me, and I have a lot of faith in him. I love how he throws, and I couldn’t ask for anyone else out there on the mound.”

Cony got a key defensive play in the fifth from first baseman Max Tibbetts, who snagged a line drive and doubled off Hermon pinch-runner Landon Wood. Then, with Anderson Noyes at third and two outs in the bottom of the inning, Morin’s triple put the Rams on top.

Morin scored moments later when Nolan Noyes smacked a single to center. Allen then set Hermon down in order in the sixth and worked around an infield single by Kinney in the seventh as the Rams earned their first regional title since claiming the Class A state championship in 2009.

Tibbetts’ snag at first base was a game-changer for Cony. Had LeClerc’s liner gotten past the senior, it likely would have meant extra bases. Instead, a player whose status was unclear after dealing with severe dehydration earlier Tuesday turned a potential disaster into two outs.

“He was in the hospital this morning getting an IV, so we didn’t even know if we’d have him,” Plourde said. “He’s just a gamer and a kid who loves baseball, and he’s quick as a cat over there at first base.”