After early troubles, pitcher Collin Peckham settled in for Hampden Academy, which scored five runs in the fifth inning and escaped Mansfield Stadium with a 6-4 comeback win over Bangor on Monday evening.
Bangor got on the board first when Kyle Johnson reached first base on an error and got around on an error later in the inning when Ethan Spruil reached first and then second on a bad throw from Peckham to first base.
Bangor’s lead didn’t last long, as Hampden’s Zach McLaughlin reached on a single, stole second and two batters later scored on a fielder’s choice to tie the contest at 1-1 in the top of the third.
Jack Schuck led off the bottom of the third for the Rams and walked and stole second. Bangor pitcher Wyatt Stevens hit a single to drive hom Schuck and give the Rams a 2-1 advantage.
Stevens was driven home by a grounder from Geo Socolow two batters later that gave Bangor some breathing room with a 3-1 lead.
Hampden exploded offensively in the fifth. Josh Lorenzo reached second base on an error, followed by a single from Logan Burns and an RBI single from Andrew Cote. Peckham reached on a Bangor error, followed by a two-run double from TJ Llerna that gave the Broncos a 4-3 lead.
With two outs, Nikolas Bates had to leave his at bat due to a shoulder injury. Bodie Bishop stepped in and on the first pitch he struck a single down the right field line that scored two more runs and gave Hampden a 6-3 lead.
“We have some kids struggling at the plate, but they came through,” Hampden coach Jon Perry said.
In the sixth and innings, Bangor’s Stevens didn’t allow a base runner. The senior finished with six strikeouts.
Peckham finished strong on the mound for the Broncos, allowing just one run in the final four innings.
Gavin Glanville-True notched a leadoff infield single, then stole two bases before scoring on a bloop single to center from Stevens that cut the Hampden lead to 6-4. Peckham was able to escape the jam and earn the victory for the Broncos.
