The Hartt Transportation River Jacks — composed of players from Hampden Academy and Hermon High School, Rogers Post 153 from Auburn and the Anderson-Mayberry Post 91 from Yarmouth — posted opening-day victories in the double-elimination State Junior American Legion baseball tournament at Mansfield Stadium in Bangor Friday.
The Oakland Hometown Auto Loons, made up of players from Messalonskee High School and Thirsty Turf Irrigation, representing Portland’s Cheverus High School, met later Friday night.
Rogers Post 153 from Auburn rallied to beat Cole’s Cadets from Bangor 9-5, Hartt Transportation upended the Corey Edwin Garver Post 202 from Topsham 12-2 and the Anderson-Mayberry Post 91 club from Yarmouth beat Fairfield 7-4.
On Saturday, Fairfield and Topsham will play at 10 a.m. and Bangor will play the loser of the Oakland Hometown Auto Loons-Thirsty Turf Irrigation game at 1 p.m. in elimination games, while the winners bracket contests will pit Yarmouth against Hampden-Hermon at 4 and Auburn against the Loons-Irrigation winner at 7.
Auburn 9, Bangor 5
Alex Avila’s two-run double and Luke Josephson’s two-run single highlighted a six-run sixth-inning rally that erased a 5-3 deficit and gave Auburn its win over Bangor.
Jake Arel and Dan Milks added run-scoring singles.
Arel had a double to go with his single in the seven-inning contest and Adrien Melanson had a pair of base hits and an RBI.
Keegan Cyr and Max Clark each had a pair of singles and an RBI for Bangor, and James Neel contributed a two-run double.
Hampden-Hermon 12, Topsham 2
Keith Pomeroy belted a three-run double, and Gavin Partridge had four singles and an RBI to lead Hampden-Hermon past Topsham.
Sam Economy had a pair of singles and combined with Jay Hatch and Jackson Thayer on a three-hitter.
Lukas Holman had an RBI single for Topsham, and Cam Daly and Isaak Flaming each had a base hit.
Yarmouth 7, Fairfield 4
Ted Norton hit three singles and knocked in a pair of runs, and Aidan Hickey and Jake Gautreau each had a double and a single to guide Yarmouth past Fairfield.
Gabe Collins drove in a pair of runs with a single and a sacrifice fly.
David Barre singled twice and delivered a run for Fairfield. Kody Valle had a run-scoring double, and Mike Roy stroked an RBI single.
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