NEWPORT–Coming into Wednesday’s Division I Playdown game between the #4 North Country Falcons and the #13 Spaulding Crimson Tide, it had been a long time since the North Country baseball program had won a playoff game.

The Falcons won a play-in game back in 2004, but that was a game to simply make the playoffs, not a playoff game per se.

The 2004 squad would lose in the playdown game that followed, meaning that one would have to go back to 1998 to see the last time the Falcons won an opening-round game and advanced to the quarterfinals.

Much like the lengthy World Series droughts of the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs, North Country’s streak of playoff futility came to a close on Wednesday evening, as the Falcons piled up nine runs in the bottom of the 6th inning, including a game-clinching, three-run jack by Kaden Jones, to defeat the Tide 11-1 and advance to Saturday’s quarterfinal game that is set to be played in Newport.

“Spaulding’s starter did a great job keeping our guys from squaring up the ball for five innings,” said Falcons coach Mike LaCourse. “Eventually in the 6th, they figured him out and their bats exploded for seven hits and nine runs. I’m not sure I’ve coached a more resilient or consistent lineup. One through nine, there’s always someone ready to have a productive and quality AB. We get run production up and down the lineup and that makes it really fun to watch.”

Ben West took to the hill for the Falcons to start the game, and his counterpart for the Tide, Mike Noury, reached on an error and took second on a passed ball.

West fanned the next three batters to get out of the inning unscathed.

In their half of the first, Jones singled, but that was all the Falcons could muster, and it was on to the second tied at 0-0.

In the bottom of the second still tied at 0-0, North Country threatened when Jamison Eckhardt singled, took second on a passed ball, then stole third, but he would remain at third, and the scoreless tie continued for a little longer.

Spaulding broke through in the top of the third, as Landin Larabee walked, Noury reached on a bunt single, and then Tanner Arsenault hit an RBI single to give the Tide the lead.

In the bottom half of the inning North Country quickly tied things up.

Bryson Poginy singled, stole second, reached third on a wild pitch, then Luis Sanchez sacrificed Bryson in to return the game to being tied, now at 1-1.

West retired the side in order in the fourth, bringing the Falcons back to the plate.

Noury got the first two batters to fly out, then Hunter Wells singled and stole second, Eckhardt walked, and then in a bizarre sequence, the Tide tried to pick off Wells, but an error allowed Hunter to scamper home, and it was now 2-1 with over half the game in the books.

Both teams had chances in the fourth and fifth, but nothing was doing.

The sixth inning looked like it was going to be more of the same, as West and the defense retired the side in order.

“Ben and our entire defense did a great job keeping Spaulding off the scoreboard until our bats could come alive,” said LaCourse.

And come alive the bats did, as the bottom of the sixth would be an inning to remember for the Falcon Faithful.

Jones got the ball rolling by reaching on an error, then West did the same thing, and in came Tripp Roberge to run for Ben.

Tristan LeBlanc singled, and in came Jacob Boisvert to run, so LaCourse really was using all of the tools in his toolbox to try to get a little insurance.

Wells hit the ball into the infield, and the Tide defender opted to try and get Jones at home.

So, the bases stayed loaded, it was now 3-1, and Eckhardt came to the dish looking to do damage.

Jamison ripped a two-RBI single, and that would be the end of the day for Noury, as Arsenault came in to pitch and try to stop North Country surge.

Zak Fortin reached on another error, allowing another run to come home.

Preston Humphrey, who came into the came in the top of the inning, was hit in the head by a pitch, arguably the roughest way to get on base.

Sanchez got on board with a fielder’s choice, which then led to Logan Cross driving in two more runs.

So with the scoreboard reading 8-1 in favor of the Falcons, and two runners aboard, Jones went deep to end the game via the ten-run rule.

“It’s very surreal, I blacked out when going around the bases,” said Jones after the game. “I’m just glad I could help the team win. It’s an awesome feeling getting something done that hasn’t been done in twenty-seven years, it’s an accomplishment. This team is special.”

West got the win, striking out 8 in the process.

The win moves the Falcons to 13-2 (1-0) on the year, and as mentioned, next on the docket is a visit from Colchester on Saturday.

It should be noted that while Saturday’s game is slated for a 4:30 start, the forecast, as of press time, has an 80 percent chance of showers in store for Saturday, so there is a chance the game will be moved, much like the North Country softball quarterfinal game was last year.

You can check our Facebook page, or the North Country Athletics’ page, for any updates.