SOUTH CHINA -- Usually, spotting the Winslow High School baseball team three quick runs is a sign of trouble. The Black Raiders are a perennial contender in Eastern Class B, and a small opening is all the team usually needs to break a game open.

Erskine dug itself an early hole against Winslow on Monday, but the Eagles served notice that they won't go down quietly this season. Erskine scored eight runs in the bottom of the sixth to seal the 17-7, rain-soaked, 10-run rule shortened win. Erskine is 1-0, while Winslow is 1-1.

"We're pretty tough this year," said Erskine shortstop Ike Pollard, who had three hits and scored three runs while driving in a pair. "If we stay focused, we can beat anybody."

Sean Hutchinson scored the game-ending run by stealing home on a double steal. The Eagles had two innings in which they sent 11 batters to the plate, the second and the sixth, and those two innings accounted for 14 of Erskine's runs.

"We battled all day. We played scrappy," Erskine coach Lars Jonassen said. "We stole bases. We had a big bunt when we needed it."

Erskine scored six runs in the second with just three hits, thanks to five walks. The Eagles padded their lead with three more runs in the third, helped in part by two of Winslow's six errors.

"A lot of walks. A lot of errors," Winslow coach Robin Weed said. "We could have capitalized early on their pitcher, and we didn't."

The Black Raiders scored three runs in the first on a Chris Brawn sacrifice fly and hits from Ben Grant, Kevin Martin and Scott Siviski. Winslow scored four more runs off Erskine starter Camilo Pardo in the fifth. Grant hit his second double of the game to drive in Brawn, who led off the inning with a double. Siviski drove in a pair of runs with a triple, and Joey McLean hit a sacrifice fly to cut Erksine's lead to 9-7.

"I thought (Pardo) held them well early, so we could survive," Jonassen said.

Every player in Erskine's starting lineup scored at least one run. Nick Grady had three hits, including a double, and drove in two runs for the Eagles.

Travis Lazarczyk -- 861-9242

tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com