Lewiston winning pitcher Jack Leblond gets ready to deliver a pitch to a Mt. Blue batter in a KVAC baseball game at the Lewiston Little League Complex in Lewiston on a windy Monday afternoon. (Tony Blasi/Sun Journal)

LEWISTON — Strong pitching, heads-up base running and a handful of timely hits provided Lewiston with a 6-0 baseball victory and made the Blue Devils’ first three losses out of the gate seem like ancient history.

The Blue Devils’ convincing win over Mt. Blue (0-7) allowed them to pull even at 3-3 in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference at the Lewiston Little League Complex on a windy and sunny Monday afternoon.

Lewiston pitcher Jack Leblond went five innings and gave up three hits to earn the shutout before turning over the mound to reliever Robert Dostie in the top of the sixth.

“That’s Jack Leblond. He is actually our fourth starter,” Lewiston coach Darren Hartley said. “He is actually our long-relief guy. We have four games and three in a row so Jack knew he was getting the start today.

“We really wanted to extend him into the low 50s and 60s (pitches), and I think he got into that low 60s and he finished that fifth. I was really proud of him. He has struggled with 30, 35 (pitches) before, and when I spoke to him and said, ‘This is that spot where you really have to fight for it.’ Boy, did he do a great job and pushed right through it.”

Dostie had a hand retiring the side in order in the sixth and seventh innings with a lot of help from some excellent fielding a second.

The Blue Devils started their slow procession to the plate in the first inning when Evan Cox walked, stole second base and came home on Leblond’s RBI single.

Lewiston did it again in the second inning after Owen Cox’s RBI single brought home Cooper Miller, who got on with a fielder’s choice. Lewiston lead 2-0 after two innings.

“Mike Giroux, who took care of this complex for almost 40 years, was given the Earl Austin Award (at Sunday’s Auburn-Lewiston Sports Hall of Fame ceremony) in memory because of his community service,” Hartley said. “And so the guys all knew who Mike was.

“So I addressed to them that I really wanted to play for him. I am awfully thankful they got it done … so this one is for Mike Giroux tonight.”

The Cougars struggled to get something going, but only mustered three hits and stranded five runners.

The Blue Devils had six hits.

“Not nearly enough, I can tell you,” Hartley said. “It has been a struggle at the plate. I really think we take too many good pitches. I think its their keen sense of focus that they need to work on.”

In the third inning, Lewiston’s Sean Lake, who got on with a fielder’s choice and came home on Mitchel Frisbie’s walk with the bases loaded after losing pitcher Hunter Bolduc (two hits) walked three straight batters.

Lewiston picked up another two runs in the fourth, thanks to back-to-back hits from Hunter Landry and Brock Belanger, who both scored when Evan Cox flied out to earn an RBI.

The Blue Devils were leading 5-0 when Belanger came home again in the sixth inning to top off Lewiston’s 6-0 win.

“We have been hurting for pitching,” Mt. Blue coach Stephen Lancaster said. “We are basically in a rebuilding state right now.

“In terms of wins/losses, it is not the issue. We knew we weren’t going to be super-competitive this year. So we are floating a lot of guys from JV to varsity.

“We are trying to balance out a lot of playing time because they need it. They need to learn the game and reduce mental mistakes. We aren’t producing on offense what we need to.”

Lewiston coach Darren Hartley, left, speaks with Evan Cox before Cox steps the plate during a a KVAC baseball game at the Lewiston Little League Complex in Lewiston on a windy Monday afternoon.Mt. Blue catcher Noah Bell looks for the ball as Lewiston’s Hunter Lander gets across the plate for a run during a KVAC baseball game at the Lewiston Little League Complex in Lewiston on a windy Monday afternoon.