LEWISTON — So much for a tight, nine-inning contest to warm up for the state tournament.

After being pushed a full seven innings in each of its first two playoff games, Gayton Post 31’s bats woke up in a big way Saturday, and four-year ace Joe Sullivan spun a one-hit shutout as the unbeaten hosts downed Bessey Motors 11-0 in a game shortened by the 10-run mercy rule after 6½ innings of a scheduled nine-inning outing at Lewiston High School.

“When we play each other, it always brings out the best in the other team,” Bessey Motors coach Joe Oufiero said. “They’re hot; they’re a good-hitting team. Sullivan pitched well. They got up on us early, and we kind of sat back.”

The win for Gayton was the team’s 20th of the season, and 14th by way of the mercy rule. It was also a measure of retribution of sorts, as Gayton lost in last year’s Zone III final to Bessey Motors before winning the state tourney a week later.

“We said in our huddle, it wouldn’t be the end of the summer if we didn’t play Bessey Motors in a big game,” Gayton coach Todd Cifelli said. “Last year we played them twice, they tagged us in the zone tournament and we snuck by them in the state tournament. They’re a dangerous, dangerous team. Kudos to our guys who came in after two long, hot days of work. They came in with good energy today. We squared up some balls and we jumped ahead and it was tough for them to come back.”

Sullivan, the architect of Gayton’s most recent Zone III title win in 2008, walked the first two hitters he faced, and then settled in, allowing just one hit and one walk the rest of the way while striking out seven.

“That’s kind of nice,” Sullivan said. “I was just trying to maintain a steady pace, not try to rush. If you start rushing in the heat, it’s really hard to slow back down and get back into it.”

“We were chasing his change-up and late on his fastball,” Oufiero said. “He had a good performance, and we didn’t do what we’ve been doing the last two or three weeks.”

All but one of the home team’s runs came in the first two innings. Luke Cote and Mekae Hyde walked, Cote scored on a Corbin Hyde ground-rule double and the Hyde brothers both scored on a sharp single by Scott Ouellette in the bottom of the first inning.

Sullivan set down Bessey in order in the second, setting the table for Gayton’s big inning: Twelve batters, seven runs and six hits.

Nate Berube reached on a fielder’s choice, Cote reached after being hit by a pitch and Alex Parker legged out what was going to be a sacrifice bunt to load the bases. Mekae Hyde ripped a single to plate a pair, and after an intentional walk to Corbin Hyde, Ouellette cleared the bases with a single to left that slipped through the fielder’s legs and rolled to the fence.

“We kind of let the guys hit today,” Cifelli said. “We didn’t bunt early, we didn’t give up many outs early and the bottom of the order smacked the ball pretty well.”

Dalton Rice replaced starter Jordan Croteau and initially didn’t fare much better as Trey Ouellette doubled to plate Scott Ouellette. Rice then hit Mat Gordon — twice. The first time, the plate umpire said Gordon didn’t attempt to move, so he was not awarded first base. Three pitches later, he was hit again, and walked.

Berube then singled home Trey Ouellette for Gayton’s seventh run of the inning, and 10th of the game.

In the third, another bizarre call cut the Bessey half of the inning short. Ty Martin walked to lead off, and Travis Linehan struck out on three pitches. During Ben Bowie’s subsequent at-bat, he tried to check his swing on a full count. The plate umpire called the pitch a ball, Bowie tossed his bat and trotted to first, while Martin trotted to second. After Gayton catcher Mekae Hyde threw the ball to Sullivan, he heard his coach tell him to appeal the check swing to the field umpire, who then called Bowie out. Sullivan quickly threw the ball to first baseman Corbin Hyde, who tagged Martin for the easy double play. Bessey coach Shane Slicer argued the call vehemently, and was ejected.

Meanwhile, Rice returned to the hill for Bessy and slowed down Gayton’s bats, setting down the 2-3-4 hitters in order.

“He’s 14 years old and he came in and gave up only one run after the second inning,” Oufiero said of Rice. “He did a great job. You can’t ask anything more from a kid who just finished his freshman year.”

Cody Hadley ripped a clean single to the outfield in the fourth for the visitors’ lone hit of the afternoon. From there, the pitchers took over. Gayton manufactured one more run in the sixth when Gordon lofted the ball into the outfield for a sacrifice, plating Corbin Hyde from third.

Because Gayton had already qualified for the state tourney by winning the regular season crown, Bessey Motors was also already assured a place in this week’s event. Gayton will go in as the Zone III champion and will play its first game at 11 a.m. Wednesday at McGuire Field. Bessey will face the Zone IV champion at 2 p.m. at Morton Field. Both fields are in Augusta.

“In 10 years, this is the ninth time we’re going to the state tournament,” Oufiero said. “We know what it’s like to be there, and it’s great for the program that the kids get this opportunity.”