Montville — There were numerous chances for Montville High School to surrender as Wednesday afternoon crept toward Wednesday night. Like deficits of 9-2, 13-8 and 16-12. How much is too much, really?

And yet the Indians, with all the requisite resolve of a three-time championship program, rallied and rallied and rallied — inspiringly and improbably — all the way to the last out. Yes, there was a last out. But not without proof this is a program that will be heard from again.

St. Joseph, the No. 12 seed, got one more big hit Wednesday and escaped with a 16-15 win in the second round of the Class M state tournament. The Cadets all but staggered toward their bus when it was over, an illustration that they may not play a tougher game in this tournament.

“I’m very proud of our guys,” Montville coach Steve Stonoha said, not long after consoling every one of his players. “A lot of teams playing against someone the quality of St. Joe’s would have called it a day being down the way we were. Our kids showed some (guts) today and really kept at it.”

Indeed. St. Joe’s scored eight in the top of the fourth to chase Montville freshman Griffin Pontbriant, highlighted by Jake Deleo’s three-run triple. Montville’s answer to a 9-2 deficit? A six-run rally, thanks to run-scoring hits from Brandon Drake, Doug Delacruz, Ryan Champagne and Colby Miner.

“We had a few games this year when we had to score a lot of runs to win,” Stonoha said. “I knew we were capable. But I didn’t know what they had in their bullpen.”

The Cadets had Trent Price, Jimmy Evans and Antonio Ferraro, none of whom baffled Montville, but managed to get the big outs they needed.

Montville, which once ousted St. Joe’s in the state semifinals after rallying from a 6-0 deficit, trailed 13-8 in the fifth before batting around to make it 13-12. The Cadets went up 16-12 going to the bottom of the seventh before Drake hit a two-out, three-run homer to make it 16-15.

From there, the Indians loaded the bases, but Ferraro got the final out on a fly ball to center.

“This game is going to teach me what I need to do to be a better coach,” Stonoha said. “Some things in this game are going to haunt me for a while.”

The Mitchell-bound Delacruz went 5-for-6 with a (long) home run, three runs scored and two RBI. Champagne had three hits and Alex Quidgeon walked four times.

“Doug Delacruz is going to leave here as one of the best hitters we’ve ever had,” Stonoha said. “It’s too bad he only got to play two and a quarter seasons because of (a knee) injury.”

m.dimauro@theday.com