East Lyme — It feels counterintuitive to suggest that one play could bear such significance on an eventual 9-0 game. But in the spirit of “always listen to dad” or “always play hard, you never know who’s watching,” we present East Lyme High’s Blake Biggs.

Biggs, the son of East Lyme coach Jack Biggs, was standing on first base Wednesday in a scoreless game with Waterford at Bridebrook Park. Bases loaded, two outs, bottom of the fourth. Teammate Joey Wainwright rolled a slow ground ball to second base, leaving Waterford infielder Nick Ingraham two choices: flip to second for the force or go to first for the out. He just had to do so quickly.

Ingraham opted for the former. Biggs, running to the bag as if there were free $100 bills surrounding it, beat the throw and allowed the Vikings to take a 1-0 lead. Three more runs followed during a 9-0 win for a team that looks very much like a contender in and out of the Eastern Connecticut Conference’s Division I.

“I’ve grown up on baseball fields,” Blake Biggs said. “I know what my dad preaches and what he expects. When I’m on first there, I’m just thinking I’ve got to go as hard as I can.”

After a bases-loaded walk, John Bureau sliced a two-run double to left for East Lyme (7-1, 2-0). The Vikings followed with five more runs in the sixth, highlighted by run-scoring hits from Biggs and Quinn Killoy.

It was more than enough for winning pitcher Joe Stawski, whose complete game featured five allowed hits and six strikeouts. Stawski induced an inning-ending double play to ruin Waterford’s bases-loaded, one-out opportunity in the first and was never threatened.

“Joe is a pitcher’s pitcher,” Jack Biggs said, alluding to Stawski’s ability to locate and rely on pitch movement. “He’s not blowing it by you and 90, but he’ll throw things you better be ready for.”

Stawski is a transfer from Rockville High, also Biggs’ alma mater.

“We’re the Rockvillians,” Biggs said.

Connor Tukey and Blake Biggs scored two runs apiece for the Vikings.

Waterford coach Art Peluso left plenty encouraged about sophomore starter Matt Shampine, whose stuff was better than his luck.

“Matt stepped up. I thought he threw extremely well,” Peluso said. “He got better today. And we’re going to get better in the next two weeks. And better than that in the two weeks after. We’ll do everything we can to make a run in the state tournament.”

m.dimauro@theday.com