Staff Writer
HOULTON – The Houlton Lady Shires are off to a strong start, but coach Bruce Nason knows his squad needs to improve game-to-game if they are to be around for the playoffs. “I want them to improve on their game situation knowledge,” he said. “We need to get better every time we take the field.”
The Lady Shires are right where they need to be early in the season, as they are 6-1.
“We are off to a great start,” said coach Nason. “We have been hitting the ball well and fielding has been good most of the time. Nikki (Eastman) and Lainey (Herring) are keeping us in games off the mound, while our defensive effort is improving.”
The Lady Shires have returning veterans in their lineup, but those players have also been shuffled into new positions, and it will take some time for adjustments.
Veterans Eastman and Erika Lackey are two players who return to their normal positions — Eastman on the mound and Lackey anchors third base. Herring moves from behind the plate to shortstop this season, while freshman Chelsi Murray picks up the catching duties. Sophomore Vanessa Sanderson will play first base and junior Courtney Putnam will handle second base. In the outfield, junior Madison Lezotte and senior Brittany Guiod will alternate time in left, with freshman Taylor Bailey playing center and senior Casey Faulkingham playing right, as well as shortstop or second if needed.
Freshman Cassie Malone will see time at first base and Taylor Morris rotating time at second.
Nason said the toughest challenges of the season started last Friday in Millinocket against Stearns and continued when the girls faced visiting PVHS in their second meeting at Community Park.
Against Stearns, the Lady Shires lost 12-10. Courtney Putnam hit a run-scoring single and Nikki Eastman singled for Houlton.
The Lady Shires knotted the game at 10-all by rallying for a six-run sixth inning. However, the Minutemen came back in the bottom of the frame with two runs to seal the win.
On Monday, the Lady Shires were defeated by PVHS for the second time this season. The Howlers picked up a 2-1 victory behind Casey McCloskey’s three-hitter. She allowed one run, while striking out 16 and walking two.
The Howlers scored all the runs they would need for the win in the first inning on a ground out and wild pitch.
Houlton scored its only run in the seventh when Brittany Guiod tripled in Vanessa Sanderson. Eastman and Herring both singled in the game. Eastman had eight strikeouts, as well.
Last Wednesday, the Lady Shires overtook Caribou, 11-8 at Community Park in Houlton.
After Caribou tied the game in the top of the fifth 6-all, the Lady Shires bounced back for five runs in the bottom of frame behind two-run homers by Bailey and Herring en route to the win.
Herring won the game in relief and added a single and drove in four runs for the winners. Sanderson singled twice and brought in a run.
Today, the Lady Shires will play in Presque Isle in their second meeting of the season, and then they will travel to Calais on Monday, May 19.
“We need to win these games to help secure a high spot for playoffs,” Nason said. “If we don’t do well, we will need to pick up critical games at the end of the season.”
