Regular baseball, softball seasons end

Katahdin teams finish season strong
    The Katahdin Cougars sit aloft the Class D standings, finishing the regular season at 12-2 after picking up a 10-0 victory over Lee Academy last Wednesday.
    Cougar ace Andy Kay fired a one-hitter, striking out 11 and walking one in the five-inning shutout. He helped his own cause at the plate with a pair of two-run singles.
    Katahdin led 1-0 over three innings, but Andrew Hawkins’ deep homer to center made it 2-0 and then Mark McGraw followed with another long solo shot, and Kay’s first two-run single broke a close game open 5-0. Kay’s second shot brought in two more runs to extend Katahdin’s lead to 9-0 in the fifth.
    Kay’s no-hitter was broken up by Lee’s Tim Worster in the third.
    Last Tuesday, the Cougars led 3-2 and then broke the game wide open, erupting for a 12-run second inning to put the game away, 20-2 over visiting Ashland.
    Katahdin’s Ethan Qualey struck out 13 in a five-inning complete game, while Kay stroked a two-run homer and singled twice for the Cougars. Evan McCarthy singled twice and doubled to knock in three runs, while Qualey also singled twice and doubled. Josh Guiggey doubled and singled for the winners.
    The Katahdin Lady Cougars were edged 12-8 last Wednesday by host Lee Academy. The score was tied 5-all after the second when Lee scored twice. In the top of the fourth, Katahdin knotted the score again, but the Pandas’ four-run fourth gave them an 11-7 lead en route to the win.
    Myah Smallwood had four singles and three RBIs to pace the Cougars’ offense.
    Last Tuesday, the Lady Cougars defeated Ashland, 16-11 in Stacyville.
    The Lady Cougars capitalized on numerous bases on balls to take the win. Katahdin led 16-6 after four innings.
    Kali Rush had two singles for Katahdin.
Houlton teams ready for postseason
    The Houlton Shiretowners put themselves into playoff position, finishing eighth in Class C. As the Shiretowners completed the regular season, they were defeated 13-11 by host Fort Kent last Wednesday.
    The Shiretowners tied the game at 4-all in the top of the second, but the Warriors came back with four runs of their own in the bottom of the frame for an 8-4 lead. Houlton erupted for a seven-run third inning to lead 11-8, but the Warriors came back again with five runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 13-11 lead and win.
    Chris Anderson led Houlton with two singles and two RBIs while Porter Gervais hit two doubles.
    Last Tuesday, the Shiretowners dropped a close game, 6-4 to host Stearns.    Ian Gervais led Houlton with a two-run single in the seventh, while brother Porter singled and scored.
    The Houlton Lady Shires finished the season with two wins over Stearns and Fort Kent, as they will travel to No. 4 Orono for the quarterfinals tomorrow.
    Against Stearns, the visiting Lady Shires picked up a 17-11 win after rallying for eight runs in the seventh to break a 9-all tie.
    Lainey Herring spearheaded the seventh-inning rally with a two-run triple, while Nikki Eastman stroked a two-run double and Erika Lackey (doubled in the third) roped a two-run single. Megan Hannigan also had a two-run double in the second, along with a run-scoring single in the fifth.
    Last Wednesday night, the Lady Shires traveled to Fort Kent and came home with a 7-1 victory.
    Eastman threw a three-hitter, striking out eight. She was backed offensively by Taylor Bailey, who stroked three singles to drive in two runs. Herring added a pair of singles and Taylor Morris banged a two-run single.
GHCA sweeps Hodgdon
   The Greater Houlton Christian Academy swept host Hodgdon, 7-6 and 21-8 last Tuesday to wrap up each team’s seasons.
    In the opener, the score was 2-all after third before Hodgdon went ahead 5-2. The Eagles came back with a run in the fifth and three more in the sixth to take the lead, 6-5. But, the Hawks scored the game-tying run in the top of the seventh to force an extra inning.
    In the eighth, the Eagles’ Chad Duff walked, stole second and third and then scored the game-winner with two outs on a passed ball. Duff finished the game with a pair of singles to drive in two runs, while Mackenzie Burns collected two singles and drove in a run.
    For Hodgdon, Ryan Wellington doubled and singled, while Jamie Ryan singled twice.
    In the second game, the Eagles went ahead 12-3 after four innings en route to a 21-8 win.
    GHCA’s  Jaron Gray doubled, singled twice and drove in a run, while Zach Straubel had four singles and an RBI. Teddy Bowers singled twice.
   Travis Quint hit a two-run single, while Ryan doubled and singled for the Hawks.