Special to The Houlton Pioneer Times
Hunter Caron of Houlton crushed a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to propel the Presque Isle Patriots to a 5-4 victory over the Orono Twins Thursday under the lights at Presque Isle High School’s James E. Dyer Field.
Contributed photo
PATRIOTS – Members of the Presque Isle Patriots’ American Legion baseball team are, in front from left, Manny Martinez, Dan Brewer, Matt Parsons, Wilder York and Mike Flewelling. Back row, Kasey Brewer, Matt Chasse, Pat Thibodeau, Ted Walker, Hunter Caron, Logan McLaughlin and Mitch Folsom. Absent when photo was taken was Tanner Caron.
The victory improved the Patriots’ record at the time to 4-8 while the Twins fell to 2-9 on the season. Presque Isle went on to lose both games of a doubleheader against Steamboat Petroleum at Searsport Saturday, 9-1 and 10-9, before defeating Hampden in another road game Sunday, 8-2. The Patriots were at 5-10 heading into Monday’s game at Lincoln and Tuesday’s home game against Motor City of Bangor.
On Thursday, both teams saw great pitching out of their starters as Matt Chasse of Presque Isle threw the first six innings and gave up three runs, all earned, on only six hits while walking four and striking out four. Pat Thibodeau came in for the Patriots in the seventh, giving up an unearned run on one hit to earn the win.
Zac Kochis pitched all seven innings for the visiting Twins and allowed five runs, three of them earned, on six hits. He struck out six and walked five.
Orono broke through in the first as Casey Estes led off with a base hit, stole second and advanced to third when Dan LeBreton singled. Estes came across when Lebreton was caught in a rundown after leaning too far from first. He avoiding being tagged out until the run scored to give Orono a 1-0 lead.
Presque Isle tied the score in the bottom of the third when Manny Martinez reached second on an error. He scored on Pat Thibodeau’s RBI single.
Orono quickly responded in the top of the fourth to take the lead back when Ben Perry hit his third home run of the season, a two-run shot over the left field fence.
The resilient Patriots hung in there, surviving a bases-loaded situation in the top of the fifth by the Twins, who left all three runners stranded. The Patriots then tied the score at 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth. Wilder York earned a base on balls and Thibodeau singled. The game was then delayed for almost 10 minutes due to a problem with the lights on the field, but after it was corrected, both base runners advanced on a wild pitch from Kochis. Ted Walker then singled home York. Logan McLaughlin recorded an RBI, driving in Thibodeau.
Orono threatened again in the top of the sixth, but stranded two more base runners, this time leaving them at second and third.
The seventh inning started with the only pitching change of the game as Thibodeau came on in relief of Chasse. The lefty struck out the first batter he faced, but then give up a single to Dan Lebreton, who would end up 3-for-4 on the day. Lebreton advanced to second on a passed ball and to third when Thibodeau would force a ground ball to second for the second out. Lebreton then scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch. Thibodeau concluded that half of the inning with his second strikeout.
Feisty to the end, the Patriots came out swinging in the bottom of the seventh. Thibodeau got his third single of the day (finishing 3-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and two runs scored) when he took a 3-1 pitch right up the middle. Next up, Caron.
“I was just looking for a fast ball to hit is all,” explained Caron, who got just that and took the 0-1 pitch deep to left center field. “It felt real good when it left the bat.”
The home run was Caron’s second in as many games and the win keeps the Patriots in playoff contention.
“This is a very good win for us,” Coach Rich Parsons said. “We needed to win this one to keep in the hunt. We need to take this win and build upon it now.”
The Patriots lost two to the Waldo-based Steamboat Petroleum team Saturday. PI led 9-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh of game two, but squandered it by surrendering six runs. Thibodeau homered, singled and drove in three runs, while Kasey Brewer added three hits and Walker and Mitch Folsom added two each.
Four different pitchers combined on a six-hitter as Steamboat Petroleum prevailed in game one, 9-1. Chasse homered, while Thibodeau and Caron contributed two hits each for Presque Isle.
Caron homered and singled Sunday, driving in three runs as the Patriots upended Hampden, 8-2. Kasey Brewer hit a two-run double and Dan Brewer had two hits and an RBI for the winners.
Summaries of the 11 games played so far by the Patriots follows:
Walker’s double was one of only four hits compiled by Presque Isle in the June 21 loss in Blue Hill. McLaughlin pitched well for the Patriots, surrendering just five hits in going the distance. Steve Zirnkilton’s two-run homer in the fourth inning was the big blast for Trenton.
A grand slam home run off the bat of Walker tied the game at 7-7 in the top of fifth inning, but the hosts answered with four runs of their own in the sixth, keyed by RBI doubles by Mike Crowley and Nate Hines. Walker had a two-run double earlier in the game and Flewelling singled and scored a run for Presque Isle. Martinez came on in relief of starter Parsons in the fourth inning and took the loss on the mound.
Presque Isle’s home debut June 25 was spoiled as Hampden’s Brennan Perry was dominant on the hill, striking out 13 batters and allowing only a Martinez double. Patriot starting pitcher McLaughlin dropped to 0-2.
The Patriots finally entered the win column in game one of the June 27 doubleheader as starter Kasey Brewer gave up just three hits and Thibodeau sparked the offense by going 3 for 4 with three RBIs.
The home team bounced back in the nightcap to earn the split. Presque Isle had two hits apiece from Martinez, Folsom and Walker, who blasted his second home run of the year. Chasse contributed a sacrifice fly.
Enman helped burn his former mates by singling in a pair of runs as part of a five-run rally in the first inning. Motor City outhit the Patriots in the game, 10-2, en route to the victory June 28 in Bangor. McLaughlin had a triple and Chasse went the first six innings on the mound for Presque Isle.
McLaughlin not only posted the pitching win, but also joined battery mate Folsom in banging out two hits and driving in two runs each as Presque Isle prevailed at Orono June 30. Thibodeau drove in a pair of runs with a single and a sacrifice fly, while York notched an RBI single as Presque Isle scored five times in the first inning and never looked back.
Ian Edwards drove in five runs and Jordan Clark had three hits and two RBIs as host Bangor won with ease in the first of two games played Friday. Three Bangor pitchers combined on a three-hitter, with Walker, Thibodeau and Chasse accounting for the Patriot offense.
Game two did not go any better for the visitors, who were held to two hits – singles by York and Martinez. Dylan Morris and Lonnie Hackett paced Bangor, which had 19 hits in the contest, with three hits each.
Presque Isle finally halted its 18-inning scoreless streak thanks to Walker’s two-run blast in the fourth inning, but the Falcons were still too much for the host Patriots in the first of two played Sunday afternoon. Brewer unleashed a 16-hit attack against the combined pitching of McLaughlin, Chasse and Dan Brewer.
Caron had his best game of the season, driving in six runs with a double in the fourth inning and a homer in the fifth, leading Presque Isle to its biggest win of the season. York and Folsom added two hits each and Walker and McLaughlin ripped back-to-back home runs in the third inning. Both Walker and McLaughlin chipped in with singles during the game as Kasey Brewer (2-0) got the win and Thibodeau closed the game out in relief in the seventh.
Caron of Houlton is back with the Patriots after a year off, while first-year players (Wilder York of Presque Isle, Manny Martinez and Dan Brewer of Mars Hill and Tanner Caron and Mike Flewelling of Houlton) have joined what remains a youthful squad.
Veterans on the team include Patrick Thibodeau and Ted Walker of Caribou; Matt Parsons and Matt Chasse of Presque Isle; Kasey Brewer, Logan McLaughlin and Mitch Folsom all of Mars Hill.
