CARIBOU, Maine — Six teams fought for the title of 10-12 year-old baseball champions as the Northern Maine Community Recreation Association held its annual tournament at the Robert P. White and Rotary field at the Caribou Little League complex last Wednesday.
The championship came down to the final inning as Presque Isle held off Caribou, 2-1, for its second consecutive title.
The game was a pitchers’ duel between Presque Isle’s Chance Bragan and Caribou’s Cullen Caverhill. Both performed brilliantly, with Bragan striking out nine batters and Caverhill only three, Both demonstrated the ability to get out of jams throughout, leading to the low score.
The teams each had a pair reach base in the second inning, but all were left stranded. Presque Isle finally broke through in the top of the third inning as No. 9 batter Riley Roderick doubled, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored one out later on a line-drive single to center by Ricky Goupille.
Caribou had its best threat in the bottom of the fifth as the first three batters reached — Spencer Soucy on a hit, Brevin Barnes on an infield error and Josh Cummings on a walk. However, Bragan wiggled out of it by fanning the next two batters before Caribou’s leadoff hitter, Jacob Soucy, hit a line drive to center field that was flagged down by Sam Beaulieu for the final out.
PI made it 2-0 in the top of the sixth when Bragan singled and later came across on a wild pitch.
Caribou did not go down quietly as with two outs, Owen Martin doubled and scored on a wild pitch. Jake Berkoski had an infield hit and made it over to third base before Bragan struck out the final batter to end the contest.
In early-round games, Presque Isle bested Mapleton, 5-2, before topping Madawaska, 13-6. Caribou opened with a 13-0 triumph over Fort Fairfield before trouncing Mars Hill, 16-2.
