HOULTON, Maine — A new softball champion was crowned Saturday afternoon for the Houlton Area Little League as top-ranked Barry Lorom Trucking outlasted F.A. Peabody Company to claim the league crown.
BLT demolished the competition during the regular season, often ending games via the 10-run mercy rule. In fact, BLT nearly pulled off a perfect season, if it were not for the gritty and spirited play of FAPCO in the first title contest.
Members of BLT include Olivia Henderson, Madison Marino, Samantha Johnson, Emma Swallow, Breanne Barton, Drew Warman, Natalie Delucca, Hannah Foster, Camille Callnan, Zoe Austin, Calli Sylvia, Haley Grant and Mikayla Kimball. Brian Swallow, B.J. Barton and Clyde Warman coach the team.
Members of FAPCO include Morgan Bailey, Brittney Hagan, Raegan Perfitt, Erin Peters, Sophia Lorom, Megan Peters, Ameilia Callnan, Gabby Gentle, Ryan Perfitt, Kalle Neureuther, Alison Bolstridge, Avigail Ojeda and Taylor Fitzpatrick. Erin Perfitt, Barry Lorom and Kevin Bailey coach the team.
FAPCO forced a second, winner-take-all game by beating BLT, 11-8, in the first game of the day. BLT came roaring back in the second contest, scoring early and often en route to a 15-7 game shortened to four-and-a-half innings via the mercy rule. Because the season was played under “Minor League” rules, teams are only allowed to score five runs an inning.
In that first title game, BLT struck quickly, scoring four runs in the top of the first inning as Hagan, Peters, R. Perfitt and Bailey all reached and scored. BLT managed just one run in the bottom of the first inning as Johnson reached and scored.
FAPCO never trailed again, as the team scored once in the second and third innings, twice in the fourth and fifth innings and added an insurance run in the sixth.
Hagan scored three runs to lead the team, while Bailey and Fitzpatrick each had two runs and Peters, Reagan Perfitt, Ryan Perfitt and Ojeda each had one run.
For BLT, Warman scored two runs, while Delucca, Johnson, Henderson, Barton, Marino and Foster each had scored once.
In the second, winner-take-all game played 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first contest, it was BLT who showed no signs of wearing down under the hot, sunny conditions. BLT scored five runs in the first, five in the second, two in the third and three in the fourth to put the game out of reach.
Delucca and Johnson both reached and scored three runs for the victors, while Marino, Warman and Foster all had two runs; and Barton and Sylvia both had one run.
For FAPCO, Hagan, Lorom, Peters, Bailey, Fitzpatrick, Callnan and Bolstridge each scored one run.
