Tuesday was a busy day on the baseball and softball diamonds with a number of squads in action. The play will only intensify Wednesday as warm, sunny conditions in northern Maine are helping dry out soggy fields.
In games slated for Wednesday, Ashland baseball and softball heads to Dyer Brook to take on Southern Aroostook, Fort Kent is at Presque Isle softball and the Hodgdon baseball and softball teams travel to Stacyville to face Katahdin. Those games are all slated for 4 p.m. starts.
Baseball
Central Aroostook 3, Katahdin 0 — At Mars Hill, Brayden Bradbury pitched the shutout victory for the Panthers (1-2) as he scattered two hits and four walks, with eight strikeouts.
“There were some pretty nice defensive plays for both teams,” Central Aroostook coach Mitch Ross said.” Brayden worked out of a bases loaded jam with just one out in the second inning by striking out the next two batters.”
Cooper Drew was the tough-luck loser, despite throwing a two-hitter. Drew allowed one walk and had seven strikeouts. Drew retired the side in order in every inning except the fourth, when Central Aroostook scored all three of its runs.
In the fourth inning, the Panthers scored three times as Josh Thomas led off with a hit and took second on a balk. Caleb Harris then drove him in with a single to right. Ben Thomas walked behind Harris. Harris stole third and then scored when the ball bounced into short left. The throw home got away from the catcher allowing Thomas to score.
Cooper Drew and Bradley Hotham each had a single for Katahdin (2-1).
Mattanawcook 6, Houlton 0 — At Houlton, Cody Hanscom pitched a shutout, striking out six and walking one as Mattanawcook Academy handed the Shires their first loss of the season. MA and Houlton played two five-inning games as part of a doubleheader. Brady Pepin had two hits for the Lynx.
Houlton third baseman Ryder Graham slaps the tag on a Mattanawcook Academy baserunner during Tuesday’s baseball action in Houlton. The Shires fell 6-0 in the first game of the doubleheader, but rebounded for a 7-6 victory in the second contest.
(Joseph Cyr)
For Houlton, Ryder Graham and Pat Howe each had two hits.
“In the first game, I thought Nick (Perfitt) pitched great, but he got up there in pitch count and things did not go our way after he came out,” Houlton coach Jim Castner said. “We left too many guys on base, but we can focus on that with situational hitting in BP (batting practice).”
Houlton 7, Mattanawcook Academy 6 –– In the second of the doubleheader, Morgan Phillips had three hits and Colby Callnan and Ryder Graham each had two RBIs as Houlton (3-1) earned the victory.
For the Lynx (3-2), Jackson Weatherbee had three hits and Logan Thompson had two.
“I thought we did a great job of being persistent,” coach Castner said. “Pat (Howe) did not have his best stuff, but really pitched well and ground out hitters, showing a very strong will to win whatever the cost. We hit the ball much better and put pressure on them. MA is a very tough team, and it was evenly matched. I would bet that we see them again in the postseason.”
Hodgdon 7, Southern Aroostook 5 — At Hodgdon, Wyatt Foster singled, walked, stole three bases and scored two runs to help propel the Hawks. Jeremiah Goff and Andrew Tuttle both added RBI singles for Hodgdon (2-1).
For Southern Aroostook (0-3), Steven Rackliff singled twice, had two RBIs and scored two runs. Gunner Siltz also added a late-game RBI single for the Warriors.
Caribou 5, Fort Kent 1 — Camden Huck tossed a complete-game four-hitter Tuesday, pitching the Vikings past the Warriors, who were playing their season opener.
Huck doubled, singled twice and scored twice for the 2-4 winners. Alex Ezzy and Noah Hixon also added three hits each for the Vikes.
Eden Paradis, Jake Daigle, CJ Rocheleau and Caleb Delisle collected a hit apiece for Fort Kent. Daigle took the pitching loss.
Softball
Katahdin 5, Central Aroostook 4 — Central Aroostook’s Breanne Bradbury slammed an inside-the-park home run in the third inning, but Katahdin’s Lily Cullen outpitched CA’s Caitlyn Harris in the Panthers’ home opener Tuesday. The Cougars improved to 2-1 and the Panthers’ record dropped to 0-3.
Fort Kent 17, Caribou 8 — Madison Saucier singled three times and Riley Sibley and Allie Daigle each chipped in with two hits as the Warriors enjoyed a successful season-opening win over the Vikings in Caribou Tuesday.
Katahdin catcher Danielle Libby spins around to attempt to tag out Central Aroostook’s Breanne Bradbury at home plate during the Tuesday, May 1 game in Mars Hill. Bradbury scored on the inside-the-park homer, but the Cougars came out on top.
(Kevin Sjoberg)
Macey Thibodeau recorded the complete-game victory on the mound.
Caribou, now 1-4, was led by Jaelynn Doody and Emily Adler, who had two hits each. Adler also scored a pair of runs and drove in another. Heather DeMerchant started on the mound and Brooke Moir came on in relief in the fifth for the Vikes.
Southern Aroostook 12, Hodgdon 8 — At Hodgdon, Southern Aroostook’s Kylie Vining singled four times and added a triple as she helped her cause inside the pitching circle. Makaelyn Porter and Sydney Brewer both singled three times for the Warriors (2-0).
For Hodgdon (0-2), Sidney Crane had three singles and five stolen bases and Kendra Gresko had two singles.
Houlton 0, Mattanawcook Academy 3 — At Houlton, MA’s Haley McLaughlin threw a no-hitter as the Lynx of Lincoln beat Houlton in the first game of a doubleheader. McLaughlin walked one and struck out seven inside the pitching circle.
Caitlyn Harris of the Central Aroostook Panthers throws the ball to first base after fielding a ground ball during the Tuesday, May 1 game against Katahdin in Mars Hill. (Kevin Sjoberg)
Gabby Hamm doubled for the Lynx. MA scored all three of its runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Kristen Graham pitched the loss for the Shires, scattering three runs on three hits and one walk, with two strikeouts.
Mattanawcook 3, Houlton 1 – In the second game of the doubleheader, McLaughlin allowed three hits and no walks, with five strikeouts as the Lynx improved to 4-1 on the season. Kimberlee Voisine led MA with a triple and run, while Audrey Tash, Hamm, Gabrielle Theriault, Kourtney Thurlow and Makayla Farrington all singled.
For Houlton (0-4), Graham scattered six hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Tyra Gentle and Elizabeth Phillips both doubled and Becca Howe singled for the Shires.
Tennis
Caribou boys 4, Presque Isle 1 — The Vikings won every game in No. 2 and No. 3 singles and first and second doubles in Tuesday’s win at Caribou.
Parker Deprey defeated Mason Young, Gabriel Rand stopped Jordan Bonville, Bailey Griffeth and Sawyer Deprey downed Isaac Madore-Gage Young and Emerson Duplissie-Cyr-Seth Beidelman eased past Austin Moreau-Elijah Russell.
Presque Isle’s lone win came in No. 1 singles as Andre Daigle beat Alec Cyr, 8-3.
Caribou improved to 4-0 and the Wildcats fell to 3-1.
Caribou girls 5, Presque Isle 0 — The Vikings are now a perfect 4-0 after trouncing the Wildcats Tuesday at CHS.
Gabrielle Marquis blanked Hana Boucher, Hailey Holmquist defeated Anna Robinson and Ciara Richards-Danielle Hanson triumphed over Gaby Haley-Jenna Ouellette, all by 8-0 scores.
Ashley Matlock prevailed over Miranda Bragan, 8-1, in the other singles match, while Maddie Stratton-Kyra Thibeault won by forfeit in doubles play. Presque Isle’s record fell to 1-3.
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- Houlton’s Tyra Gentle makes contact with the ball during Tuesday’s doubleheader with Mattanawcook Academy. Houlton fell 3-0 and 3-1 in the games. (Kevin Sjoberg)
