PI, Houlton tennis teams in prelims

Tuesday marks the beginning of the high school team tennis playoffs, with the No. 10 Foxcroft Academy girls (4-8) taking on seventh-seeded Presque Isle (6-6) at the University of Maine at Presque Isle courts at 3 p.m. and the 10th-ranked Wildcat boys (7-5) making the trip south to meet up against No. 7 Brewer (8-4) at 3:30 p.m. in Class B North prelim action.

In girls Class C North, No. 7 Houlton (6-6) hosts No. 10 Van Buren (6-4) today at 3 p.m. If the Shires win that match, they will advance to the quarterfinals against No. 2 George Stevens Academy (10-2) tentatively set for Thursday. That match could also be played on Wednesday, according to RSU 29 Athletic Director Bruce Nason.

In boys Class C North, No. 9 Houlton (5-8 overall) played its preliminary playoff match against No. 8 Piscataquis (9-4) on Monday and pulled off the upset. Results for that match were not immediately available. The Shires now face No. 1 Mattanawcook Academy (12-0) in the quarterfinals. That match is tentatively set for noon Thursday in Lincoln.

On the softball diamond, Presque Isle hosts Caribou in a 2 p.m. start, while Ashland is in  Danforth to take on East Grand at 3 p.m. and Shead is at Katahdin for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.

In baseball, Caribou will play at Presque Isle, with first pitch slated for 2 p.m. and Shead is at Katahdin for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.

Results from a heavy slate of baseball and softball games played Friday, Saturday and Monday over the Memorial Day weekend are as follows:

Baseball

GHCA 5, Ashland 4 — At Ashland Friday, Silas Graham hit a two-out single in the sixth inning to drive in what proved to be the winning run for GHCA.

The scheduled second game was postponed because of rain and lightning and will now be played Thursday.

Graham finished with two singles and two RBIs to support reliever Will Austin, who worked two scoreless innings and struck out four to pick up the pitching win.

Baily Clark’s double and two singles led Ashland. He also pitched five innings, allowing three hits and striking out 10.

Hodgdon 9, Central Aroostook 4 — At Hodgdon Friday, on “Senior Night” senior Wyatt Foster pitched a complete game striking out nine to lead Hodgdon to the win. Senior Matt Horton who called and caught the game had an RBI double and two walks. Foster was helped by his brother Josh Foster who had a home run, three singles and four runs scored. Andrew Tuttle also hit a solo homer for the Hawks.

For Central Aroostook, Caleb Harris singled twice and scored a run for the Panthers, Ethan Pryor added a walk, single, double, and run scored.

Fort Fairfield 7, Fort Kent 6 — Jared Harvey homered twice and Dylan Jandreau had another as the Tigers took down the Warriors Friday in Fort Kent. Isaac Cyr was the winning pitcher and Colby Langner came on to earn the save.

Wisdom 7, Washburn 3 — The Pioneers picked up their third win of the season and sent the Beavers to their 11th consecutive loss in Saturday’s game played in Washburn. Individual results were not reported.

Hermon 2, Presque Isle 0; Hermon 8, Presque Isle 1 — On Saturday in Presque Isle, Hermon pitchers limited the Wildcats to only one run over 14 innings in gaining the sweep of the twinbill.

PI wasted a strong pitching performance by Connor DeMerchant in the first game. The sophomore righthander tossed a six-hitter, striking out six while walking no one. Alex Appleby of the Hawks blanked PI by allowing only singles to Jonah Hudson, R.J. Gross, Adam Paterson, Dakota Morrow and Andrew Hewitt.

Garrett Trask dominated on the mound for Hermon in the second contest, surrendering just three hits in the complete-game performance. Gross, DeMerchant and Cole Paterson collected a hit apiece for PI. Hudson was the starting pitcher for the Wildcats, while Morrow and Chance Bragan came on in relief.

Fort Fairfield 6, Hodgdon 2 — Jared Harvey fanned 14 batters and helped his own cause with a two-run single as the Tigers capped the regular season Monday by winning their 10th consecutive game.

Colby Langner’s two-run double and Dawson Watson’s run-scoring single were the other key hits for the 12-2 Fort Fairfield squad. Wyatt Foster hit an RBI double for the 5-8 Hawks.

Central Aroostook 11, Southern Aroostook 1 — The Panthers swept the season series against the Warriors with the triumph in Dyer Brook Monday. Individual results were not reported.

Houlton 3, Orono 2 — At Houlton Monday, Nick Perfitt pitched a complete game, with six strikeouts. Nick Brewer had two hits for the Shiretowners.

Orono’s Noah White struck out 12.

Houlton 6, Calais 1 — At Calais Friday, the Shires were victorious. Individual results were not reported.

Softball

Southern Aroostook 13, Washburn 0 — Kylie Vining spun a five-inning no-hitter, striking out 11 along the way, as the Warriors prevailed Friday in Washburn.

Central Aroostook 15, Hodgdon 11 — At Hodgdon Friday, Caitlyn Harris struck out 10 inside the pitching circle for Central Aroostook as the Panthers edged Hodgdon. Harris also helped her cause with a double and two singles. Breann Bradbury added three singles for the Panthers and Libby Grass had a triple and single.

For Hodgdon, Kora Lambert had three singles, Sidney Crane had a triple and single and Kendra Gresko had a double and single.

Fort Fairfield 5, Fort Kent 3 — On Friday in a contest held at Fort Kent, the Tigers picked up their most pointworthy win of the season as Sara Edgecomb was stellar in the pitching circle and Makaila Beck ripped three hits and Emily Everitt added two more. Isabelle Lausier doubled for the Warriors.

Katahdin 21, Ashland 11 — The Cougars knocked off the Hornets in Ashland Saturday. Individual results were not reported.

Washburn 17, Wisdom 16 — The Beavers gained their first victory of the season Saturday by taking the high-scoring game played in Washburn. Samantha Churchill doubled and singled as the Beavers broke a deadlock by scoring in the bottom of the seventh.

Hermon 16, Presque Isle 0; Hermon 18, Presque Isle 0 — Bre Oakes and Katie Windsor were the Hawks pitchers who shut down the Wildcats in a doubleheader played Saturday at Hermon.

Sydney Thompson had two hits and Rebecca Rider the other for the Wildcats in the game one defeat, while Thompson and Savannah Rodriguez were the only PI players to hit safely in the second game.

Thompson pitched the opener and Lydia Miller was in the circle for the second for Presque Isle.

Fort Fairfield 6, Hodgdon 5 — The Tigers edged the Hawks Monday in Fort Fairfield, clinching the victory with a ground ball double play to end the game.

Sara Edgecomb picked up the pitching win and Makaila Beck, Sadie Edgecomb and Hunter St. Pierre paced the offense with two hits apiece.

Gresko hit safely twice for the Hawks, while Megan Russell added a two-run triple.

Southern Aroostook 3, Central Aroostook 0 — The Warriors remained perfect with the shutout victory over the Panthers in Dyer Brook. Individual results were not reported.

Houlton 5, Orono 4 — At Houlton Monday, Tyra Gentle stole home in the ninth inning after Carolyn Mooers had drawn a game-tying bases loaded walk to give Houlton its come-from-behind win over Orono.

Camryn Brown drove in a pair of runs in the top of the sixth to tie it 3-3 and Orono took a 4-3 lead in the top of the ninth when Payton Trudel got a hit and scored on an error.

However, in the bottom of the ninth, Aspen Flewelling walked and Gentle and Kristen Graham both got hits to load the bases with no outs.

Graham picked up the win and Gentle and Becca Howe had two hits apiece for Houlton.

For Orono, Trudel, Katie Walker and Ellie Pierce were repeat hitters.