The Central Aroostook Panthers and Wisdom Pioneers will kick off the post-season in Aroostook County with a matchup this afternoon in Mars Hill beginning at 4 p.m.
The squads are set to square off in a preliminary playoff baseball game which will kick off a busy slate over the next couple days.
The Panthers are the fourth seed in Class D North with their 8-6 record, while the Pioneers are No. 13 with a 5-7 mark. The teams did not play each other during the regular season.
The winner advances to the quarterfinal round contest, tentatively set for Thursday, against the winner of the prelim game between No. 5 Katahdin and No. 12 Ashland, which is being played Tuesday.
Both Presque Isle squads were also supposed to be in action in Class B North prelims Monday, but SAD 1 Athletic Administrator announced that the games have now been moved to Tuesday due to the predicted wet weather along the coast.
The Wildcat baseball team, with a 6-10 record, carries the No. 13 ranking and plays No. 4 Oceanside (13-3) at 2 p.m. The survivor matches up with either No. 5 Hermon or No. 12 Maine Central Institute in the quarterfinals.
The PI softball team, 7-9 and ranked 11th, will square off against sixth-seeded Medomak Valley in Waldoboro (10-6) at 3 p.m. The winner plays either No. 3 Oceanside or No. 14 Mount Desert Island in the next round, most likely on Thursday.
Also in the Class B North ranks, the Caribou baseball team (4-12), seeded 14th, draws No. 3 Mount Desert Island (11-5) for a 4 p.m. game on Tuesday in Bar Harbor.
Planned baseball games on Tuesday also include No. 12 Ashland (5-8) at No. 5 Katahdin (10-4); No 11 Hodgdon (5-9) at No. 6 Penobscot Valley of Howland (13-3); No. 10 Deer Isle-Stonington (4-12) at No. 7 Greater Houlton Christian Academy (11-3) and No. 14 Southern Aroostook (4-10) at No. 3 Woodland (14-2) in Class D North matchups, all to be played beginning at 4 p.m.
Tuesday Class D North prelim softball games involving local teams include No. 9 Madawaska at No. 8 Central Aroostook at 2 p.m., No. 11 Fort Fairfield at No. 6 East Grand at 3 p.m. and No. 13 Schenck at No. 4 Ashland at 4 p.m.
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- Wildcat junior Jonah Hudson rears back to deliver a pitch to the plate during a regular season game at Houlton. Hudson and his Presque Isle squad plays Oceanside in a preliminary round varsity baseball game Monday at 4 p.m. in Rockland. (Joseph Cyr)
