Houlton junior high boys clinch league title

After playing nine games in 10 days, the Houlton Junior High baseball team beat Presque Isle White last Friday to win the Northern Maine Junior High Championship.
     The journey began last Tuesday splitting a doubleheader at home versus Millinocket. In the first game, the Shires battled back from a 5-2 deficit to score four runs in the bottom of the fifth to pull out a 6-5 win.   Jon Tuttle started the inning off with a single. After two quick outs, Nick Guiod singled Tuttle home, Parker Sanderson then doubled in Guiod. Hunter Hanning singled Sanderson in to tie the game then stole second and scored on two wild pitches to win the game. Sanderson pitched five strong innings for the win.  Millinocket won the second game 13-1.
Houlton traveled to Caribou the next day to win a wild game 19-18. Houlton built a 19-7 lead going into the bottom of the seventh. With six games during the week, the Shires turned to pitchers that stepped up to pitch. After giving up 11 runs, the Shires ran home with the win. Hanning led the 21-hit attack with five hits. Sanderson and Kole Buzzeo each added three hits.
After having a day off, another doubleheader was on tap against Presque Isle Blue. Gage Hunt pitched a good game, while the bats were shut down. Presque Isle won 5-1. Houlton won the second game 10-5 with a solid pitching performance by Dalton Cloney. Hanning had two hits.
Presque Isle White was next up the following day. Another wild game was won by the Shires, 14-10.  Hanning had three hits, including two long home runs. Guiod and Tuttle each also had three hits. Jimmy Fitzpatrick and Hunt each added two.
Southern Aroostook started off week two on Tuesday. Houlton’s hitting attack was in full force with 25 hits. Sanderson had four hits. Guiod, Fitzpatrick, Hanning, Tyler Bartlett and Dan Swallow each had three hits. Houlton won, 23-4.
Next up was Caribou at home. Hanning pitched the best game of the season throwing all seven innings giving up only two hits, while striking out 12 to earn a 12-0 shutout. Guiod led the hitters with three hits including a home run.
It was back up to Presque Isle on Friday to play the White team again. Sanderson pitched a complete game winning 13-4 while striking out eight. Swallow and Hanning each had three hits, while Brandon Ward had two hits including a long triple.
With the last win the Shires have a 6-1 league record.