Hawks, Panthers get early start to regular season

By Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter
    MARS HILL – The Central Aroostook Panthers and Hodgdon Hawks got an early start to the regular season Friday, as the two schools met in varsity baseball and softball games.
    The softball game was a thriller and took extra innings before an outcome was decided. Kristen Long drove in Michaela King from second base with a single in the bottom of the eighth as the Panthers downed the Hawks, 15-14.
    The game-winning hit capped a huge offensive performance by Long, who had a double and two singles earlier in the game. The junior finished the contest with five RBI.
    King, a freshman, tripled and singled and knocked in three runs, while Paige Garrison singled twice and collected two RBI and Brianna Hartin had a hit and two RBI. CA out-hit Hodgdon, 11-10.
    Brittni Mosher started for the Panthers, was relieved by Long in the sixth inning and returned to the mound in the seventh to record the pitching victory. Hodgdon scored six runs in the fourth inning to grab an 8-2 lead and then plated five runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game and send it into extra innings.
    CA came up with a five-run rally in the fourth and a seven-run outburst in the fifth. The Panthers survived committing six errors in the contest.
    Mya Gardiner had three doubles and seven RBI to lead the Hawk attack. Anna Hase had two singles and four RBI.
    In the baseball game, junior Logan McLaughlin had an impressive pitching debut by tossing a two-hitter with 12 strikeouts while not walking a batter in the 12-0 triumph which was called after five innings due to the 10-run rule. The Panthers player error-free baseball behind McLaughlin.
    The Panthers scored single runs in both the first and second innings before erupting for five in the third and five more in the fourth. They totaled eight hits in the contest and senior Garrett Stiles had the biggest one, a two-run homer in the third. Kyle Murray and Mitch Folsom had two hits and an RBI each and Dan Brewer ripped a double for CA.
    Ryan Wellington doubled and Josh Hudson singled for Hodgdon’s only hits.