Shires struggling, need consistency

Pioneer Times photograph/Gloria Austin
TAGS ON – Houlton’s Parker Sanderson puts a late tag on a Foxcroft runner coming into third base during last Saturday’s game. Houlton coach Shawn Graham is pleased with his starting freshmen, Sanderson, Hunter Hanning and Jimmy Fitzpatrick.
By Gloria Austin  
Staff Writer
    The Houlton Shiretowners are hanging onto 10th position in the Maine Principals’ Association Heal Point standings with a 3-7 record, as they lost back-to-back games against Foxcroft last week.
    “We’ve really been struggling as of late in all aspects of our game,” said Houlton coach Shawn Graham. “It’s been a frustrating season for a lot of us, but at the same time, I think we are very capable of putting together a quality game.”
    The Shires’ batting average is a dismal .196 (57 for 291) and defensively, they are averaging four to five infield errors per game, Graham said, which has led to five or six unearned runs per game. Graham’s pitchers have walked 57 batters over 57 1/3 innings of work.
    “It’s not a real good recipe for winning baseball games,” he said.
    To the Shires’ defense, they play a tough schedule of opponents such as Class C teams Stearns, Foxcroft, Madawaska and Penobscot Valley High School, and then add B schools Presque Isle and Caribou.
    “It makes for a tough battle every time out,” Graham said. “You only have to pull off a few upsets and you can easily find your way into the playoffs, as evident with our win over PVHS and two wins versus Madawaska. It’s those three wins that are keeping us in the top 10. We also played the No. 1 team (Stearns) to a 1-0 game into the sixth inning. It’s just a matter of putting it all together on a more consistent basis.”
    On Monday, the Shires lost their second game to Foxcroft, 9-3 in Dover-Foxcroft, as the Ponies led 3-2 after the second and 6-3 in the fourth.
Pioneer Times photograph/Gloria Austin
UP AND THROWING – Houlton’s Corey Woodworth comes up throwing from the outfield in last Saturday’s game against Foxcroft.
    Jimmy Fitzpatrick and Chris Anderson each had run-scoring singles for Houlton, while Parker Sanderson singled and knocked in a run.
    Last Saturday in Houlton, the Shires lost to Foxcroft, 15-7, with Sanderson singling twice and Fitzpatrick roping an RBI-double.
    Earlier in the week, the Shires were defeated 11-1 by host Presque Isle. Leading the Houlton offense were Sanderson, who hit two singles and Hunter Hanning who doubled.
    Graham’s three starting freshmen, Fitzpatrick, Sanderson and Hanning are all making an impact this season.
    “I’m extremely pleased with them,” he said. “They have all contributed in a very big way for us. Jimmy’s arguably the best outfielder that we’ve seen in a long time. Parker has been very versatile for us in the infield and gives us 100 percent effort each time he steps on the field. Hunter is one of our better bats and has played an excellent first base.  The future in itself looks pretty good.”
    As far as playoffs this season, Graham is still optimistic.
    “This week will really tell us where we stand,” he said. “We have three games and right now we need to focus on one game at a time.”
    The Shires will play Hodgdon twice and Fort Kent. Today, Hodgdon hosts Houlton at 4 p.m.