It appears that it’s going to be a lean year as far as the number of local baseball teams qualifying for the post-season.
The Central Aroostook Panthers, currently ranked first in Eastern Maine Class D at 11-3, are the only sure bet to make the playoffs, with the Fort Fairfield Tigers the only other team still with a shot to get in.
The Tigers, currently seeded 10th in the division at 6-8, will need to beat the Panthers when they meet in both teams’ regular season finale this afternoon at 4 p.m. in Fort Fairfield. Only the top nine teams will advance into the playoffs, with Shead and Jonesport-Beals, the current eighth and ninth-place teams, the only ones FF has a chance of overtaking.
Limestone-MSSM, Washburn and Ashland are out of the mix in EM Class D, while Presque Isle and Caribou will not make the cut in the Class B ranks. The Wildcats and Vikings will play at PI tonight at 7 p.m. to wrap up regular season play.
Summaries of games played through Monday are as follows:
John Bapst 4, Caribou 2 – The Crusaders used a four-hitter by Max Andrews to quiet the Vikings in game one of a doubleheader played Saturday at Winkin Complex on the Husson University campus in Bangor.
Stephen St. Peter collected two of the four Viking hits. He also knocked in a run, while Chad Caverhill added a double. Royce Landeen pitched well in the loss.
John Bapst 11, Caribou 10 – The hosts rallied for four runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game and then scored a single run in the seventh to come out on top.
Keith Nelson drove in the winning run as Bapst gained the sweep. Andrews had three hits and scored the winning run.
Matt Milliard posted three hits and three RBIs for the Vikes, while Dean Walker added three singles and two RBIs. Caverhill chipped in with a run-scoring triple.
Van Buren 14, Ashland 4 – The Crusaders kept Ashland winless on the season Friday, outhitting the hosts 9-2 en route to the victory.
Brandon Bouchard homered for Van Buren, while Royce MacDonald had an RBI double to pace the Hornets’ offense.
Fort Fairfield 3, Limestone-MSSM 2 – The Tigers scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth and Landon Towle finished up his complete-game with a scoreless seventh as Fort won a key game Thursday at home.
Towle had an RBI single and Travis Noyes drove in two run with a single for the winning rally against hard-luck losing pitcher Chris Bernier, who had a two-run single in the first inning to stake his Eagles to the early lead.
Washburn 10, Ashland 9 – The Beavers won for the second time this season, both coming against the Hornets, as Keagan Page drove home the winning run with a single in the bottom of the eighth.
Ethan Pendexter also had a key hit, driving in the tying run in the seventh for Washburn.
Amos Ward doubled and singled and Jordan Beaulier had a pair of hits for Ashland.
Houlton 10, Caribou 9 – The Shires scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh to come back to beat Caribou.
Hunter Hanning tied the game with a two-out RBI double and then scored the game-winning run on an error.
St. Peter doubled and singled and Garrett Jordan ripped a two-run double for the Vikes.
Madawaska 9, Fort Fairfield 4 – Last Tuesday in Madawaska, the Owls overcame an early 4-0 deficit by collecting 11 hits in the game shortened by rain after five innings.
Noyes had two singles and two RBIs and Austin Bernier chipped in with a run-scoring single for the Tigers.
