As playoffs near, the Houlton High School baseball team is currently sixth in the Class C Heal Point standings with a 6-2 record.
The top team in Class C is George Stevens Academy, 9-1, followed by Bucksport, 7-3; Central, 5-4; Calais, 6-1; and Mattanawcook Academy, 8-2.
In Class D, two local teams hold the first two seedings, with Southern Arootook ranked first with an 8-1 record and Hodgdon second at 4-3 on the year.
Katahdin is in playoff scene in 11th with a 4-4 record, while East Grand/GHCA is settling in 17th.
With such a short spring season, many scores are not reported. The Houlton Pioneer Times staff tries to include as many game recaps as possible. This week was no exception, as many games are not published.
Recaps of this week’s games:
Baseball Friday:
Houlton 16, Fort Kent 5 — At Houlton in the second game of a doubleheader, Dan Howe went 4 for 4 with three RBIs and scored four runs to lead the Shiretowners. Cameron Clark went 3 for 3 and Nick Hagan picked up the win in relief while throwing 3 1/3 innings, striking out two.
Houlton 7, Fort Kent 1 — At Houlton in the first game of a doubleheader, Jake Drew had two hits and four RBIs to propel the Shiretowners to the win. Ethan Bouchard had three hits and scored three runs. Howe pitched three-hit ball while striking out 13 batters.
Houlton 24, Lee Academy 1 — At Houlton, Ryan Dee allowed only one run on three hits while striking out seven batters, as Houlton overpowered Lee. Dee, Drew, Howe, Clark and Thomas Prescott each had two hits.
Houlton put the game away with a 12-run second inning.
Hodgdon 12, Limestone/ MSSM 2 — On Monday at Limestone, Hodgdon starting pitcher Samuel Horton pitched a no-hitter for three innings and allowed only one run as the Hawks claimed the victory. Jimmy Buzzell scored three times for Hodgdon.
SACS 26, Limestone/MSSM 10 — Last Saturday in Limestone, Robert Brown led a 15-hit attack with a two-run home run and a single that resulted in a SACS win. Nate Lilley scored five times with a double and a single. Lefay and Perrin also singled and doubled each having three RBIs.
Hunter Lawlor tripled and singled and Cory Rockwell added a double.
The Warriors will be without the services of their pitching ace Parker Walker due to a shoulder injury he sustained last week against Hodgdon.
“Parker was having a tremendous season,” said SACS coach David Day. “Up until his injury, he had pitched 12 innings recording no runs, no hits, with 28 strikeouts and two walks.”
Walker has returned to the lineup, but will be limited to first base or in the role of designated hitter.
“He has been out for the last two games and the team is looking forward to having him back in the lineup,” Day added.
Hodgdon 15, SACS 2 — At Hodgdon last Wednesday, Ben Tuttle pitched five innings of five-hit, two-run ball and Buzzell had four singles, scored three times and drove in a run as Hodgdon triumphed. Horton had a single and three walks with four runs scored for the winners.
For Southern Aroostook, Gage Lefay singled, walked and scored a run. Lucas Violette also singled.
SACS 20, Katahdin 9 — Last Thursday in Stacyville, the Cougars scored nine runs on nine hits, but it wasn’t enough to overtake Southern Aroostook.
For SACS, Nate Lilley went 4 for 6 with two RBIs to pace the offense. Lefay, Josh Perrin and Hunter Lawlor each had two hits. Josh Perrin struck out eight batters in a solid five innings of relief.
For Katahdin, Devin McGraw tripled, doubled, singled and racked up four RBIs to lead the offense. Nick Drew hit two singles and Shey Lane chipped in with a double. Cody Brownlee, Tyson Porter and TJ Young each had hits.
EG/GHCA 0, Shead 18 — Last Friday in Danforth, the Vikings were blanked by a strong Shead opponent.
The top 10 softball teams qualify for playoffs in Class C and Houlton is currently 11th with a 4-4 record.
In Class D, East Grand/GHCA is ninth with a 3-5 season, following No. 1, Washburn, 8-1; No. 2, Limestone/MSSM, 8-1; No. 3, CAHS, 5-3; No. 4, Machias, 6-2; No. 5, Fort Fairfield, 5-5; No. 6, PVHS, 6-3; No. 7, Shead, 4-4; and No. 8, Highview, 5-4. The top 14 teams move on to playoffs.
Hodgdon is 16th, 2-6; Katahdin, 17th, 3-5; and SACS, 18th, 1-9.
Softball Friday:
Houlton 33, Fort Kent 10 —At Houlton, in the second game of a doubleheader, the Shires got four hits and four RBIs from Elizabeth Ward to earn the win. Kristen Graham and Carolyn Mooers each added three hits and two RBIs. Emma Peterson contributed three hits and three RBIs as well as getting the win.
Houlton 29, Fort Kent 12 — At Houlton, in the first game of a doubleheader on Friday, Graham recorded three hits and two RBIs to help the Shiretowners win. Tyra Gentle added two doubles and three RBIs for Houlton. Aspen Flewelling, Mikayla Fitzpatrick and Emma Gallop all had three RBIs each. Peterson picked up the win.
Houlton 22, Lee Academy 10 — At Houlton, Ward had four hits and three RBIs to lead the Shiretowners to victory. Abby Fore added one hit and two RBIs while Mooers had two doubles. Houlton had 14 hits in the win.
Hodgdon 3, Limestone/ MSSM 23 — On Monday in Limestone, the Hodgdon girls were overmatched. Rachel Harmon’s single was the only hit for 2-6 Hodgdon.
SACS 8, CAHS 20 — Monday in Mars Hill, the Lady Panthers overpowered Southern Aroostook for the win.
Whitnie Bradbury drove in six runs with a double and four singles to lead Central Aroostook with Caitlyn Harris collecting four singles and Isabelle Wright hitting three singles for the winners.
Jessica Nye and Cassidy Lyons each had two hits for SACS.
Katahdin 7 Deer Isle-Stonington 9 — In the first game of a doubleheader, Kaycee Cintron was the pitcher until the second inning when she had a line drive hit her hand. Georgia Landry took over as pitcher for the remainder of this game.
Katahdin had led 6-1 in the fifth, but Deer Isle-Stonington scored eight runs in the fifth to take the lead and win.
Katahdin 6, Deer Isle-Stonington 11 — Katahdin led through two innings of the second game, 3-2, but the Mariners expanded their lead over the next three innings, holding the Lady Cougars scoreless until they scored three in the sixth.
Katahdin, 15, SACS 14 — Last Thursday in Stacyville, the game between school rivals was close through four innings with Katahdin ahead, 4-3. In the fifth, SACS had scored a run and had one out, with the bases loaded. The next play Katahdin pulleda double play that closed the inning. Sophie Vetter stopped the ground ball, threw to Georgia Landry at third base then Landry threw to Molly Cunningham at first base to end the threat.
SACS did not give up. In the seventh, trailing 15-12, they put the pressure on Katahdin scoring two runs, but that was all they could muster.
EG/GHCA 1, Shead 3 — On Saturday in Eastport, Holly Preston hit a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning to give Shead its win.
Hannah Crone singled and had the RBI for East Grand/GHCA.
