Staff Writer
HOULTON – The Houlton Town Championship in the 11-12-year-old division of the Houlton Little League wasn’t decided until the last inning of the June 21st game in the Stephen Porter Field at Community Park.
Houlton Farms Dairy came away with a 6-5 victory.
Houlton Pioneer Times photograph
CHAMPS – Houlton Town Champions in the 11-12-year-old division of the Houlton Little League are, from left, front, coach Ben Drew, Noah Holmes, Tyler Bartlett, Lucas Peabody, Devin McLaughlin, Jacob Drew and Mike Blake; back, coach Kevin Tuttle, Chase Brewer, Isaiah Straubel, Cole Suitter, John Tuttle, Lucas Sewall and coach Rick Holmes.
The score was tied in the top of the sixth, after Machias Savings Bank’s Hunter Hanning singled to score Alex Casillas, who had been hit by a pitch to reach base. Casillas had moved to second on a walk to Daniel Howe.
Then, Houlton Farms Dairy’s John Tuttle pitched out of a jam, striking out the next two batters, stranding Machias Savings Bank runners on second and third to end the inning.
Houlton Farms Dairy opened the bottom of the sixth with Noah Holmes drawing a lead-off walk. Tuttle and Isaiah Straubel rapped back-to-back singles, with Straubel driving in the game-winning run.
Heading into the game, spectators expected a pitchers’ duel between Houlton Farms Dairy’s southpaw ace Straubel and Machias Savings Bank hard throwing right-handed Hanning.
Straubel threw five innings, striking out 11 batters, while Hanning hit his pitch count in the just over four innings, while striking out 11, too.
GAME WINNER – Houlton Farms Dairy’s Noah Holmes celebrates after scoring the winning run in the bottom of the sixth.
Tyler Bartlett relieved Straubel in the sixth before Tuttle came on. For Machias Savings Bank, Gage Hunt threw the fifth inning and Daniel Howe the sixth.
Houlton Farms Dairy took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Jacob Drew singled and Tuttle hit the ball to right field, but a miscue on the fielding, allowed Drew to score. Tuttle then crossed the plate on a Straubel single.
The second inning was scoreless for both squads, but Machias Savings Bank scored a run in the top of the third when Howe singled and Hanning brought him around on a triple.
In the bottom of the frame, Houlton Farms Dairy added two more runs for a 4-1 advantage when Tuttle and Straubel both scored on walks to Chase Brewer and Cole Suitter.
Not daunted, the Machias Savings Bank hitters came alive in the top of the fifth and knotted the game at 4-all when Howe, Hanning and Hunt all scored.
Brewer scored the go-ahead run for Houlton Farms Dairy in the bottom of the fifth when he drew a walk, advanced on a sacrifice fly and scored on a wild pitch, setting up the decisive final inning.
MACHIAS SAVINGS BANK – Playing for the town runner-up Machias Savings Bank team are from left, front, Nick Hagan, Daniel Howe, Gage Hunt, Cody Bagwell, Blake Bagwell and Cooper Blake; back, coach Brian Howe, Alex Carr, Alex Casillas, Hunter Hanning, Alex York, David Jewell and coach Jamie Hunt. Absent from the photograph was Robbie Woods, Lucas Grant and coach Wesley Grant.
