Cougars’ plan is to win as many games as possible

By Gloria Austin  
Staff Writer
    Last year, the Katahdin Cougars baseball team faced the daunting task of defending their 2008 Eastern Maine title, hoping for another state playoff bid. The Cougars reached the semifinals, but were defeated 3-1 by Deer Isle-Stonington, who went on to face Shead in the Class D finals.
    This year, the Cougars would like another playoff appearance. A year ago, they relied on the leadership of nine starting seniors. This season, the Cougars don’t even suit up a senior. They will be looking for their juniors to guide the younger players.
    “The juniors have played quite a bit of ball,” said Katahdin coach Marty McCarthy. “We’ve had teams in the past who would get ahead, and they would come in and play.”
    A trio of returning lettermen are Mark “Mook” McGraw, who has started since his freshman year, playing shortstop; Kolby Gallagher, who has seen plenty of playing time in the outfield and Brandon Robinson, a pitcher/catcher, who has done well for McCarthy in the past.
    “We want to take the season one game at a time,” said McCarthy. “Our hope is to go deep in the tournament.”
    That is no easy feat to achieve with underclassmen, but McCarthy believes in his team.
    First-year players are Spencer Anderson, outfield; Sal Cloukey, third; Billy Livezey, shortstop; Steve Whitney, outfield; Travis Gallagher, first base; Jordan Russell, outfield and Matt Birmingham, catcher. The lone sophomore is Jesse McNally, who plays third base. Capping off the junior class are Cody Cunningham, pitcher; Chris Cloukey, outfield; Mickey Savage, second base and Brady McNally, outfield.
    “Our pitching is pretty good,” said McCarthy, “and so is our team chemistry. They all get along.”
    The main starters for the Cougars are Cunningham and Robinson, with others in the rotation as McCarthy needs.
    “Cody and Brandon don’t give up a lot of runs,” he said. Against Southern Aroostook on April 29, Cunningham threw his first complete game of his career. “He looked like a veteran,” added McCarthy.
    Two components that McCarthy wants to tighten up are the team’s defense and confidence.
    “Defense definitely,” he said. “I think we can win any game against anyone we go to play. I hope I stress that to those guys. I don’t think they know how good they can be. The freshmen are pushing the older guys.”
    The Cougars have their goals, but none more significant than the simple pleasure of playing the game.
    “We want to have fun first,” said McCarthy. “I want them to enjoy their whole high school baseball experience. There are highs and lows in every season. I want them to go away with a good feeling about the program.”
    So far, McCarthy feels his team is having a good time, or at least he is.
    “I’m looking forward to every game,” he said. “We want to win as many games as we can. That’s our plan.”
    The Cougars are ninth in the Class D standings.