Houlton teams fall in quarterfinal action

The Houlton Shiretowners’ season ended last Thursday in the Eastern Maine Class C quarterfinals against visiting Mattanawcook Academy.
The teams were evenly matched, with the Lynx taking the second game of the season from Houlton, 2-0, while the Shiretowners mounted a comeback to overtake Mattanawcook Academy, 4-3, in their last meeting just a week prior to their quarterfinal matchup.
    The game was scoreless until the Lynx scored four runs on three errors, three walks, a balk and on fielder’s choice plays.
Houlton’s Hunter Hanning fired a one-hitter, as Mattanawcook’s Mike Gerrish reached Hanning in the fourth with a single. Hanning finished with eight strikeouts and four walks, including three crucial ones in the fifth.
For Mattanawcook Academy, Chase Vicaire gave up six hits and two runs (one earned) with seven striketouts and three walks over six and two-thirds innings.
With hopes of another late comeback, Shire fans watched intently as Houlton pressed for runs in the latter innings.
“Lincoln was able to escape damage in the fifth, sixth and seventh,” said Houlton coach Shawn Graham.
In the fifth, Houlton had two base runners as Gage Hunt and Dan Howe each hit two-out singles to put them at the corners. Lincoln got out of trouble with a long fly to right field by Hanning to end the threat.
Kole Buzzeo and Jake Drew started the sixth with back-to-back singles, but the next three batters went down in order on two pop ups and a strikeout.
The Shiretowners “scratched out a couple of runs,” said Graham in the seventh on Drew’s RBI-single. With two outs and the tying runs on second and third, Mattanawcook made a pitching change, with Trysten Pelkey ending the game with a strikeout.
I had initially talked about having to field the ball cleanly and make the routine plays in the field to be successful, and we weren’t able to do that in a couple crucial situations,” Graham said.
The Shiretowners finish their season 10-5.
The Houlton Lady Shires were eliminated from the Class C playoffs last Tuesday with a 15-3 loss to  host Central of East Corinth.
The No. 6 Red Devils used an 18-hit attack to sink No. 11 Houlton.
The Lady Shires crept to within a run after the top of the fourth, but in their half of the inning, Central drove in another four runs for an 8-3 lead.
Alaina Stewart doubled and singled, while Jackie Hodgkins singled and drove in a run for the Lady Shires, who end their year at 6-9.