SACS falls short in title quest

Houlton Pioneer Times photograph/Joseph Cyr
PROUD WARRIORS — The three senior Southern Aroostook Warrior players, fom left, Pat Goodall, Joe Frazier and Ryland King, proudly display the Class D state runners-up trophy. The Warriors fell short of the title with an 8-3 loss to Bangor Christian.
By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    BANGOR — Hopes of competing for a state championship were dashed for the Southern Aroostook baseball team Thursday courtesy of a pesky Bangor Christian squad.
    Playing in the Eastern Class D championship at Mansfield Stadium, No. 3 SACS (11-5 overall) fell 8-3 to No. 4 Bangor Christian (18-2). The Warriors never led in the championship contest.
    “We made something of a game out of it,” SACS interim coach Rob Betschner said. “We didn’t make our routine plays and had some called third strikes on us early in the game that really set the tone.”
Houlton Pioneer Times photograph/Joseph Cyr
TAGS — Southern Aroostook’s second baseman, Parker Walker, makes the tag on a Bangor Christian’s Seth Pearson during last Thursday’s Class D state game in Bangor.
    Cody Collins pitched a gem for Bangor Christian, mixing his fastball with a nasty hanging curve that kept the Warrior batters off guard for much of the contest. Collins threw 116 pitches over six strong innings, allowing three runs on five hits, five walks and one hit batter, with 11 strikeouts. Ben Bragg pitched a scoreless seventh inning yielding one hit, with two strikeouts for the Patriots.
    SACS’ senior Pat Goodall gave a yeoman’s effort on the mound, tossing 140 pitches over seven innings for the complete game. Goodall mixed things up nicely with his slider and changeup, scattering eight runs on 10 hits, two walks and one hit batter, with nine strikeouts.
    Goodall also did his part at the plate, belting a two-run double, to go along with a single and run scored to lead the Warriors. Parker Walker added two singles, a run and was hit by a pitch. Kaleb Burpee and Trent Cullinan (run) both had one single.
Houlton Pioneer Times photograph/Joseph Cyr
SAFE — Joseph Frazier of Southern Aroostook is safe at second, as the ball skips away from Bangor Christian’s second baseman David Peters during Thursday’s EM championship in Bangor.
    For the Patriots, Zac Palmeter, Collins, Tucker Rice and David Peters each had two singles, while Bragg and Rem Poulin had one single apiece.
    Bangor Christian did an exceptional job running the bases, swiping seven total bases in the game to help put runners into scoring position.
    “We knew they (BC) was going to work us on the base paths, but I guess we just weren’t prepared as much as we wanted to be.” Betschner said.
Houlton Pioneer Times photograph/Joseph Cyr
GET UP — Southern Aroostook senior Pat Goodall, left, turns to the Warrior fans for support as the team was attempting a comeback against Bangor Christian last Thursday in the Class D state final game held at Mansfield Stadium. With Goodall are teammates, from left, Trent Cullinan and Parker Walker.
    Miscues proved costly for the Warriors as SACS committed two of its three errors in the first inning, resulting in two runs for the Patriots. With one away, Bangor Christian’s Brad Wilcox hit a grounder up the middle that went off the glove of SACS shortstop Cullinan. Wilcox promptly stole second base and moved to third when Bragg launched a high pop-fly in the infield that Goodall lost in the sun, putting runners at first and third. Both runners scored on Poulin’s single to right field, but Poulin was later gunned down at second trying to steal.
Houlton Pioneer Times photograph/Joseph Cyr
OUT AT THE PLATE — Southern Aroostook senior Joe Frazier slides into the plate as Bangor Christian’s catcher gets ready to apply the tag. The Warriors fell to the Patriots, 8-3, in last Thursday’s Class D state game played at Manfield Stadium.
    Bangor Christian added solo runs in the second and third innings and took a 6-0 lead in the fifth before SACS mounted a comeback. In the bottom of the fifth, Walker led off the inning by stroking the first pitch he saw into centerfield. Cullinan followed with another single to center and was able to go to second, as the throw to third was late. Goodall stepped up and delivered a two-run double to left field and was able to come around to score as the throw to second base sailed wide of the bag and rolled into right field. Goodall raced around the bases and beat the throw to the plate, cutting the lead in half, 6-3.
    Collins then retired the next three batters he faced via strikeouts to squelch the Warriors’ rally and SACS never recovered. Bangor Christian tacked on two more insurance runs in the top of the sixth inning.
Houlton Pioneer Times photograph/Joseph Cyr
COLLISION — Vance Gustin, No. 25, and teammate Trent Cullinan collide when they both went after a ball in the outfield during last Thursday’s state Class D game.
    “The kids showed real good sportsmanship throughout,” Betschner said. “These kids have been through an awful lot. We’ve had a great year, and I thank them for letting me be a part of it.”
    The road to the title game saw SACS beat No. 6 Woodland, 12-3 and best No. 2 Hodgdon, 10-2. Bangor Christian beat No. 13 Penobscot Valley, 10-0 in a prelim; defeated No. 5 Deer Isle-Stonington, 2-1; and bested No. 1 Central Aroostook 4-2.Houlton Pioneer Times photograph/Joseph Cyr
DIVING — Southern Arosotook catcher Will McGary dives to glove the ball in last Thursday’s state Class D final against Bangor Christian.