By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
With all of cancellations of games due to rainy weather, the Maine Principals’ Association has extended the spring season by two days so that all games must be played by Friday, May 31.
The Hodgdon Hawks baseball team has three games remaining on their schedule — Limestone/MSSM, Southern Aroostook and Washburn — but with their 10-3 record, coach Robbie Smith’s team is certain of a playoff spot.
“We would like to stay in the top four to get a first-round bye,” he said. “We need to go 2-1 over these last three games to ensure that top-four finish.”
The Hawks were scheduled to play at Limestone/MSSM on Monday, while taking on Southern Aroostook in Dyer Brook on Tuesday, May 28 and will finish today at Washburn.
“A loss to Limestone/MSSM would drop us to fifth and we would have to play a prelim game,” Smith explained. “Two wins would lock us in the first four with a possible two- or three-spot finish.”
The Houlton Shiretowners are in the opposite situation of Hodgdon. Coach Jim Castner noted his team could finish “just about anywhere from third to last.” In the latest Heal Point standings, Houlton had climbed into eighth position with a 4-7 record.
The Shires have four games left; two home against Fort Kent; a home game with Stearns and another game in Lincoln.
“If we play to our potential, we not only make playoffs, but do well,” said Castner. “The key is for our pitchers to throw strikes and to eliminate mistakes in the field.”
In Class D baseball in the latest Heal Points, Hodgdon is third behind top-seed Bangor Christian (15-0) and second-place Wisdom, 11-1. Southern Aroostook has taken the fourth spot, followed by Limestone/MSSM (10-3); Fort Fairfield (9-4); Woodland (7-7); Shead (6-7); Deer Isle-Stonington (8-5); Katahdin (5-7); Schenck (5-10) and Jonesport Beals (3-10).
Preliminaries will be played on Tuesday, June 4, followed by the quarterfinals on Thursday, June 6 and semifinals, Saturday, June 8. The games will be hosted by the higher-seeded team.
The Eastern Maine regionals will be played on June 11-12 and the state games on Saturday, June 15.
Last Wednesday, the Shires were overtaken by host Caribou, 14-2, who erupted for a 12-run second inning en route to the win.
Kole Buzzeo hit a single and drove in two runs for Houlton, while Jacob Drew singled three times and Billy Phillips singled.
Last Tuesday, the Bangor Christian Patriots rocked host Katahdin, 18-2.
Matt Birmingham of Katahdin doubled and singled, while Billy Livezey doubled and singled. Jordan Russell chipped in with two base hits.
In Mars Hill, the Hodgdon boys overpowered host Central Aroostook, 18-1 after leading 5-1 after the third.
Seniors Matt Harmon banged out four singles; Nick Lunn doubled and singled, while Drew Gough doubled.
For the Panthers, Dylan Murray had two base hits.
The rescheduled games have not been reported to the Pioneer Times, so check with the schools for their latest games.
