By Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter
The Limestone/MSSM, Central Aroostook, Ashland and Caribou softball teams will have their regular season schedules wrapped up today and all appear to have playoff berths sewn up.
jMavor Photography photo
Limestone/MSSM’s Melissa Cantafio receives the ball as a Fort Fairfield baserunner scampers back to first base during Thursday’s game in FF. The Eagles won, 5-4.
The Eagles are currently the No. 2 seed in Eastern Maine Class D with their 12-3 record heading into yesterday’s finale at Madawaska.
Central Aroostook, ranked third at 12-2, played Ashland yesterday and will take on Fort Fairfield this afternoon.
Ashland, currently seeded seventh in the 16-team division, carried a 7-5 record into yesterday’s home game against the Panthers. The team also was scheduled to play Katahdin in Stacyville later in the afternoon.
The Caribou Vikings are close to a sure bet to finish among the top 10 teams in Eastern Maine Class B. Caribou, at 8-7, was in ninth place in standings released Tuesday morning. The Vikes still have one game left, at Presque Isle tonight at 7 p.m. Coach Ryan Deprey’s team is destined to have to compete in a preliminary playoff game next Tuesday. If the team can move up into the top eight, it will host the first-round contest.
Summaries of games played through Monday are as follows:
Caribou 11, John Bapst 2 – Tia McHatten banged out four hits and Emily Staples fanned 12 batters in the complete-game gem as the Vikings bested the Crusaders in the game one of the Saturday twinbill in Bangor.
Jamie Martin ripped two doubles and a single for the winners.
Caribou 8, John Bapst 0 – The Vikings also took game two behind Staples, who struck out 13 and allowed just three hits and two walks in the shutout.
Jamie Doucette had two singles and two RBIs and Martin doubled and singled to power the Viking offense.
Ashland 21, Van Buren 4 – Behind the pitching and hitting of senior Whitney Donovan, the Hornets pounded the Crusaders at home Friday.
Donovan went the distance on the mound and surrendered just three hits in the contest. At the plate, Donovan had a triple and a single and notched five RBIs. Allyx Beaulier also had five RBIs on a pair of hits and Shea Craig ripped a three-run double for Ashland.
Limestone-MSSM 5, Fort Fairfield 4 – Amanda Allen and Jordann Coiley hooked up in a fine pitching duel Thursday, with the Eagles coming from behind for the victory.
Limestone-MSSM’s Allen tossed a three-hitter, but her team trailed 4-2 after three innings before scoring two in the fourth and the tie-breaking run in the top of the seventh.
Melissa Cantafio hit a home run and Ashlynn Kelly and Stephanie Leighton combined for five hits to lead the Eagles at the plate.
Rebekah Pelkey, Sydney Churchill and Cassie Godin collected the Tiger hits. Coiley scattered eight hits in the complete-game effort on the mound.
Washburn 11, Wisdom 1 – The Beavers won their first game in a two-game day last Wednesday, upsetting the Pioneers.
Carmen Bragg led the attack with a double and a single and two RBIs and Makayla Ronco had a double and a single. Amanda Libby starred on the mound, going all seven innings and giving up just a second-inning run and seven hits.
Ashland 25, Washburn 1 – Game two didn’t go as well for the Beavers, who lost on the 12-run rule to the surging Hornets.
Ashland scored nine times in the third inning to put the game away. Donovan had two hits and five RBIs to lead the charge for the winners, while Rayah Saucier had an RBI single to drive in Washburn’s lone run.
Fort Kent 10, Limestone-MSSM 5 – In a battle between two of the best teams in Aroostook County, the Warriors doubled up on the Eagles last Wednesday on the strength of a seven-run first inning rally.
Stephanie Leighton singled twice and Chelsea Leighton doubled to lead the Eagles.
Caribou 6, Houlton 1 – The Vikings swept the season series against the Shires by prevailing in Houlton last Tuesday. Staples led the way by fanning 12 batters and walking just two in the complete-game three-hitter.
Jordyn Doucette had a double and a single and Kristen Plante a two-run double to lift Caribou’s offense.
Madawaska 16, Fort Fairfield 3 – The Owls won easily last Tuesday at home, scoring nine second-inning runs for the fast start.
The Tigers managed just four hits in the game, with Kelsey Turner coming up with a double for the lone extra-base hit.
