Staff Writer
Central Aroostook didn’t need the win, but all factors assumed they would end their season 15-1 in their June 3 game against Wisdom.
Though the Pioneers boasted an 8-5 record, the Panthers’ latest Heal Point standings put them in second place, just below Katahdin. And with a home team advantage and the support of the crowd, it seemed the Panthers, led by pitcher Logan McLaughlin, would have no trouble ending their season victoriously. But such was not the case as Central Aroostook took a devastating 6-5 loss to Wisdom.
The home team gave up two runs in the first inning but sent their first man home at the bottom of the first, to trail the Pioneers 2-1. Wisdom sent two more runs home in the second but Central Aroostook tied the game with three runs of their own, with Casey Brewer contributing an RBI double and McLaughlin getting on with a double.
Neither team scored in the third and fourth innings but a fifth inning run for Wisdom gave the Pioneers the lead again. CAHS tied things up in the sixth as Dan Brewer cracked a homer and the game looked to go into extra innings.
But Pioneer pitcher Curtis Picard singled to first and headed to second for an attempted steal. Catcher Mitch Folsom threw the ball to second but, when the ball slipped by D. Brewer, Picard rounded third and scored the final and winning run of the game. Picard kept the Panthers scoreless in their last at-bat, as all three CAHS batters flied out to end the game.
In Fort Fairfield on June 2, the Panthers defeated the Tigers 17-1 in a five-inning ten-hit game for Central Aroostook. C. Brewer only allowed Fort Fairfield four hits and teammate Brendan York did most of the offensive damage with three singles and four RBIs. Folsom also singled with three RBIs and, for the Tigers, Austin Bixler singled and scored their only run.
In their last regular season game, the Fort Fairfield softball team defeated Central Aroostook with a 12-2 victory. The Lady Panthers were the first to score, sending a run home in the second with a single by Vicki McIntyre. The Lady Tigers scored four runs in their second inning at-bat and did significant damage in the sixth inning as Amanda Hotham hit an in-the-park grand slam and singled, along with Emily Wiseman, who contributed a triple, and Kelsie Wilson, who doubled and singled. Winning pitcher Kelsie York threw a one-hitter as Fort Fairfield recorded 15 hits before game’s end. The Lady Tigers ended their season 11-5 and head into the playoffs to play Jonesport or Shead in the quarterfinals on June 11.
The Lady Panthers defeated Wisdom 17-5 on June 3 in a five-inning, 10-hit game for Central Aroostook.
Led by Ashley Estabrook, who doubled, singled and had three RBIs, CAHS took their fifth win over the Pioneers, scoring twice in the first inning, then seven times in the second.
Brianna Hartin recorded two singles and two RBIs and Rachel Grew doubled and singled. McIntyre tripled with two RBIs to finish up for CAHS.
No score is final until the last out occurs and the Hornets were reminded of that Thursday in Ashland as the Madawaska Owls came from a first-inning 5-1 deficit to beat the Ashland Hornets 15-14.
Ashland started off with five runs in their first at bat, then increased their lead to 7-1 in the second inning.
The Owls responded with three runs but couldn’t catch up, as Ashland sent another man home a the bottom of the third. Madawaska closed the gap in the fifth with two runs to bring the score to 8-6 but a fifth-inning rally gave the Owls their first lead of the game, 11-8.
Ashland knocked in four runs in their at-bat but the narrow 12-11 lead was short-lived as Madawaska scored four more runs in the seventh. It was all Ashland could do to answer back, but only managed to sent home two runs to end the game and the season with their sixth loss.
For Ashland, Carl Nemer homered twice and doubled with four RBIs and catcher Tony Baker homered, doubled, singled and had 3 RBIs. Additionally, Jake Paradis contributed three singles and Jeremy Tarr singled twice with two RBIs. Ashland lost earlier last week to Katahdin in a 20-2 five-inning defeat. The Cougars sent home 12 runs in the second inning alone and Ashland’s two runs came off one hit, as Lucas Hafford singled in the first.
The Hornets have a first round bye for their fifth place standing and will take on Deer Isle on June 11 in the quarterfinals.
Ashland softball ended the regular season with an unfortunate 16-11 loss to Katahdin on June 3 in Stacyville.
Katahdin scored all 16 of their runs on just four hits, as the Lady Hornets struggled for consistency on the mound. Ashland recorded 10 hits and was the first to score, with two runs in the first.
The Lady Hornets tied up the game in the second, scoring four more runs to Katahdin’s six, but the Lady Cougars sent home 10 runs in two innings to secure the win.
For Ashland, Mariah Cook had three singles and Andrea Mayo hit a double and a single.
Ashland played Bangor Christian yesterday in a preliminary playoff game.
Staff photo/Abigail Hunt
WITH TWO OUTS left in the inning, Manny Martinez sprints towards third for an attempted steal during the Panthers last home game against Wisdom. Martinez would have been safe had Wisdom not made the third out. Central Aroostook was unable to beat Wisdom, and ended their season with a 6-5 loss.
