Staff Writer
The Houlton Lady Shires softball squad pulled off a huge upset over previously unbeaten Calais on Monday, taking a 13-6 victory.
“We started out rough as usual,” said Houlton coach Bruce Nason. “We had a few errors and some base running mistakes. But, after we got out the jitters, the girls settled down to play a solid defensive game, coming together to make the right plays. They worked hard to get the win.”
The Blue Devils staked a 5-0 lead in the third inning. The Houlton girls could have packed in the effort, instead, they answered with four runs of their own to pull the game to within a run. In the top of the fifth, Houlton knocked in four more runs, as Courtney Putnam walked, followed by a Lainey Herring single and a Nikki Eastman double to bring in Putnam. Then, Chelsi Murray belted a two-run triple to give her team an 8-5 lead.
Calais scored once in the sixth, but Houlton closed out the game with five runs in the seventh.
Murray tripled, doubled and singled for three RBIs to pace Houlton’s offense, while Eastman had two doubles for three RBIs. Taylor Bailey chipped in with a double and two singles to drive in two runs.
The Lady Shires improve to 7-3 on the season.
“We have some big games left on our schedule,” said Nason. “We need to be smarter on the base paths and we need to make the routine plays to win those games.”
Houlton will face Hodgdon tomorrow and Madawaska on Friday. The following week, the Lady Shires will face Caribou and Calais for the second time on the season.
Last Thursday, the visiting Lady Shires defeated Presque Isle, 11-7, as Ericka Lackey led the way from the plate with two doubles and a single. Vanessa Sanderson added three singles.
The Lady Shires trailed 5-0 after the first inning, but regrouped and broke a 7-all tie in the seventh with four runs.
The Houlton Shiretowners lost a close baseball game in Calais, 4-3.
The Blue Devils took a 1-0 lead, but Houlton came back with two runs in the top of the fourth to take the advantage. But, it was short lived as Calais answered in the bottom of the frame with two runs of their own to take a 3-2 lead. Calais added the winning run in the bottom of the fifth, and the Shires could only muster up a run in the top of the seventh, falling short.
Houlton’s Landon York singled in the seventh inning, and Corey Woodworth was brought in to pinch run for York. The Shires threatened, as Woodworth — represented the tying run — stole second, putting runners at second and third base with two outs. Hunter Caron then hit an infield single and Woodworth was cut down at the plate to end the game.
Porter Gervais and Josh Harvey each singled for the Shires.
Last Thursday, the Shiretowners fell to host Presque Isle, 5-3. Harvey had two singles and an RBI, while Mike Flewelling and Parker Brown each doubled.
