Sunday’s win over Brewer could propel late surge
Staff Writer
Lack of offensive production has been a significant issue so far this season for the Presque Isle Patriots.
However, based on Sunday’s upset victory over league power Brewer in game two of a doubleheader, as well as a favorable second-half schedule, the team is trying to make a late-season charge up the standings to contend for an American Legion Zone 1 playoff spot.
After being shut out three times and held to three runs or less in six of their first 10 games, the Patriots had a season-high 12 hits Sunday afternoon to defeat the visiting Falcons, 13-7, and move to 3-8 on the campaign and out of the basement of the 11-team league.
“It’s been a struggle scoring runs,” said Presque Isle’s third-year head coach, Richard Parsons. “We certainly weren’t tearing the cover off the ball (prior to Sunday’s second game).”
The statistics prove that out, as only three of the team’s 13 players are batting .290 or better through the first half of the season. Three regulars were even at .125 or less entering the Brewer twinbill.
But Parsons said his squad is certainly capable of being competitive.
“When they play good defense, they’re a good team,” he said. “In the games we have won, we have done a pretty good job shutting down the opponents early on and limiting their big innings.
“It’s when we make a couple errors and give other teams five or six runs in an inning, that’s when the guys start hanging their heads and get down. That has taken its toll on us.”
Now in their sixth season as a Legion team, the Patriots fielded their youngest team a season ago and as a result struggled to win games. The 2008 team did manage to put together a decent late-season run, winning three games in the final week.
“That gave them the confidence that they can play with any of these teams in the league,” Parsons said.
Four players were lost from last year’s team. Catcher Joe Soucy of Fort Kent reached his final year of eligibility, while Matt Enman of Limestone moved to the Bangor area and now plays for Motor City. Two others opted not to play this season.
Hunter Caron of Houlton is back with the Patriots after not competing last year, while five first-year players (Wilder York of Presque Isle, Manny Martinez and Dan Brewer of Mars Hill and Tanner Caron and Mike Flewelling of Houlton) have joined what remains a youthful squad.
Parsons said another hindrance this season has been an inability to have a full roster available for every game. Players have missed games due to various reasons, and only nine players were on hand for a July 3 doubleheader at Bangor in which the team was blanked twice by a combined score of 31-0.
The coach would love to see more of the area’s top players attend tryouts. “Sure, there is quite a bit of travel involved during the season. But if you want to improve your game, you’ve really got to play at this level,” Parsons said.
Veterans on the team include outfielder Patrick Thibodeau of Caribou, who is batting .500 with six RBIs so far, Ted Walker of Caribou (.296 and a team-leading 12 hits, four home runs and 13 RBIs), first baseman Matt Parsons of Presque Isle, pitcher-third baseman Kasey Brewer of Mars Hill, pitcher-outfielder Matt Chasse of Presque Isle, infielder-pitcher Logan McLaughlin of Mars Hill and catcher Mitch Folsom of Mars Hill.
Kasey Brewer and McLaughlin are the top starting pitchers and have combined for all three victories. Brewer notched a win over Calais on June 27 and was the winner Sunday over Brewer. McLaughlin tossed a complete-game six-hitter at Orono June 30.
Tyler Plyburn serves as Parsons’ assistant coach.
Heading into Monday’s games, Bangor was in first place with an 8-2 record, followed closely by Trenton at 7-2. Brewer, Hampden and Steamboat Petroleum (Waldo) were all at 7-3 and tied for third.
With the top six teams qualifying for the Zone 1 playoffs, to be held July 23-26, Presque Isle still has a chance to move up and claim the final position. Six of its remaining nine games heading into yesterday’s scheduled contest in Lincoln are against teams currently in the bottom half of the league.
“Yeah, we can definitely still get in (to the playoffs),” Parsons said. “We just have to go out and win those games.”
Summaries of the 11 games played so far by the Patriots follows:
Walker’s double was one of only four hits compiled by Presque Isle in the June 21 loss in Blue Hill. McLaughlin pitched well for the Patriots, surrendering just five hits in going the distance. Steve Zirnkilton’s two-run homer in the fourth inning was the big blast for Trenton.
A grand slam home run off the bat of Walker tied the game at 7-7 in the top of fifth inning, but the hosts answered with four runs of their own in the sixth, keyed by RBI doubles by Mike Crowley and Nate Hines. Walker had a two-run double earlier in the game and Flewelling singled and scored a run for Presque Isle. Martinez came on in relief of starter Parsons in the fourth inning and took the loss on the mound.
Presque Isle’s home debut June 25 was spoiled as Hampden’s Brennan Perry was dominant on the hill, striking out 13 batters and allowing only a Martinez double. Patriot starting pitcher McLaughlin dropped to 0-2.
The Patriots finally entered the win column in game one of the June 27 doubleheader as starter Kasey Brewer gave up just three hits and Thibodeau sparked the offense by going 3 for 4 with three RBIs.
The home team bounced back in the nightcap to earn the split. Presque Isle had two hits apiece from Martinez, Folsom and Walker, who blasted his second home run of the year. Chasse contributed a sacrifice fly.
Enman helped burn his former mates by singling in a pair of runs as part of a five-run rally in the first inning. Motor City outhit the Patriots in the game, 10-2, en route to the victory June 28 in Bangor. McLaughlin had a triple and Chasse went the first six innings on the mound for Presque Isle.
McLaughlin not only posted the pitching win, but also joined battery mate Folsom in banging out two hits and driving in two runs each as Presque Isle prevailed at Orono June 30. Thibodeau drove in a pair of runs with a single and a sacrifice fly, while York notched an RBI single as Presque Isle scored five times in the first inning and never looked back.
Ian Edwards drove in five runs and Jordan Clark had three hits and two RBIs as host Bangor won with ease in the first of two games played Friday. Three Bangor pitchers combined on a three-hitter, with Walker, Thibodeau and Chasse accounting for the Patriot offense. Martinez (0-2) took the pitching loss.
Game two did not go any better for the visitors, who were held to two hits – singles by York and Martinez. Dylan Morris and Lonnie Hackett paced Bangor, which had 19 hits in the contest, with three hits each.
Presque Isle finally halted its 18-inning scoreless streak thanks to Walker’s two-run blast in the fourth inning, but the Falcons were still too much for the host Patriots in the first of two played Sunday afternoon. Brewer unleashed a 16-hit attack against the combined pitching of McLaughlin, Chasse and Dan Brewer.
Hunter Caron had his best game of the season, driving in six runs with a double in the fourth inning and a homer in the fifth, leading Presque Isle to its biggest win of the season. York and Folsom added two hits each and Walker and McLaughlin ripped back-to-back home runs in the third inning. Both Walker and McLaughlin chipped in with singles during the game as Kasey Brewer (2-0) got the win and Thibodeau closed the game out in relief in the seventh.
Contributed photo
PATRIOTS – Members of the Presque Isle Patriots’ American Legion baseball team are, in front from left, Manny Martinez, Dan Brewer, Matt Parsons, Wilder York and Mike Flewelling. Back row, Kasey Brewer, Matt Chasse, Pat Thibodeau, Ted Walker, Hunter Caron, Logan McLaughlin and Mitch Folsom. Absent when photo was taken was Tanner Caron.
Staff photo/Abigail Hunt
LOGAN MCLAUGHLIN is a top pitcher for the Patriots.
Staff photo/Abigail Hunt
PATRIOTS’ first baseman Matt Parsons prepares to slap a tag on a Hampden baserunner during a June 25 game played at the James
Dyer Field in Presque Isle. The Patriots were 3-8 entering last night’s action.
