Extra inning win for Shiretowners; game recaps

Pioneer Times photo/Gloria Austin
HUM FIRE – Katahdin’s Brandon Robinson fires the ball to home during last week’s game against Hodgdon.
    High school baseball and softball teams continue their season play, as several games were played last week.
    On Monday it took an extra inning before a winner was declared between the Houlton Shiretowners and visiting Penobscot Valley Howlers.
    The Shires defeated PVHS, 4-3 in eight innings.
    The Shires led 1-0 in the bottom of third, but the Howlers roared back with a run in the fourth and fifth for a 2-1 lead. The Shires tied the game at 2-all in the bottom of the seventh. In the top of the eighth, PVHS scored a run, putting pressure onto the Shires in the bottom of the frame.
    With one out, a wild pitch on a strikeout, a single by Corey Woodworth led to Hunter Hanning’s RBI fielder’s choice to tie the game. Then, a throwing error on Ian Gervais’ grounder back to the mound allowed the winning run to cross.
    Josh Harvey led the Shires’ offense with a solo blast and single, while Mike Ring hit a run-scoring double. Gervais, who went the distance for the win, scattered four hits,  while striking out nine and walking four.
Pioneer Times photo/Joseph Cyr
DIVING – Houlton catcher Josh Harvey dives for a foul ball during last week’s game against Caribou. The Shires lost the game, 11-0.
    The Shires improve to 3-4, while the Howlers slip to 7-2. Both teams made two errors in the game.
    In other Monday baseball action, the Greater Houlton Christian Academy Eagles swept East Grand in a doubleheader, 14-3 and 11-0.
    In Danforth, Ryan Campbell collected three singles and scored three times, along with driving in two runs to lead GHCA in the opener. Chad Duff also racked up three singles and knocked in two runs. He allowed East Grand four hits, while striking out nine.
    For East Grand, Abe Brittain doubled, singled, scored a run and brought in a run.
    In the nightcap, Zack Straubel threw a six-hit shutout, with eight strikeouts. He helped his own cause by singling twice and driving in two runs to pace the Eagles. Ethan Brady singled twice and scored twice.
    Aaron Henn doubled and tripled, while Brittain added a double and single for the Vikings.
    The Eagles improved to 4-6, while the Vikings are 1-4.
    The Houlton Lady Shires had it easier on Monday against PVHS, winning 15-3. The Lady Shires held an 8-1 lead after the third and extended it with a six-run fourth en route to the win.
Pioneer Times photograph/Joseph Cyr
NICE JOB – Houlton coach Mark Faulkingham acknowledges a nice job to Madison Lezotte after she reached third base during a game against Caribou.
    Megan Hannigan singled twice and brought in three runs, while Marina Cameron had three singles; Tori Hanson and Makayla Folsom each singled twice and drove in a run for Houlton.
    Softball wraps:
    On Saturday, Houlton defeated host Madawaska, 10-7. The Lady Shires scored two insurance runs in the top of the seventh, as Madawaska trailed 8-7 heading into the last inning.
    Megan Hannigan led Houlton with a pair of singles, a triple, while driving in two runs to spark the Lady Shires. Taylor Bailey hit two singles and Madison Lezotte added a two-run single.
    The Stearns Minutemen took a 10-4 lead in the third en route to a 17-12 victory over Houlton last Friday in Millinocket.
    Bailey and Sanderson led Houlton’s offense, as Bailey hit a double, single, while Sanderson collected a pair of singles.
    The Caribou Vikings came to town last Tuesday and picked up a 19-12 win over Houlton. The Lady Vikes led 10-1 after four innings en route to the win.
     Lezotte doubled and tripled to drive in three runs for Houlton, while Hannigan singled twice and knocked in two runs. Chelsi Murray doubled and singled, while Sanderson and Marina Cameron each had two singles.
Pioneer Times photo/Gloria Austin
SAFE – Hodgdon’s Erik Ryan slides to beat the throw to second, as Katahdin’s Billy Livezey makes the catch during last week’s game in Hodgdon.
    Last Friday, the visiting Central Aroostook Lady Panthers knocked off Hodgdon, 21-4.
    Chelsea Hartin doubled, singled and knocked in five runs, while Vicki McIntyre singled twice and scored two runs for CAHS.
    For Hodgdon, Amanda Ryan tripled, singled and drove in two runs.
    Last Thursday, visiting East Grand jumped on Hodgdon early and picked up a 10-1 victory. The Lady Vikings led 8-1 after three innings. East Grand outhit Hodgdon, 11-4, and the Lady Hawks had seven errors to East Grand’s one.
    Shaunna Beaudoin had three singles, including a three-run single to highlight the six-run third inning, to lead East Grand, while Angela Smith singled twice and drove in a run.    Leading Hodgdon’s offense were Maya Gardiner and Annie Hare, who each doubled.
    The Lady Vikings fell to Shead on Wednesday, 10-4.
    Kaitlyn Beaudoin doubled and singled to drive in a run, while S. Beaudoin doubled and scored twice. Liz Gilman added a run-scoring single.
    It was a slugfest in Dyer Brook last Friday, as the Lady Cougars took a slim hitting advantage, 14-13, as they picked up the win, 16-15, over Southern Aroostook.
Pioneer Times photo/Gloria Austin
FIRES – Katahdin’s Myah Smallwood fires to the plate.
    Katahdin led 11-4 after the third before the Lady Warriors erupted for eight runs in the fourth to take the lead. But, the score would flip flop, as the Lady Cougars retook the lead in the top of the fifth, scoring twice. Then, the Lady Warriors plated three in the bottom of the fifth for a 15-13 advantage.
    Katahdin was steady, scoring two runs in the sixth to tie the game with two outs. Kali Rush hit a base hit single to drive in a run and then she advanced around the bases, stealing home on an error.
    The eventual game-winner would be in the top of the seventh when Bailey McNally roped a two-out single to drive in Makayla Patterson, who drew a walk. In the final two innings, Katahdin’s defense held Southern Aroostook scoreless, despite the Lady Warriors having two baserunners on in the bottom of the seventh.
    The Lady Cougars are 4-0, while SACS slips to 2-2.
    Katahdin’s Rush collected three singles and drove in two runs, while McNally finished the game with three singles, including the game-winning hit. Winning pitcher Myah Smallwood helped her own cause,  doubling, singling and knocking in two runs.
    For SACS, Elizabeth Goodall tripled, doubled, singled and brought in four runs, while Shelby Hartin had a pair of singles and two RBIs. Olivia Raymond finished with a pair of base hits.
    Evangeline Goodall started the game on the mound for SACS, but after a third of an inning, Rochelle Sirois a freshman came on to complete the game.
    Last Wednesday, Katahdin defeated host Hodgdon,  28-18, while Southern Aroostook outlasted visiting Ashland, 18-14.
    The SACS/Ashland game was evenly played with each team having 14 hits, with Ashland making one more miscue than SACS, 4-3.
Pioneer Times photo/Gloria Austin
STRETCH – Hodgdon’s Destiny Ellis stretches to collect the ball, as a Katahdin runner is safe at second. Backing up the play is Taylor McGary.
    In the top of the seventh, SACS led 18-11, but Ashland loaded the bases and had the tying run at the plate with one out. The batter roped a line drive to the second baseman, who alertly threw the ball to the shortstop covering the bag to double up an Ashland runner.
    Leading SACS was L. Goodall with a triple, double and single to drive in three runs, while Kaitlyn Sommers singled twice to bring in four runs and Janel Rockwell singled twice, tripled and plated two runs.
    The Greater Houlton Christian Academy Lady Eagles played a doubleheader in Washburn and won both games, 31-14 and 29-17.
    In the opening game, the Lady Eagles led 9-6 and then racked up 10 fourth-inning runs to break the game open. Amber Michaud paced GHCA’s offense with a triple and two singles, while Kiki Smart doubled and singled.
    The hits were even in the game, 11-all, but Washburn had five errors to GHCA’s two.
    In the next game, GHCA was trailing 17-16 in the fourth, but exploded for 13 fifth-inning runs to take the win.
    Smart paced GHCA with a home run, a double and two singles, while Mikayla Wiley collected three singles.
Baseball stats:
    Last Friday, the Central Aroostook Panthers overtook host Hodgdon, 16-3, with all of their runs being scored over the final three innings.
    The Hawks led 2-0 after the third before the Panthers struck for back-to-back five-run innings in the fourth and fifth and another six runs in the sixth.
    Logan McLaughlin singled and knocked in three runs, while Kasey Brewer doubled and singled to bring in two runs and Mike McClung added two singles.
    For Hodgdon, Ryan Wellington brought home two runs on a double and a single.
    The Houlton Shiretowners held a 1-0 lead over four and a half innings before the Stearns Minutemen used a nine-run bottom of the sixth to claim the win last Friday in Millinocket.
    Ian Gervais had Houlton’s only hit, an RBI-single.
    The Caribou Vikings blanked Houlton, 11-0 in five innings last Tuesday. Jordan Bragan and Josh Harvey each singled. The Shires made four errors in the game and were outhit 7-2.
    Last Wednesday, Shead overpowered visiting East Grand, 22-0.
    Abe Brittain and Billy Holmes each singled for East Grand.
    Katahdin topped host Hodgdon, 20-7 last Wednesday. Hodgdon trailed 12-7 over six innings. The Cougars used an eight-run seventh to pull further ahead, as they took advantage of 12 Hodgdon errors.
 Mickey Savage led Katahdin with a double, a single and four RBIs. Kolby Gallagher had two singles and  two RBIs and Brandon Robinson singled, walked four times and drove in two runs.
  Erik Ryan doubled, singled twice and drove in a run, while Dan McGillicuddy doubled, singled and brought in two runs for Hodgdon.
    Last Tuesday, the Southern Aroostook Warriors shutout Ashland, 12-0 behind Pat Goodall and Dakota Sleeper who combined for a one-hitter, with 15 strikeouts. Sleeper stroked two singles, driving in four runs, while Travis Casey doubled and singled and Jesse Small had a pair of singles and knocked in a run. Anthony Diaferio rapped a run-scoring triple.
    The Greater Houlton Christian Academy Eagles played a doubleheader in Washburn last Tuesday, winning 31-5 and 23-7.
    In the opener, Chad Duff belted a three-run triple while Ethan Brady singled twice, tripled and drove in five runs. Teddy Bowers doubled in three runs.
    The Beavers led 2-1 after the first inning, but the Eagles rallied for 10 second-inning runs to push the game out of reach.
    In the second game, Isaiah Straubel doubled and knocked in three runs, while Ryan Campbell collected three singles and scored five runs for the Eagles.
    The Eagles used an 11-run second inning to take a 14-1 lead, cruising to the win.