The 2010 Houlton Merchants will make their first trip to the Class D ASA National competition in Columbus, Ohio from Aug. 27-29.
The Merchants, who were district champions, competed in a 43-team state tournament July 16-18 in Augusta.
Losing their first game of the double-elimination tournament, the Houlton Merchants won their next three games on Saturday, reaching Sunday’s play. Being bumped into the losers’ bracket, the Merchants had to play eight back-to-back games with no breaks with temperatures hovering in the 90s with high humidity. By Sunday night, the Merchants had battled their way into the finals against Flagship Softball of Windham.
Flagship Softball had gone through the winners’ bracket, playing only two games before meeting the Merchants on Sunday.
Being hot and exhausted, the Merchants put up a valiant fight before falling to the Flagship 33-25 to take the runner-up trophy.
The Merchants, sponsored by County Yankee, The Vault Restaurant and Crawford Homes, plays in the Houlton Men’s Softball League. Playing for the team are Charlie ‘Hotwheels’ Bard, Eric Berube, Andrew Clavette, Tim Desjardins, Tommy Desjardins, Todd Gammon, Chad Gentle, Trapper Gentle, Nick Howe, Shannon Kidney, Ryan Thibodeau and Clyde Warman.