The Caribou Vikings made the trip to Bangor to take on John Bapst in season-opening doubleheaders Saturday. Both Caribou teams came away with splits.
Gunnar Bondeson scattered eight hits and didn’t walk a batter to help the defending Eastern Maine champion Caribou baseball team prevail in game one, 8-1.
He struck out eight and was supported by Spencer McDuffie, who drove in three runs. Noah Frost added two hits while Jacob Burby and Jared Fox each drove in two runs. A five-run rally in the fifth inning broke the game open.
Colin Bechtel and Austin Smith each notched two hits for the Crusaders. Noah Campbell added a triple and Harrison Dieuveuil had an RBI.
In the second game, Bechtel recorded two hits and drove in two runs, including the game-winning RBI in the eighth inning, to lift the Crusaders past the Vikings, 6-5.
Sam Southwick added a single, triple and RBI for John Bapst and Tom Hanscom earned the win in relief.
Camden Huck notched two hits for the Vikings, who battled back from a 4-1 deficit to take the lead in the sixth inning, only to see Bapst tie the score in the bottom of the inning and force extra innings. Shane Landeen started on the mound for Caribou.
On the Hampden Academy softball diamond that same afternoon, the Vikings used an 11-run fourth inning to beat the Crusaders in the second game of a doubleheader, 17-16.
Caribou capitalized on 14 walks to earn the win. Rachel Soucy and Katie Pelletier each notched a single.
Jocelyn Bell singled twice and stole five bases to spark the Crusaders. Madi Higgins added two singles, a double and five stolen bases. Gina Cambria chipped in with two singles and a double and Kayla Massey doubled.
Soucy started on the mound for Caribou, with Jenna Boucher coming on in relief in the fifth inning.
In the opener, Massey allowed only three hits while striking out 12 and walking four to lead John Bapst to the 12-0 win.
Massey aided her own cause with two doubles, single and RBI. Madi Higgins chipped in with a double, single and RBI and Carley Scanlon added two singles.
Hope Shea and Megan Thornton both doubled and Jaelynn Doody singled for Caribou’s hits. Boucher went the distance on the mound for the Vikings.