BAR HARBOR, Maine – The Caribou Vikings opened their baseball season Saturday, splitting a doubleheader with Mount Desert Island.
The Vikings fell in the first contest 12-1, but rebounded nicely in the second game of the day – winning 14-12 with late-game heroics.
In the first game of the day, Caribou had a tough time generating runs throughout the contest. The Vikings got on the scoreboard first in the top of the first inning as Griffen McNeal singled on a 3-2 count, scoring one run.
Mount Desert Island evened things up at one in the bottom of the first inning when Joey Wellman-Clouse singled on a 2-1 count, scoring one run.
Mount Desert Island Varsity Trojans pulled away for good with three runs in the second inning. In the second Brendan Graves singled on a 2-0 count, scoring one run, Quentin Pileggi singled on the first pitch of the at bat, scoring one run, and Aiden Grant singled on a 0-1 count, scoring one run.
MDI broke open the game in the fourth inning, plating eight runs. The offensive onslaught was led by Grant, Wellman Clouse, Jay Haney, Graves, Alex Gray, and Logan Blanchette, who each had RBIs in the inning.
Pileggi took the win for Mount Desert Island Varsity Trojans. The right-hander went five innings, allowing one run on four hits and one walk, with seven strikeouts.
Brayden Brescia took the loss for Caribou. The right-hander went three innings, giving up 11 runs on 14 hits, and one walk, with two strikeouts.
Alex Levesque went 2-for-2 at the plate to lead Caribou.
Mount Desert Island Varsity Trojans collected 16 hits. Pileggi, Wellman-Clouse, AJ Lozano, Grant, Graves, and Nick Jacobs all had multiple hits for Mount Desert Island Varsity Trojans. Pileggi led Mount Desert Island Varsity Trojans with three hits in three at bats.
In the second game of the day, Caribou ran off with the lead late in the game in a 14-12 victory over MDI. The game was tied at 12 when Caribou’s Jaden Picard launched a sacrifice fly, scoring a run.
Picard collected four hits in four at bats to help lead Caribou to victory. Picard doubled in the second, singled in the fourth, doubled in the fifth, and doubled in the sixth.
Caribou notched four runs in the fourth inning as McNeal, Jesse Taggett, and Blake Anderson each had RBIs in the big inning. In the top of the sixth inning, Caribou tied things up at 12-12. Picard drove in two runners with a double.
Freshman Bryce Dillon was credited with the victory for Caribou. The lefthander lasted six innings, allowing three runs on five hits and one walk, with five strikeouts.
Logan Blanchette took the loss for MDI. Blanchette lasted two and a third innings, allowing two runs on two hits, while striking out four.
AJ Lozano started the game for MDI and surrendered four runs on four hits over three innings, with three strikeouts.
McNeal started the game for Caribou, yielding nine runs on eight hits, with two strikeouts.
Caribou collected 12 hits on the day. Picard, Anderson, Dillon and Matt Pelletier each managed multiple hits for the Vikings. Picard led Caribou with four hits, including three doubles.
