Baseball: New champions ready to be crowned
Jun. 13—CLASS A
at Morton Field, Augusta
Messalonskee (16-3) vs. Scarborough (18-1), 1 p.m.
Over the past two seasons, the Red Storm have compiled a 32-4 record under fourth-year head coach Wes Ridlon by emphasizing pitching, defense, putting the ball in play and running the bases aggressively. With standout junior Erik Swenson unavailable after his 105-pitch complete-game win against Falmouth in the regional final, expect Ryan Shugars (4-0, 0.54 ERA) to start Saturday, with Zak Sanders (4-0, 5 saves, 43 strikeouts, 7 walks, 1.04 ERA) at the ready. Sanders came in early against Marshwood in the regional semifinals and pitched six innings of two-run ball in a 5-2 win. Scarborough is not a power-hitting team. Of its 130 hits, 109 are singles. But the Red Storm get on base frequently. Matthew Fallona leads the team with a .404 average and 18 RBI. Senior shortstop Tyler Archambault (.317) helps set the table. Sanders (.345) leads the team with 25 runs. Patrick McCue and Mason Porter have 16 and 15 RBI, respectively. McCue, a .304 hitter, has also walked 14 times, giving him an on-base percentage of .500. Fallona, Sanders and Porter also have OBPs above .450. Sophomore Finn Coburn has lengthened the lineup, hitting .429 in limited at-bats. He scored twice against Marshwood. ... Messalonskee fourth-year head coach Eric Palin directed the Eagles to their first regional title since 2012, when they beat Scarborough for the state title. Messalonskee junior Ty Bernier is the son of Ray Bernier, the coach of the 2012 Messalonskee team. Senior catcher Michael Achorn had two doubles and scored twice in the 4-3 regional final win against Bangor. His freshman brother, Sean, has closed out the last two playoff victories on the mound. Denny Martin, who started in a 6-5 regional semifinal win against Skowhegan, should be available to pitch.
CLASS B
at USM, Gorham
Caribou (12-7) vs. Yarmouth (15-4), 4:30 p.m.
Yarmouth is returning to the state final after losing last year to Old Town, 1-0. The Clippers' roster includes 11 seniors, and perhaps it's their experience that has helped them pull out two come-from-behind playoff wins. In a semifinal twice delayed by rain, Jack Janczuk's squeeze bunt in the bottom of the seventh scored two runs to beat York, 5-4. In Tuesday's regional final, junior Alec Gagnon belted a two-out, two-strike triple to score two runs in a 2-1 win against No. 1 Greely, with Andrew Cheever (4-1, 3 saves, in 21 innings) earning the save. ... Yarmouth has played in tight games most of the season, as its modest 75-51 run differential indicates. Sam Lowenstein, the team's top pitcher who is not available after reaching his pitch-count maximum against Greely, leads the team with a .375 batting average. Cheever (.325) is the only other regular hitting over .300, and no one on the team has more than nine RBI. ... Expect Saturday to be a bullpen game for Yarmouth, with David Swift (2-2, 28 innings, 2.25 ERA) and Sam Bradford (2-1, 18 2/3 innings, 2.62 ERA) possible starters, and Cheever the likely finisher. .... Caribou, which has never won a state title, is making just its second trip to a state final. The sixth-seed in the North knocked off No. 3 Old Town in the quarterfinals (12-2), shut out No. 7 Oceanside (5-0), then upset No. 1 Ellsworth (4-2) on Tuesday.
CLASS C
at University of Maine, Orono
Bucksport (13-6) vs. Sacopee Valley (15-4), 1 p.m.
Sacopee Valley was the favorite to win it all last season before being upset by Monmouth Academy in the regional final. This year, the No. 2 Hawks turned the tables, beating No. 1 Monmouth, 6-1, to advance to their first state championship game since beating George Stevens Academy in 2016. Gus Ritter pitched against Monmouth in 6-1 regional final win, which leaves Dylan Capano available for Saturday's game. Prior to the regional final, Sacopee Coach Jamie Stacey said he wasn't sure who would start on Tuesday but did note that between Capano, Ritter and standout shortstop Caleb Vacchiano, "Dylan has been kind of my No. 1 guy and the other two are 1Bs. Dylan has taken the ball in bigger games." ... Vacchiano is the Maine Gatorade Player of the Year, a slugging senior shortstop and University of Maine recruit. He and catcher Brady Metcalf both had two hits with a double against Monmouth. Keegan Thibodeau is "an on-base machine" out of the leadoff spot, according to Stacey. He scored three runs against Monmouth. Bryce Stacey, Bradly Metcalf, Capano and Ritter give Sacopee a deep batting order. ... Bucksport entered the North tourney as the fourth seed but showed it was still the best in the region when it matters, winning its third straight regional title by shutting out No. 5 Mattanawcook Academy (9-0) and No. 1 Foxcroft Academy (6-0) before beating No. 2 Washington Academy, 5-2, in Tuesday's final. Bucksport won the 2022 state championship but lost last season, 1-0, to Monmouth. The Golden Bucks have their top pitcher available. Gavyn Holyoke one-hit Foxcroft and also hit a home run in the regional semifinal. Seniors Ayden Maguire and Gunther Cyr have been key offensive performers in the playoff run. Cyr has had consecutive three-hit games.
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