Fort Fairfield Wins Class D North Baseball Title

Fort Fairfield baseball is bringing home a Northern Maine championship.

The Tigers beat Bangor Christian 2-1 in eight innings Tuesday night at the University of Maine, winning the Class D North title in a tight, tense championship game that came down to one final plate appearance.

Eric Helstrom drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the eighth inning, bringing in Cayden Ala with the winning run and sending Fort Fairfield to the Class D state championship game.

Bangor Christian Strikes First

Bangor Christian took the early lead in the top of the first.

Jack Kowalski walked, moved up on a wild pitch and later scored when Gaige Farrar singled to right field, giving the Patriots a 1-0 lead.

Fort Fairfield kept the damage from growing, ending the inning on a line-drive double play from third baseman Charlie Griffeth to first baseman Jacob Edgecomb.

From there, the game settled into a pitching and defensive battle.

Tigers Tie It In The Sixth

Fort Fairfield had chances throughout the game, but Bangor Christian pitcher Jack Kowalski kept working out of trouble.

The Tigers finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth.

Cayden Ala walked, stole second and moved to third on a groundout by Levi Cole. Graedon King followed with a fly ball to right field, allowing Ala to tag and score the tying run.

That made it 1-1 and eventually forced extra innings.

Ala Escapes Trouble In The Eighth

King worked deep into the game for Fort Fairfield, throwing 113 pitches, 69 for strikes, and holding Bangor Christian to one run.

Ala took over in the eighth and had to work out of a jam.

Blaze Morris singled, Westyn Wyatt walked and Drake Nash also drew a walk, but Ala kept Bangor Christian off the board. The inning ended when Samuel Cormier popped out to first, giving the Tigers a chance to win it in the bottom half.

Helstrom Brings Home The Winner

Fort Fairfield started the bottom of the eighth with back-to-back pressure.

Lucas Cormier singled, and Ala followed with a bunt single. Cole then put down a bunt, with Cormier being thrown out at home as Ala moved to third.

Bangor Christian intentionally walked King to load the bases. After Griffeth struck out, Helstrom stepped in with the game still tied.

He worked the count and drew the walk, bringing Ala home with the winning run.

By The Numbers

Griffeth doubled for Fort Fairfield, while Cormier had two hits. Ala singled, stole three bases and scored both Fort Fairfield runs. King stole two bases and drove in the tying run with a sacrifice fly.

King earned the win on the mound, and Ala closed it out with a scoreless eighth.

For Bangor Christian, Farrar drove in the Patriots’ lone run. Kowalski threw 114 pitches, 79 for strikes, and kept the Patriots in it throughout.

It was not easy, but championship games usually are not.

Fort Fairfield found a way in the eighth, and the Tigers are headed to the state championship game, Saturday at 1 at St. Joseph's College. They will play Telstar for the Gold Glove.

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