Katahdin Softball, Fort Fairfield Baseball Advance

Saturday’s County Scoreboard brought regional final tickets, season-ending heartbreak and one unbeaten season still rolling.

Katahdin softball continued its perfect spring with a 9-3 win over Machias in the Class D North semifinals, while Fort Fairfield baseball rallied past Penobscot Valley 7-4 to keep its unbeaten season alive and reach the Class D North final.

Houlton softball saw its season end against Central, while Katahdin baseball fell in an eight-inning thriller against Bangor Christian.

Softball

Katahdin 9, Machias 3

Katahdin softball stayed unbeaten with a 9-3 win over Machias in the Class D North semifinals.

Machias scored first, but Katahdin answered in the bottom of the first when Lizzy Lane reached on an error that brought in Emily McNally and Polly Cullen.

After Machias tied it in the second, Lane doubled in McNally in the third to put Katahdin back in front.

The Lady Cougars added three more in the fourth, with McNally singling in Alaina Rodgerson and Cullen adding a single that helped bring in two more runs.

Katahdin added insurance in the sixth behind a double from Eva Hernandez, another run-scoring hit from Cullen and a Trinity Lane bunt that brought in a run on an error.

Cullen closed it out in the circle, retiring Machias in order in the seventh.

Katahdin will face Penobscot Valley in the Northern Maine final Tuesday at UMaine. Penobscot Valley defeated Penquis 11-6 in the other semifinal.

Central 14, Houlton 3

Houlton’s season came to a close with a 14-3 loss to Central in the Class C North semifinals.

Central jumped out early with six runs in the first inning and later broke the game open with a big fourth.

Houlton got on the board in the fourth when Maddie Beals scored on a passed ball.

The Lady Shires added two more in the fifth. Keegan Brown walked and later scored on a Lainey Henderson groundout. Jacelyn Fitzpatrick also walked, stole second, moved to third and scored on a Mylee Sylvia RBI single.

Amelia Matwyko also had a base hit for Houlton.

Central advanced after upsetting Washington Academy 4-2 in the quarterfinal round.

Houlton finishes the season 10-5 after a strong tournament run that included a dramatic seventh-inning comeback win over Mattanawcook Academy.

Baseball

Fort Fairfield 7, Penobscot Valley 4

Fort Fairfield baseball kept its unbeaten season alive with a 7-4 win over Penobscot Valley in the Class D North semifinals.

Penobscot Valley took the early lead, but Fort Fairfield tied the game in the third when Charlie Griffeth singled to bring in Graedon King.

The Tigers went ahead in the fifth on an Eric Helstrom sacrifice bunt that scored King, but Penobscot Valley answered with two runs in the sixth to take a 3-2 lead.

Fort Fairfield responded with the biggest inning of the game.

Jonah LeBlanc and Lucas Cormier singled, and Cayden Ala was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Levi Cole tied the game with an RBI single. King followed with a two-run single to bring in Cormier and Ala, and Griffeth added a bunt single that scored Cole and King after an error on the play.

Penobscot Valley got one run back in the seventh, but Fort Fairfield finished it off.

The Tigers will face Bangor Christian in the Class D North final.

Bangor Christian 13, Katahdin 12, 8 innings

Katahdin baseball’s season ended in a wild 13-12 loss to Bangor Christian in eight innings at Husson University.

The Cougars jumped out early, scoring twice in the first and building a 5-2 lead after the top of the third.

Bangor Christian answered with eight runs in the bottom of the third to move in front 10-5, but Katahdin kept coming.

The Cougars scored four in the fourth, with Calvin Richardson tripling in a run, Conor Schmidt adding an RBI single and Addison Young reaching on an error that brought in two more runs.

After Bangor Christian stretched the lead to 12-9, Katahdin tied the game in the fifth. Bradley Swallow singled, Richardson and Chandler Libby scored on an error, and Wyatt Pipes singled in Schmidt to make it 12-12.

The score stayed tied until the bottom of the eighth, when Mason McNally delivered the game-winning single for Bangor Christian.

Richardson had four hits for Katahdin, including a triple and a double. Schmidt, Swallow, Pipes and Young were all part of the Cougars’ comeback effort.

Katahdin finishes its season after a strong run to the Class D North semifinals.

Regional Finals Ahead

The County still has two teams playing for regional titles.

Katahdin softball will face Penobscot Valley in the Northern Maine final Tuesday at UMaine, while Fort Fairfield baseball will take on Bangor Christian in the Class D North final.

Houlton softball and Katahdin baseball both saw their seasons end Saturday, but both programs closed the spring with strong postseason runs.

Spring Week Eight Athlete of the Week Nominations are still going until 9pm Sunday. Click [HERE] to nominate a student-athlete today.

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