Senior Tyler McKenney crosses home plate in the playoff quarterfinal against Bucksport. By Anne Berleant
Blue Hill—After a thriller of a quarterfinal game against Bucksport on June 7, the season dried up for the George Stevens Academy baseball team in the Class C North semifinals, as the team lost to undefeated, first-place Houlton on the road June 9.
The Eagles held a 1-0 lead after the top of the third inning, but Houlton was able to get a runner across the plate to tie it up. George Stevens Academy took the lead again in the top of the fifth, 2-1, but a two-run bottom of the inning gave the Shiretowners a 3-2 advantage. Houlton tacked on another run in the sixth to extend its lead, and the Eagles were not able to achieve another burst of offense.
The game could have gone either way, said Eagle head coach Dan Kane. Three costly errors in the field plagued the team, as Houlton scored runs on each of those errors.
“It just wasn’t our day,” said Kane.
The highlight of the game was an “incredible” performance on the mound from senior pitcher Ben Cole, who pitched through the first five and a half innings.
“Even though he got the loss, it was the best performance I’ve seen out of him all season,” said Kane.
Kane said he thought the season was successful overall, as the team finished 11-5, in fourth place in the final Class C North standings.
The team will start the season next year without five of this year’s senior starters, including pitchers Cole and Stefan Simmons, as well as catcher Marshall Lebel.
“We’ll have to adjust the pitching rotation, but I think we’ll be competitive again next year,” said Kane. “There are a few kids coming up as freshmen next year, and some of our returning players will be pretty strong again. It’s all about their maturity and growth during the season.”