The Skowhegan Area High School baseball team earned a big win on Wednesday when it defeated Mt. Blue, 5-3. The victory ensures that the Indians (4-10) are still alive for a playoff spot in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class A, which makes up all of Eastern Class A.
“As usual, this league is crazy,” Skowhegan coach Rick York said. “It always comes down to the last week.”
Skowhegan is currently in 11th place in the Eastern Class A Heal Point standings, just over seven points behind ninth-place Hampden (4-10), which currently holds the final playoff spot. Wins over Mt. Ararat (1-14) on Friday and Hampden on Monday could push Skowhegan into the postseason. Also fighting for the final playoff spot in the region are Lewiston (4-11) and Lawrence (4-11).
With just three seniors on the roster, Skowhegan is one of the youngest teams in the KVAC. The Indians have three one-run losses, in games a more experienced team may have won, York said.
“I see a building of self-confidence in the way they approach the game. They’re young, but they’re learning,” York said.
Senior Nate Morris earned Wednesday’s win over Mt. Blue, and has pitched well in some tough-luck losses, York said.
“(Wednesday) he took a no hitter into the sixth inning. The kids started to play behind him,” York said.
Skowhegan beat both Mt. Ararat and Hampden earlier in the season. York is stressing to his team those games won’t matter in the rematches.
“At the end, when you still have a shot to get in (to the tournament), it’s big,” York said. “We can’t overlook anything. We’re playing for our life.”
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Rangeley didn’t field a baseball team in 2013 or 2014, but the reborn Lakers put themselves in position to make the Western Class D playoffs with a win over Valley on Tuesday.
Rangeley is now 2-7, but beating the Cavaliers pushed the Lakers into sixth place in Western Class D. The top eight teams in the region will make the playoffs. The Lakers close the regular season hosting Forest Hills, another team fighting for a playoff spot, for a doubleheader on Tuesday. The Lakers travel to Bingham for a rematch with Valley on Wednesday.
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Since losing a wild 12-11 game to Gardiner last week, Maranacook has bounced back with three consecutive wins. The Black Bears head into their final two regular season games with an 8-6 record, and sit in third place in the Western Class C Heal Point standings.
“We’re starting to get a little hot towards the end of the season,” Maranacook coach Eric Brown said. “Heading into the playoffs, that’s what you want.”
Playing a Class B schedule in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference has helped the Black Bears climb in the standings. The top four teams in Western Class C earn a bye out of the preliminary round straight to the regional quarterfinals.
“That first game, not having to play it, can really help your pitching,” Brown said.
Maranacook’s lineup has been solid one through nine, Brown said, although the key to the Black Bears’ offense has been slugger Cam Brochu.
“Cam has six home runs, and a lot of them are tape measure shots,” Brown said. “Through our order, when somebody’s down, somebody else picks it up.”
Among Maranacook’s big wins are victories over Gardiner (11-3), a sweep of Winslow (10-4), and a win over Waterville (10-4). The Black Bears end the regular season at home against Waterville on Monday.
“Not many teams in our league have had success against Winslow and Waterville,” Brown said. “We swept Winslow and have a chance to sweep Waterville.”
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Around the state: The top two seeds in Eastern Class C, Bucksport (10-4) and George Stevens Academy (11-1) will play each other on Monday. George Stevens won the first meeting, 7-5, on May 6… While South Portland has a 12-point lead for first place in the Western Class A Heal Point standings, spots two through six are completely up for grabs. Just five points separate No. 2 Falmouth from No. 6 Thornton Academy… Dirigo is on quite a roll. The Cougars entered Thursday’s game against Mountain Valley allowing one run in their previous seven games. Tuesday’s 4-1 win over Monmouth snapped Dirigo’s six-game shutout streak. Since an opening day loss to Monmouth, Dirigo has won 13 games in a row.
Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242
Twitter: @TLazarczykMTM
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