YARMOUTH — Picking up where it left off last season, defending Class B state champion Yarmouth beat York 4-3 in its season opener on Thursday.
Dom Morrill, who played a pivotal role for the Clippers last spring, pitched four innings of scoreless relief and contributed a couple of key hits as Yarmouth rallied from a 3-0 deficit.
“He kept us off balance and did exactly what you expect a guy to do in that situation,” said York Coach Kevin Hanlon. “He’s a senior and that is what seniors do. They step up and they settle everyone down.”
It was the first varsity game for Hanlon as a head coach. He replaced long-time coach Chuck Chadbourne, who left the team last month after he was charged with operating an automobile under the influence of alcohol.
Morrill, a tall right-hander, took over in relief of starter Luke Waeldner, a left-hander who had trouble with his control in the first inning when he threw 39 of his 57 pitches. He lasted three innings.
“I had to step up a little bit for Luke,” Morrill said. “He didn’t have his best stuff today. His curveball was obviously off.”
Morrill, who didn’t strike out a batter, allowed just a harmless infield hit during his four innings on the mound.
Jack Kelley, York’s right-handed starter, held the Clippers pretty much in check until the fifth.
“He’s a kid with not a lot of varsity experience, and he did exactly what we wanted him to do,” Hanlon said. “He came out and threw strikes. He was around the plate all day and he kept us in it.”
The Wildcats took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Dawson Gundlah doubled to the base of the fence in left after Riley Linn led off the game with a single and Tim MacDonald walked with one out. MacDonald led off the third with a single, stole second and scored on Tommy Carr’s single for a 3-0 lead.
Yarmouth made it 3-1 in the fourth when Morrill doubled with two outs and scored on Jason Lainey’s single.
The Clippers scored the rest of their runs in the fifth, all with two outs. Ben Norton and Waeldner led off with singles and scored on a single by Jackson Caruso to make it 3-2. Aidan Hickey, a sophomore shortstop in his first varsity start, drove in the tying run with a double to left, and Morrill snapped the tie with a single to left.
Yarmouth Coach Marc Halsted was surprised that his club had 10 hits off Kelley.
“We took one round of batting practice outside (Thursday),” Halsted said. “Each kid got 15 cuts and that was it, so I was really surprised how well we hit the ball against what I consider an above-average pitcher.
“We competed very well.”
Despite the outcome, Hanlon said he was encouraged by how the Wildcats competed.
“This is something to build on,” he said. “I think going forward we will be able to compete with anyone in this league. It’s a matter of throwing strikes and playing defense.”
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