Messalonskee softball and baseball teams are headed to the semifinals
The Messalonskee softball and baseball teams are headed to the semifinals of the Class A North playoffs on Saturday after pulling off thrilling upsets of higher-seeded opponents in the first round. Both teams prevailed 3-2, but the way they reached that final score differed dramatically.
Take first the fifth-ranked Messalonskee softball team (12-5). The lady Eagles built a 3-1 lead going into the seventh inning of their game against No. 4 Edward Little (10-7) and were one strike away from victory when pitcher Danielle Hall hit a batter. That batter scored when the next hitter smacked a line drive for a double. With one more hit, the Red Eddies could have tied the game. Messalonskee sophomore catcher Brooke Martin acknowledged that the situation was more than a bit pressure-packed. “I’m just thinking, ‘We need to close out this inning,’ ” Martin said. Martin did just that a moment later, moving two steps to the left to catch a popup behind the plate for the final out.
The lady Eagles will face top-ranked Skowhegan Saturday. The time will be announced later today.
For the baseball team, the final inning was about pulling ahead, not holding on. Down 2-0 early in the game against second-ranked Hampden Academy (13-4), the Eagles (10-7) rallied with single runs in the third and sixth to notch the score at 2-2. Then in the seventh Dylan Cunningham knocked in the winning run, his second RBI of the day.
Messalonskee will play at No. 3 Edward Little in the baseball semifinals – game time is scheduled for 11 a.m..