High schools Thursday: Noble baseball stuns South Portland in 8 innings
Noble pitcher Sean Sullivan turned in one of the most complete performances of the high school baseball postseason Thursday, going the distance on the mound and delivering the lone run his team needed in extra innings to stun previously unbeaten South Portland.
The 10th-seeded Knights knocked off the second-seeded Red Riots 1-0 in eight innings at South Portland, booking a spot in the Class A North semifinals. Sullivan worked all eight innings, scattering two hits while striking out four and walking two on 97 pitches. At the plate, he drove in the game's only run with an RBI single in the top of the eighth, giving Noble (9-8-1) the upset victory.
South Portland (15-2) got an equally strong outing from Hudson Iacuessa, who surrendered just three hits, struck out 14 and issued one walk. But the Red Riots could not push a run across against Sullivan, whose team now turns its attention to Saturday's regional semifinal.
The Class A South bracket delivered another tight finish, with third-seeded Cheverus squeezing past sixth-seeded Sanford 3-2 in eight innings in Portland. Grady Hughes delivered the winning hit for the Stags (13-3), an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth. Earlier, Jackson Holmes had tied the game with an RBI single in the seventh, and Scottie Sockabasin had gotten Cheverus on the board with an RBI single in the sixth. Grady Hughes and Nathan Collins each doubled for the Stags.
Cheverus starter Colton Jewett went 7 1/3 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on two hits with 12 strikeouts and one walk. Ben Dumais picked up the final two outs for the win. Ryan Alexander and Drew McGrath drove in runs for Sanford (12-5).
The win sends Cheverus into a Saturday semifinal against Noble.
Elsewhere in Class A, top-seeded Oxford Hills continued its dominant run with a 13-3, five-inning rout of eighth-seeded Brunswick in Paris. Cam Pulkkinen led the way, going 3 for 4 with a double, three runs and four RBI, including a two-run single that ignited a seven-run second inning and put the Vikings ahead 10-2. Oxford Hills (16-1) advances to host fourth-seeded Hampden Academy on Saturday. Logan Garascia had two hits and Ben Perry drove in two for the Dragons (6-11).
One Class A North quarterfinal could not be finished Thursday. Eighth-seeded Falmouth had built a 6-0 lead over top-seeded Gorham before rain rendered the field unplayable in the bottom of the fourth inning. Under tournament rules, suspended games do not carry over, so when the teams resume play Friday, they will start fresh from the top of the first inning with the score 0-0.
The Class B South bracket produced a lopsided result and two close ones. Top-seeded Fryeburg Academy stayed on course toward a semifinal at home with a 10-2 win over eighth-seeded York. Brady Chappell was dominant on the mound and at the plate, allowing one hit and two unearned runs while striking out seven and walking two. His bat did the real damage: Chappell drove in three runs with two hits, including his second double of the game, during a 10-run sixth inning. Alex Allain and Noah Day each added two-run singles. Dom Grover had a leadoff single in the fifth for York's only offense. Fryeburg (14-3) hosts fourth-seeded Cape Elizabeth at 3 p.m. Saturday.
Cape Elizabeth advanced by taking advantage of Lake Region's miscues, scoring twice on errors in the bottom of the sixth to break a 1-1 tie. Finn Connolly pitched 6 2/3 innings for the fourth-seeded Capers (12-5), allowing one unearned run on four hits while striking out eight and walking two. Caiden Johnson secured the final out. Joseph Grela had three hits and scored twice for Cape Elizabeth. Jaiden Meehan and Shane Plummer doubled for the Lakers (12-6).
Third-seeded Greely built an early lead and held off sixth-seeded Yarmouth 7-2 in Cumberland. Barron Silver's two-run single keyed a four-run burst across the first three innings, and Kyle Soule's three-run homer in the sixth put the game out of reach. Sam Almy earned the win with five-hit ball over the final six innings, striking out six and walking three. Chase Garofoli had an RBI double in a two-run fourth for Yarmouth (10-8), and Iggy McGrath finished with two hits. Greely (12-5), which got three hits from Silver and two from Soule, will play second-seeded Leavitt in the semifinals.
In Class C South, fifth-seeded Waynflete/NYA rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh to upend fourth-seeded Sacopee Valley 7-5 in Hiram. Eben Thibodeau had three hits, and Camden Gardiner and Kellen Gardiner each homered for Waynflete/NYA (11-6). Tanner Hale, Owen Barsanti and Silas Nielsen added two hits apiece for Sacopee Valley (8-9), which got 11 strikeouts from Keegan Day.
Third-seeded Old Orchard Beach handled sixth-seeded Dirigo 8-1 behind a combined three-hitter from Trot Moody and Mathew Charron. Moody struck out six over 2 2/3 innings before turning it over to Charron, who fanned four in 4 1/3 frames. Moody also went 2 for 4 with a double, and Evan Moody drove in three runs. Trevor Crosby, Ty LaPointe and Owen Smith accounted for Dirigo's hits. Old Orchard Beach (13-4) heads to second-seeded Maranacook for a Saturday semifinal.
On the softball diamond, fifth-seeded Poland produced one of the more dramatic finishes of the day, erupting for five runs in the top of the 10th inning to defeat fourth-seeded Leavitt 7-3 in Turner. The Hornets had appeared to be on the verge of victory in the seventh, trailing 2-1 with two strikes, before Jordyn Boulay delivered an RBI single to force extra innings.
When play resumed, Carly-Ann Jarvis, who started the 10th on second base under extra-inning rules, scored on an error, and Leavitt fielding mistakes helped Poland tack on four more runs with only one hit in the inning. Karlee Lathrop went the distance for the Knights (11-6), striking out six and walking two while allowing nine hits. Hailey Cyr also went the distance for Leavitt (10-7). Poland moves on to face top-seeded Medomak Valley (16-1) on Saturday.
Second-seeded Lake Region got a complete-game gem from Haley Hamlin in a 5-2 win over sixth-seeded Erskine Academy in Naples. Hamlin allowed two hits while striking out 13 and walking one. Ella Gibbons did the rest at the plate, going 2 for 2 with two doubles, a triple and two RBI. The Lakers (13-4) now turn their attention to the Class B South semifinals.
Medomak Valley, the top seed in Class B South, continued its march through the bracket with a 5-0 win over eighth-seeded Greely in Waldoboro. Sidney Nicholls was untouchable, allowing only an infield single by Sophie Smith in the fifth inning while striking out 15 and not issuing a walk. The Panthers (15-2) broke it open with four runs in the fourth, highlighted by Arianna Sproul's two-run single. Jennika Schumann also drove in two runs.
Second-seeded York rolled to a 12-2, six-inning win over seventh-seeded Mountain Valley, powered by Maddie Fitzgerald's four-RBI day featuring a home run, a double and a single. Orso allowed just two hits and struck out six for the Wildcats (16-1), who earned a spot in the Class B South semifinals.
In Class A South softball, top-seeded Cheverus continued its unbeaten season with an 8-0 shutout of eighth-seeded Biddeford in Portland. Addison DeRoche dominated in the circle, allowing one hit while striking out 18 and walking one. Hailey Lamontagne had two hits, including a double, with two RBI and three runs scored; Cameron Gagnon doubled; Anna Goodman had two hits and three RBI; and Kylie Lamson chipped in two hits and two RBI. Corinne Ramunno had the only hit for the Tigers (9-9). The Stags (17-0) will play Saturday against the winner of Friday's quarterfinal between Windham and Gorham, which was rained out Thursday.
Second-seeded Bonny Eagle downed seventh-seeded South Portland 8-5 in Standish, getting two RBI apiece from Emily Ireland and Lily Parker. Reese Bryant had three hits, including a double, and scored three times, while Bella Hanson also collected three hits for the Scots (14-3), who advance to face third-seeded Westbrook on Saturday. Annie Soucy had two hits and an RBI for the Red Riots (11-7), with Jillian Edgar and Olive Manns each adding two hits.
Third-seeded Westbrook earned that semifinal date with an 8-5 victory over sixth-seeded Scarborough. Emma Rice and Emma Boulette had three hits apiece, and Greta Krantz drove in three runs, including a two-run single in a four-run first inning. Emma Clukey and Elyse Broad added two hits each for the Blue Blazes (14-3). Scarlett Floyd hit two triples for Scarborough (11-7).
Second-seeded North Yarmouth Academy celebrated a milestone in a 9-3 win over seventh-seeded Richmond in Yarmouth. Sophomore pitcher Lily Fortin recorded her 300th career strikeout, finishing with 14 strikeouts against seven hits and one walk, and added three RBI at the plate. Cami Casserly's two-run double in the bottom of the fourth broke a 3-3 tie and sparked a three-run frame. Brooke Fournier and Taylor Johansen each had two hits for Richmond (5-10). The Panthers (15-1) move on in the Class D South bracket.
Fifth-seeded Old Orchard Beach and fourth-seeded Telstar/Gould produced the most unusual finish of the softball day, an 11-inning marathon. Reagan Partridge delivered the decisive blow for the Seagulls with a two-run inside-the-park home run in the top of the eighth after Old Orchard Beach had clawed back from a 9-4 deficit with six runs in the sixth and another tying rally in the seventh. Telstar/Gould had briefly regained the lead with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Telstar pounded out 19 hits, with eight of the nine starters collecting at least two, led by Cadie Campbell, Brooklyn Deprey and Kendall Duchart with three each. Partridge finished 3 for 5 with a triple, three RBI and four runs scored for Old Orchard Beach (10-7). Emilia Michaud drove in three runs with a single and a double.
Top-seeded Dirigo earned its place in the Class C South semifinals with a 7-1 win over eighth-seeded Sacopee Valley in Dixfield behind Lana Waite's 15-strikeout performance. Waite allowed three hits and three walks in seven innings and added a 2-for-4 day at the plate with a triple and an RBI. Madisyn Bradeen had two triples, two RBI and two runs scored, Abby Luczynski had two hits and two RBI, and Leah Turnbull added a double and an RBI for Dirigo (16-1). Charlotte Cyr had two of Sacopee Valley's hits, including a triple, and drove in the lone run. Dirigo will host Old Orchard Beach on Saturday.
