WISCASSET — It has been a tumultuous week for the Wiscasset High School baseball team. First, former head coach Mike Bowles left the team, replaced by Ryan Michaud as the Wolverines prepared for their final regular season Mountain Valley Conference contest against Oak Hill.
Then, the rain came, and for two days Michaud ran his team through its paces inside the gym.
In Thursday’s game, the Wolverines rallied to tie with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, only to have the Raiders plate one in the top of the eighth to escape with a 4-3 win.
“This was a great game,” Michaud said. “The only thing that could have been better was a ‘W,’ but we battled back from 3-1 down and never gave up. I am proud of this team.”
Despite the loss and a 5-11 record, Wiscasset is locked into the No. 7 spot in the Western D Heal Points, with a date against No. 2 Searsport likely.
On the other side, Oak Hill finished 7-9 and was still on the outside looking in at the Western Class B playoff field.
Leading 3-1, the Raiders had that look that head coach Matt Bray has seen far too often this season. A hit batter, an error and a passed ball put two Wiscasset base runners into scoring position.
“This has been the story of our season,” the Oak Hill coach said after watching the Wolverines tie the game on a two-run single by Conlon Ranta (3-for-3, three RBIs) off reliever Jake Bannister. “We led Dirigo, Winthrop, Lisbon, the top teams in our league. But we have an inning where four, five, six runs score. That is why we are where we are in the standings.”
After the Wolverines tied the game, Bannister picked up a big strikeout and retired Brycson Grover on a ground ball to second.
In the eighth, Bannister was hit by a Matt Craig pitch with one out. Jonah Martin dropped a bunt, and the throw to first was wide, with Martin colliding with the arm of Wiscasset first baseman Daren Wood. The ball bounced away, allowing Bannister to score all the way from first for a 4-3 Oak Hill lead.
Bannister set Wiscasset down in order in the home half of the eighth to secure the win.
“I am proud of the way that we stayed with it today,” Bray said. “We rose to the occasion and kept the train on the tracks.”
“That was a tough play at first, and Daren is a tough kid,” Michaud said. “On that play, things just didn’t go our way.”
Wiscasset grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second. Wood singled and stole second. One out later, Ranta singled to right-center field, with Wood easily scoring on the play.
The Raiders’ first hit came in the third inning and it tied the game. Adam Merrill singled to right field, with Connor Nilsson scoring.
Wiscasset threatened against Oak Hill starter Matt Arnold (six innings, one run, two strikeouts, no walks, four hits) in the fourth. Tyler Flavin singled, stole second and was sacrificed to third by Craig. Wood lifted a fly ball to right field that seemed deep enough, but Raiders right fielder Kaleb Morissette threw a strike to home with Bannister making the tag to keep the game even.
Oak Hill struck for two runs off Wiscasset starting pitcher Tyler Bailey (five innings, three hits, three runs, two strikeouts, two walks) for a 3-1 lead. Morissette walked and stole second. With one out, Adam Mooney singled to make for a 2-1 contest. After a single by Nilsson put runners at the corners, Merrill (1-for-3, two RBIs) slipped a sacrifice to center field to score pinch runner Cohen Dennell.
Bannister picked up the win, pitching the final two frames with two strikeouts. Craig took the loss despite not allowing a hit in three innings of relief. He struck out one and walked two.
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