AUGUSTA — A rough start left no time to rebound for the Franklin County Flyers in their opening game of the Maine American Legion Baseball state tournament Tuesday at McGuire Field.
The Flyers were down multiple runs before they even got a turn to bat and lost to the Bangor-based C&L Aviation Comrades 9-2. Franklin County now faces an elimination game in the double-elimination tournament Wednesday morning at 11 a.m.
The Comrades scored three runs in the top of the first, then added two more in the third, three in the sixth and one more in the top of the seventh to go ahead 9-0. The Flyers plated both their runs in the bottom of the seventh on Isaac Parker’s two-out single.
Ike Wrigley paced Franklin County’s six-hit attack with two singles and a walk. Hayden Dippner, Zak Koban and Bryce Wilcox all added hits for the Flyers.
Trevor Phelps took the loss on the mound, pitching the first three innings. He struck out five batters.
Matt Holmes earned the win for the Comrades, scattering three hits and two walks across 5 1/3 scoreless innings, with 10 strikeouts.
Ethan Sproul, Jack Earl, Wyatt Stevens, Preston Karam and Holmes each had two hits for the Comrades, who compiled 12 as a team. Stevens drove in three runs.
BABE RUTH BASEBALL
FRANKLIN COUNTY ELIMINATED AT NEW ENGLANDS: The Franklin County 13U Babe Ruth baseball all-star team made it to the semifinals of the New England regional tournament in Rochester, New Hampshire, before falling to eventual runner-up Fairhaven Acushnet of Massachusetts 7-4 on Tuesday.
Franklin County went 2-1 in pool play, losing to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, 3-2 in its opener before firing off wins over Stamford, Connecticut, (12-1) and Keene, New Hampshire, (9-2). The team advanced to the semifinals with a 3-1 win over host Rochester, New Hampshire, on Monday.
Team members included: Elijah Seaberg, Quinn Ryan, Karter Meader, Emmit Walker, Ollie Cormier, Brennan Mitchell, Parker Smith, Jax Vienneau, Cam Norton, Braylon Heatley and Eben Laliberte. Coaches were Rob Dippner, Jeff Seaberg and Tom Cormier.
“Overall, we played a really good weekend and came up short in the semifinals,” Dippner said. “Final four in the regional was a great accomplishment for our guys. “
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