Baseball
Wildcats come back over Rangers, 10-9, but fall to Yachtsmen
By Stan Ross
READY FOR A HIT. In last Monday's game against Poland, the bases were loaded for York when Kevin Maran, seen here at bat, hit a base-clearing double. Although the Poland game ended in defeat for the Wildcats, the team came back just one day later to win out over Traip Academy by a score of 10 to 9.
Photo by Sue Moran
YORK - On Monday, May 21, the Falmouth Yachtsmen (7-5) sailed into town and, paced by the five-hit pitching of John Wilson (1-0), outraced the Wildcats (4-7) by the final score of 7-2.
Falmouth led off with two unearned runs in the first on an infield single, a walk and two infield errors. York saved further damage when shortstop Matt Haight speared a line drive and flipped to third baseman Steve Buoncristiano for a double play to end the inning.
Falmouth was retired in order in the second, but picked up another unearned run in the third on a pair of singles, a stolen base and another infield error. York was unofficially charged with four infield errors in the game.
York catcher Kevin Maran, with three assists on the day, cut down a runner at third for the final out of the inning.
York finally got on the board in the fourth when Jared Turner led off with a double, Haight walked and Maran reached on a fielder's choice. Then Dan Moran doubled home one run and Alex Martin followed with a long SAC fly to center drive in another But after two outs in the fifth the Yachtsmen rallied with a single to right, a double to left and a three-RBI homer to center by Ryan Weeks to take a 6-2 lead.
Over the last three innings the only Wildcats runners were David Nieves on a Texas League single to right, a two-out Texas Leaguer to right by Moran, and an HBP by Dan Graziano.
Moran started on the mound for York and scattered six hits over six innings but was hurt by errors and gave up the three-RBI homer to short centerfield. Sophomore Jim Kennedy came on to pitch for York in the seventh but after two quick outs he gave up two singles and a stolen base to make the final score Falmouth 7, York 2.
Last Tuesday afternoon, May 15, the York High School Wildcats, playing before their largest home crowd of the season, used timely hitting to come back from a 7-2 deficit with three runs in the fifth and five in the sixth to defeat their longtime rivals, the Traip Academy Rangers, by the final score of 10-9.
Traip opened the scoring in the first inning with a two run homer by Connor Kuehl. York countered with a bases-empty homerun by Moran in the second.
Traip tallied two more in the third on a pair of lead off walks, an infield error, an infield hit and a solid single by Matt Downs. Catcher Maran cut down one runner attempting to steal second with a strong throw to Nieves and shortstop Kennedy had two assists in the inning.
York countered with a bases empty homerun by Maran in the fourth. The Rangers loaded the bases with no outs against York starting pitcher Kal Decato in the fifth and Ryan MacGlashing came on in relief. Traip scored three runs to take a 7-2 lead. But the Wildcats were just getting warmed up and after two outs, successive singles by right fielder Alex Hymanson, pinch hitter Graziano, centerfielder Turner, a walk to Maran and a two-RBI single by Moran, they scored three runs and narrowed the Traip lead to 7-5.
Traip bounced back when they loaded the bases on walks with no outs and went on to score two runs and take a 9-5 lead going into the last of the sixth. Then York rallied when Alex Martin led off with a walk, Haight followed with a sharp single, and after two outs, Graziano singled to drive in one run. Turner walked and Maran doubled to drive in two more runs before Moran doubled to drive in the winning run.
Moran had a homer, two doubles and a single and four RBI to pace the Wildcat attack. Maran also had a homer, plus two walks and a double and scored three runs.
The defensive "play of the game" for York came in the seventh when Nate Hippern hit a rifle shot down the third baseline that could have gone for a leadoff double, but Wildcat third baseman Steve Buoncristiano alertly speared the line drive for the out.
The Wildcats were scheduled to play Fryeburg on Tuesday, but results were not available at press time. The team will host archrival Wells today, May 23, and then Old Orchard Beach on Thursday. The week will end with an away game to Poland Regional on Friday.
The final regular season game is scheduled at Yarmouth for next Wednesday, May 30, with playoffs scheduled to begin June 5.
