A misplayed fly ball put the Boothbay 36ers’ victory in doubt July 18 against Ware-Bulter of  Messalonskee. The 36ers led, 3-1, in their final game in American Legion baseball this season. With two out in the top of the seventh, centerfielder Jimmie Fitzsimmons dropped a fly ball which extended Ware-Bulter’s final at-bat. This resulted with the Messalonskee-based team with the potential tying run on base and starting pitcher Jacob Watkinson rapidly approaching his pitch count. “I didn’t know what to do,” said Boothbay manager Adam Harkins. “The kid pitched a great game, and I didn’t want to take him out.”

Harkins stuck with his lefty ace, and the next batter hit a soft grounder to second baseman Sam Markowitz who threw him out at first. This was Boothbay’s third win against 10 defeats. Messalonskee scored its only run in the first inning. Boothbay scored two in the second and one in the third. Right fielder Maddox Cusumano hit a home run and catcher Taygan McAllister doubled. Other 36ers registering singles were third baseman Finn Harkins, Fitzsimmons and first baseman Aiden Sanborn. 

Watkinson pitched seven innings, allowed one earned run on six hits, struck out seven and walked two. He was Boothbay’s winning pitcher in two games this season. “It was a great night for baseball,” Adam Harkins said. “We had runners on base every inning but could only manage to push three across. It was a nice way to end the season.”

Maine American Legion has two zones. Boothbay played in the southern zone and only the top four teams qualified for the post-season. “Our three wins came against Ware-Butler (2) and Central Maine (Fairfield) who were the No. 3 and No. 4 teams in our division. Our trouble was beating the non-playoff teams,” Adam Harkins said. 

For Boothbay, 2023 was a promising start for a new team. Adam Harkins described his roster as a “bunch of young talented” players. The entire roster is eligible to return next season except for Jack Culbertson of Brunswick.