Seahawks baseball took a hard loss from the Madison High School Bulldogs May 6 at Sherman Field. After playing a strong defense in the first inning with Gryffin Kristan on the mound, the Bulldogs put four runs on the board and held the Seahawks off, striking out batters 1-2-3.

Kristan earned his third strikeout of the game in the third, but the Bulldogs put another run on the board before Finn Harkins came to the mound for the Seahawks. The Bulldogs managed a double in the first at-bat after Harkins came to the mound, but Seahawks second baseman Cleyton Splaine and third baseman Jordan Carrier caught the runner in a pickle trying to take third base. Harkins earned his first strikeout of the game. The bottom of the third played out the same as the second for the Seahawks with three strikeouts in a row and the Bulldogs ending the inning 5-0 in their favor.

The Seahawks played more great defense in the fourth with center fielder Aidrich Canada fielding two outs and Harkins collecting another strikeout. Canada led the bottom of the inning with a double, then stole third base. After a strikeout and a pop-up, Harkins was walked and then stole second base. Another strikeout for the Seahawks left two runners on at the end of the inning.

The Bulldogs made trouble in the fifth inning with two hits and a couple stolen bases, but the Seahawks were able to return the favor with Harkins earning two more strikeouts leaving two Bulldogs on base to end the top of the fifth. However, the Seahawks were held off through the sixth inning with the Bulldogs earning two more runs bringing the score to 7-0 in their favor.

The Bulldogs started off the seventh inning with a triple, then a double and put two more runs on the board with another hit. Splaine took the mound for the first time this season with one runner on and the Seahawks ended the top of the seventh with two fly balls to Canada. The Bulldogs ended the game with two more strikeouts and an out to the pitcher.

Coach Ed Crocker said despite the lopsided score, the Seahawks played well this game having faced a pitcher throwing some real heat. “This game we faced a really good pitcher. He threw a lot of strikes. A lot of fastballs, but a lot of strikes and they're not used to that. We don't usually see this quality pitching.”

The Seahawks are also playing mostly freshmen and sophomores who are working themselves into a groove that will make them a formidable team later this season and into the next couple seasons, said Crocker.

“I think we're building very well and I think we're showing progress. These games (against Madison) the last year we played ended in five innings at 15-0 or 20-0. The same with Hall-Dale. We've never gone more than five innings against Hall-Dale.”

Said Assistant Coach Bill Mansfield, “It's open tournament this year for the playoffs and I wouldn't want to be the team that draws us. I guarantee you every team that's played us are saying 'These guys are that close.’”

The Seahawks won their makeup game against Carrabec 11-10 May 7, said Crocker.