Seahawks baseball continued a string of losses through its last two home games. The team faced off against the Mountain Valley Conference Class B Spruce Mountain High School Phoenix May 18 losing 17-6 in six innings.

The Phoenix came out strong in the first inning batting through their lineup and scoring five runs. Sam Markowitz started the Seahawks offense out hot with a leadoff single, but was caught stealing right before Gryffin Kristan singled. One strikeout and fly-out kept the score at 5-0, Phoenix.

The Phoenix managed a triple, double, walk and a single, two runs resulting, before the Seahawks could get their first out. Pitcher Liam Thomas then pulled off two strikeouts, buffered by a walk, to hold the Phoenix at 7-0. Though the Phoenix made a quick end to the second inning producing two strikeouts and a pop-up, Seahawks’ Robert Shaw hit a leadoff home run clearing the left field fence parallel to Emery Lane. The inning ended 7-1, Phoenix.

Thomas swapped positions with center fielder Aidric Canada for relief in the top of the third. Canada struggled with the first three batters, giving up two walks and a hit, but defense caught a runner at third and Canada forced a ground-out and collected his first strikeout of the game to put the Seahawks back on offense. The Phoenix racked up another strikeout before walking Markowitz. Maddox Cusumano singled, which allowed Markowitz to come home off an error trying to catch him at third base. Cusumano was caught out off a double by Kristan, but cleanup hitter Jordan Carrier drove Kristan home on a double of his own. The inning ended 8-3, Phoenix.

Kristan came to the mound in the fourth inning forcing a pop-up to start with followed by a hit. The Phoenix then hit a triple driving in one run and a subsequent Seahawks error allowed the runner at third to come home. Thomas started offense off with a hit and then stole second and third base as the Phoenix walked Dominick Dow. Zach Littlefield laid a perfect bunt down the first base line to move Dow to second, but Thomas was caught in time at the plate. Canada and Cusumano were walked which brought Dow home keeping the bases loaded for the Seahawks with just one out. The Phoenix were able to strike out Kristan, but another walk brought Littlefield home before they could end the inning. The score was 10-5, Phoenix.

The Phoenix led with a triple once again in the top of the fifth. A series of steals, two hits and one hit-by-pitch later, the Phoenix led 12-5. Canada led offense with a hit and Thomas was walked. Dow bunted to get on base, Littlefield followed striking out and a hit by Markowitz drove Canada home before the Phoenix could end the inning, 12-6, in their favor.

Down by six runs at the top of the sixth inning, the Seahawks went on to give up another six runs before retiring early, 18-6, Phoenix.

Ramblers

The Seahawks faced the Winthrop High School Ramblers May 23 in the last home game of the season. Kristan started as pitcher racking up two strikeouts and allowing just one run. Finn Harkins and Kristan managed back-to-back singles with one out on the board and Carrier was subsequently walked, loading the bases. Shaw hit a single which brought in Harkins and Kristan, then Carrier and Shaw were able to take third and second over a long at-bat for Canada which ended in a strikeout. Thomas hit a double, driving in Carrier and Shaw before the inning ended 4-1, Seahawks.

Kristan won two more strikeouts and ended the top of the second facing just three batters. Alton King led offense off with a walk and Cusumano singled. Kristan followed Harkins’ strikeout with a triple driving in King, though Cusumano was called out at the plate. Carrier followed up with a single to drive Kristan home before the inning ended 6-1, Seahawks.

The third and fourth innings were good defense for both teams, with no runs scored. Kristan once again faced only three batters in the top of the third with the first grounding out, the second getting on base and tagged out in a rundown, and the third striking out. The Ramblers struck out batters Canada, Thomas and Dow. In the fourth, Kristan gave up a single and a double back to back, but the next two batters grounded out and Kristan took another strikeout to bring the Seahawks back on offense, which was shortlived.

In the fifth inning, the Ramblers pulled off two singles, a double and a triple, but the Seahawks held the action to two runs. However, the Seahawks added no runs, leaving the score 6-3, Seahawks.

Kristan gave up two hits to start the sixth inning and a sacrifice bunt advanced the runners to second and third. A followup double brought the runners home before Kristan could put the Seahawks back on the offensive where they tacked one more run onto the scoreboard, ending the sixth inning 7-5, Seahawks.

The seventh inning saw a rally for the Ramblers, who pulled ahead another three runs out of four singles, a double and a triple. The game ended 8-7, Ramblers.

The loss was a hard one to take especially with great offense and pitching and far fewer errors than past games, said Coach Ed Crocker.

“All around, I thought we played better. We swung the bat well today, we had two successful rundowns, we had a pickoff – first man stealing all year. It was a good game.”

Crocker said the May 25 game against Carrabec High School was a 5-1 win. The May 27 game against Lisbon High School was a 10-0 loss.