Winthrop baseball coach Marc Fortin is going slightly against conventional wisdom by starting senior Tyler Foster in today’s Western Maine Class C preliminary round game versus Madison.
Foster is his starting catcher and No. 2 pitcher while Tyler Reeve has been No. 1 this season. Fortin hopes Foster can get a win and Reeve will be ready for No. 2 St. Dominic on Thursday.
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“I know all the stories about looking past your opponent in the first round,” Fortin said. “We need to have Tyler Reeve on the mound against Dom’s if we’re going to go anywhere.”
Foster has a win this season against Spruce Mountain, a good Class B playoff team, so Fortin thinks he’s capable. Besides, Reeve took the loss when the Ramblers were beaten 10-1 by Madison on their opening day. In that one, Madison’s Stephen Cusson struck out 16 batters, but he is one of four seniors who have left the team in the past two weeks.
“We don’t have a senior on the team,” Madison coach Scott Franzose said.
The Bulldogs will start junior Garrett Emery, who is also the team’s catcher. He’s 2-4 on the mound with an ERA of 3.78.
“He’s been my No. 1 catcher but he’s become my No. 1 pitcher,” Franzose said.
The Madison coach will start freshman K.P. Carpenter behind the plate while Fortin will also start a freshman catcher in Dakota Carter.
Emery leads the team in hitting at .447 followed by freshman Cody Soucier at .398. Sophomores Jared Hanson and Drew Stratton lead the Ramblers in hitting at .404 and .357, respectively.
In a couple of Eastern Maine Class B prelims today, No. 10 Gardiner faces No. 7 Hermon at the University of Maine’s Mahaney Diamond in a 5:30 p.m. start. And No. 9 Nokomis meets No. 8 Camden Hills in Rockport.
Gardiner and Hermon didn’t play in the regular season but they did meet in the playoffs last season.
“We lost 1-0 to Hermon in the prelims,” Gardiner coach Chris McLaughlin said. “They lost one player (from that team) and we lost two, so I expect a pretty similar game.”
McLaughlin will start senior Aaron Toman on the mound.
“He’s pitched in all the big games for us,” McLaughlin said. “He’s going to compete all seven innings.”
The Hawks have five shutouts this season, including a no-hitter from junior Willie Perkins.
“My guess is we’ll probably see him,” McLaughlin said.
The winner will play No. 2 seed and two-time defending state champion Waterville in a quarterfinal Thursday.
Nokomis beat Camden Hills 9-8 this season and both teams finished at 9-7, but the Warriors were three Heal points behind the Wiindjammers in the final tournament standings.
“It makes no sense,” Nokomis coach Jared Foster.
Nokomis is making its first tournament appearance in over 20 years, according to Foster who plans to start ace Justin Amoroso. He expects to see Camden Hills’ Adam Carlsen.
“I’m guessing,” Foster said. “That’s their ace. It’s going to be the same pitching matchup (as the first game).”
In another Eastern Class B prelim today, No. 6 Winslow hosts No. 11 Oceanside. The Black Raiders won the regular-season meeting 15-3.
In Class A quarterfinal games, No. 4 Messalonskee hosts No. 5 Oxford Hills on Wednesday at Thomas College. The Eagles gained home-field advantage by beating Oxford Hills in nine innings in the last regular-season game. On Thursday, No. 3 Cony hosts No. 6 Erskine. The Rams won both regular-season meetings with junior Zack Lachance on the mound, but Cony coach Don Plourde has yet to decide it he’ll pitch Lachance or senior Ryan Edwards. He expects to see Erskine ace Shyler Scates, who has only issued three walks this season.
In Western Class B action Thursday, No. 5 Maranacook plays at No. 4 Yarmouth. The teams didn’t play during the regular season. In a Western Class C quarterfinal, No. 4 Hall-Dale hosts No. 5 Wiscasset, a team it defeated 11-6 and 14-0 during the regular season. In a Western Class D quarterfinal, No. 5 Richmond plays at No. 4 Forest Hills. The teams split two games during the season.
Gary Hawkins — 621-5638
ghawkins@centralmaine.com
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