DEXTER– The Dexter Tigers trailed 4-2 when Brayden Miller stepped on the mound in the sixth inning on Saturday afternoon. The game was tied at four when Miller stepped to the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Miller sent a 1-1 inside fastball over the left field fence to give the Tigers a 6-4 win over Fort Kent in a Maine Principals’ Association class C baseball semifinal game. Dexter (12-6) will play Orono in the Northern Maine regional final on Wednesday night at 6:30.
“I hit one at Bucksport to put us up in the top of the seventh inning,”Miller said. “This one is going to send us to Mansfield (Stadium) so that is pretty awesome.”
Dexter coach Chad Graffam added, “He (Miller) is an unbelievable player. I couldn’t be happier for him. The last four games he has been right on the money. I wouldn’t want anyone else there in that situation. He puts in his time and works hard.”
Miller didn’t allow a hit in his two innings on the mound. The only base runner against Miller came on a hit by pitch. Miller had one strikeout.
“When you have someone like Brayden Miller and you have a team like this that competes through seven innings or however many innings it takes that is what is going to happen,” Dexter senior Zach White said. “Brayden obviously came in and pitched his butt off and obviously the hit at the end. We battled,we deserved it and Brayden deserved that play. He is one of the best baseball players I have seen in my life, best friend, great moment.”
Dexter started quickly with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Nathan Richards led off with a single, while Jacob Bickford smacked a double, and Matt Hanscome had a sacrifice fly during the inning.
Nathan Richards got the start on the mound for the Tigers. The freshman got big wins over George Stevens and Mattanawcook during the regular season. Richards allowed four runs on eight hits in five innings. Richards struck out five and didn’t issue a walk.
Nathan is the youngest of the three Richards on the team. Matt Richards is the oldest and the catcher for the Tigers. The junior made a perfect throw to gun down a base runner in the first inning. He also had a double and a walk. Trevor Richards is the second baseman. He put down a beautiful bunt in the sixth inning that cut the deficit to 4-3. Nathan Richards not only kept his team in the game through five innings on the mound, he also went 4-4 from the leadoff spot with one run scored and one RBI.
“He (Nathan Richards) was down on himself because he didn’t have quite the luck he had in his first two starts. He battled. That is one reason I didn’t mind giving him he ball. I knew he would compete,”Graffam said. “Any one of those three Richards boys, any coach would love to have them on their team because they just compete. They are little Bulldogs, all three of them. I wish there were more coming.”
Miller added, “he (Nathan Richards) has been an animal all season long. He beat GSA, he beat Lincoln (Mattanawcook).”
White said, “when you look at him (Nathan Richards) you don’t expect him to be such an athlete with the bat, but he is sensational. He is our giant killer as we like to call him. He beat MA and GSA during the regular season. He did well for us tonight. So proud of everyone.”
Nathan Richards (4) and Miller (2) combined for six of the nine hits for the Tigers. Bickford, White, and Matt Richards had one hit each.
Jake Daigle pitched six strong innings for the Warriors. Daigle allowed four runs on eight hits and two walks, while striking out two. Eden Paradis gave up the walk-off home run to Miller. Kayden Nadeau recorded two hits, two runs scored, and one RBI. CJ Rocheleau had one hit and two RBI. Fort Kent finishes the season with a record of 11-8.
