Fort Fairfield pitcher Isaac Cyr throws a pitch during Class D baseball state title action against Richmond Saturday, June 16, 2018 in Bangor. Photo by Chris Lessner.
BANGOR, Me- Zach Small fired a no-hitter Saturday afternoon, and Tristin Shea and Nate Kendrick had two runs driven in each as the Richmond Bobcats blanked the Fort Fairfield Tigers 11-0 in a shortened five inning mercy rule contest for the Class D baseball state title at Mansfield Stadium.
Small only allowed two runners on base, with a walk and a hit batsman and at one point retired 13 Tigers in a row. A three run first highlighted by a two run single from Shea had the Bobcats off and running at 3-0. Richmond (16-2) added four more in the second and never looked back, adding a pair of runs in both the fourth and fifth. The Bobcats used nine stolen bases in the game, four Tiger errors, and also a total of seven wild pitches (six by Tigers starter Isaac Cyr) to help win their first title since 2010, and their third overall. Richmond head coach Ryan Gardner said, “That’s our formula, get people on base make the pitcher think about people on base so he doesn’t concentrate at the plate. Our season started when we lost to Searsport last year. We thought we had the team to do it and we weren’t mentally tough. We need to be better focused and better prepared for these games. From day one, we just kept our focus. When we got in the playoffs we just said let’s keep the train moving, and these kids exploded. We had 15 hits last game and then 10 today we just put it to them, I wouldn’t wanna pitch against them”.
Smalls final line was 5.0 innings pitched, no runs, no hits, one walk, and seven strikeouts. Cyr struggled and went 4.0 innings, allowing nine runs (six earned), nine hits, two walks, two strikeouts, and the six wild pitches. Fort Fairfield, who made their first state title game appearance since 1996 finishes up at 17-2. Small said, “When your team comes out and gives you three runs right off the bat in first inning, it’s pretty easy to get comfortable. I struggled with first batter, don’t even think I threw a strike, but after that I got into a groove. When I got into the groove is when my curveball starting working, and that’s when it all came together”. Gardner added about Small, “He is lights out, and he has been. I think he has lost two games his whole career. He is so comfortable with himself, and the other kids are so confident when he is on the mound”.
RHS 3 4 0 2 2- 11 10 0
FFH 0 0 0 0 0- 0 0 4
WP- Small LP- Cyr
