EAST CORINTH- Kaelyn Parks pitched another outstanding game, and the Central Red Devils took advantage of nine walks with some timely hitting Friday afternoon to advance to the regional final with a 9-1 win over the Houlton Shiretowners in a Class C North Softball Semifinal contest at Central High School.
#2 Central (14-3) would quickly jump ahead 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning. Parks led off with a double to centerfield, and Britni Grant then worked a walk. Parks would come around to eventually score on a wild pitch, and Brooke Lunt also walked with the bases loaded as the Red Devils walked three times in the opening inning. The hosts broke it open in the second. Chloe Daigle and Parks started it with back to back walks. After Grant grounded out to the third baseman to move the runners to second and third, Izzy Allen grounded a two-run single to center to double the lead to 4-0. Lexi Whitty then walked, before Gabby Poulin struck out for out number two. Bayley Casavant was hit by a pitch to load the bases. The next hitter Lunt on a 2-0 pitch flied one into left field, that was misplayed by Houlton left fielder Cali Sylvia and rolled past her for a three-run error to clear the bases for a 7-0 Central advantage. They would add on two more in the fourth. Allen singled to start that frame, and then with one out Poulin on a 1-1 pitch lofted a deep fly ball to left center that cleared the fence for a two-run homerun.
Parks for the second straight day was dominant in the circle. Coming off a 15 strikeout performance on Thursday in a quarterfinal win over Sumner, she didn’t allow a run to the Shiretowners and also didn’t issue a walk. With one out in the last at bat for Houlton in the seventh, Poulin came in to pitch. She allowed back to back hits before Parks took over again on the mound. She got Amelia Callnan to pop out, and then Olivia Henderson singled to right to score Drew Warman with the run charged to Poulin. Hannah Foster though was thrown out at the plate on the same play by Central right fielder Kiera Parks to end the game.
Kaelyn Parks final line was 7.0 innings pitched allowing no runs on three hits with no walks and 12 strikeouts. She threw 89 pitches (63 for strikes). She reached base in the game all four times at the plate with two hits, two walks, two stolen bases, and two runs scored. Allen had three hits, two RBI, with four stolen bases, and also two runs scored. Whitty also reached twice on walks, had two stolen bases, and scored a run. For #3 Houlton, Bre Barton, Emma Swallow, Warman, Foster, and Henderson had one hit each. Henderson had the lone RBI. Maddie Marino took the loss in the circle allowing nine runs (six earned) on five hits with eight walks and five strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Henderson pitched the sixth inning allowing no runs on one hit and a walk. The Shiretowners end their season at 11-3. Central will play either Bucksport or Dexter at Coffin Field in Brewer at 6:30 Tuesday evening for the Class C North Regional Championship.
HOU 0 0 0 0 0 0 1- 1 5 1
CEN 2 5 0 2 0 0 x- 9 6 1
Winning pitcher- Kaelyn Parks
Losing pitcher- Maddie Marino
Singles- CEN- Allen (2), Kaelyn Parks (1)/Doubles- Allen (1), Kaelyn Parks (1)/HR- Poulin (4th inning, 1 on 1 out off Marino) Singles- HOU- Barton (1), Swallow (1), Foster (1), Henderson (1)/Doubles- Warman (1)
Stolen Bases- CEN- Allen (4), Kaelyn Parks (2), Whitty (2), Grant (2), Daigle (1) HOU- Barton (1), Callnan (1)
Left on base- Houlton 4, Central 7
Photos courtesy of Chris Lessner-
(Top)- Gabby Poulin takes a turn at bat for Central and (Bottom)- Houlton pitcher Maddie Marino winds up for pitch during a Class C North Semifinal Softball game in East Corinth on Friday. The Red Devils won 9-1 to advance to the regional final.
