Bangor Christian scored three runs in the top of the first inning on Saturday afternoon and never trailed, in defeating Fort Fairfield 8-2 in a Class D semifinal baseball game.
The Patriots jumped on the Tigers early on RBI singles by Cole Payne and Blaze Morris, and a fielders choice RBI hit by Samuel Cormier. Fort Fairfield scored single runs in the second and third inning to cut it to 3-2, but Bangor Christian pulled away with one in the fifth and four more in the sixth to advance to the regional championship game. Jack Kowalski had the big hit in that four run sixth inning with a three-run double to break it open. Kowalski ended up leading the way with two hits, three RBI, stole three bases, and also scored three runs. He also earned the win on the mound allowing one run on three hits with four walks and nine strikeouts in 5.1 innings. Payne and Drake Nash would also contribute two hits. Nash had two runs driven in, while Payne knocked in one and scored twice. The Tigers were held to three hits. Cayden Ala had one of those to go along with one RBI. Ala also suffered the pitching defeat giving up five runs on six hits with five walks and eight strikeouts in 5.2 innings. #2 Fort Fairfield ends their season with a record of 13-3. #3 Bangor Christian is now 17-1 and will take on #5 Machias in the Class D Northern Maine Regional Championship game on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. at Mahaney Diamond in Orono.
