Saturday, May 25, 2013
A few thoughts on Erskine’s 1-0 win against Cony in Thursday’s Eastern Maine Class A quarterfinal.
• Cony’s traditional rival over the years has been Gardiner, but since the two schools compete in different classes, their teams rarely play these days. A new rivalry has developed between Cony and Erskine, manifesting itself this winter in three exciting boys basketball games, including a tournament prelim.
The two schools are only 12 miles apart which makes the rivalry more intriguing. More than a hundred Erskine fans showed up for Thursday’s game at Morton Field.
• Two years ago, Erskine was 1-15 in Class A competition. The Eagles have competed in Class B or Class C for much of their history, making Thursday’s win the most important ever in Class A.
“It’s not just big for us but it’s big for our community and all the kids from different communities coming to our school,” Erskine tom Grady said. “They’re going to look at this and see it as a big thing.”
• Erskine starter Shyler Scates lost 6-2 to Cony when the teams met May 7 in Augusta. In that one he was hurt by mental and physical errors from his teammates. He had the same control in that one, though, as he didn’t issue a walk. In 68 innings this year, he’s allowed just three.
“My slider was working really well,” Scates said. “Usually I go with the curve ball but the slider was really working the outside of the plate.”
• Cony starter Ryan Edwards lost his second two-hitter in a row. He lost 2-0 to Bangor in the last regular-season game, allowing two hits in the same inning. As he has most of the season, he relied heavily on his curve ball.
“After the third inning I started getting kind of tired but I tried to battle through it and keep them off balance,” Edwards said.
• Ryan Pulver scored the winning run after reaching on a fielder’s choice and stealing second base. The Erskine senior picked the right pitch on which to run.
“We just thought he was going to come with a curve ball and Ryan’s got some good speed,” Erskine coach Lars Jonassen said.
• Cony called up freshman Thomas Foster to play second base. Third baseman Mitchell Caron, also a freshman, discovered a broken bone in his foot and was replaced by regular second baseman Zack Lachance. Foster played errorless ball and laid down a sacrifice bunt but he was also picked off first in the second inning.
• Erskine plays at No. 2 Lewiston on Saturday. The Eagles split with the Blue Devils during the regular season, winning 6-1 and losing 2-1 in extra innings. Lewiston’s Corbin Hyde pitched a no-hitter in the second meeting.
Gary Hawkins has worked at the Kennebec Journal since 1980. His primary beats are baseball, boys basketball, girls and boys soccer and golf.
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