Solid Falcons blank Colonials to win Zone 1 championship

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BANGOR – If the Brewer Falcons have any weaknesses, the Waldo County Colonials couldn’t find them.

Brewer rapped 11 hits and got solid pitching and crisp fielding en route to a 14-0 victory over Waldo in the Zone 1 American Legion tournament championship Sunday night at Mansfield Stadium.

“We weren’t planning to win two games against Brewer,” said Waldo coach Mel Grant, whose Colonials would have needed to knock off the Falcons twice to win the double elimination tournament.

Brewer and Waldo advance to the state tournament, slated for Aug. 2-6 at Mansfield Stadium. The Colonials upset second-ranked Orono 13-3 in Sunday’s first game to earn a state berth.

The Falcons, second in the Zone 1 tournament a year ago, are the defending state champions.

“We’re a veteran group, and we came in focused,” said Brewer coach Dave Gonyar. “Now we just need to stay with what we’re doing.”

The Falcons had a .413 team batting average during the regular season and continued their torrid hitting against the Colonials. Mike Kane led the way with a two-run homer and a single, and David Gross belted a solo homer in the fourth.

Brewer had three hits in the first inning, including Kane’s shot, to take a 2-0 edge. The Falcons got four more runs in the second, forcing Brooks to pull starter Josh Pooler.

Pooler pitched sparingly for the Colonials this season, starting just once on the year. Grant had already pitched his top three starters during the tournament.

Gonyar didn’t have a problem finding a good, fresh arm. He put undefeated Bruce Morneault and his 2.07 ERA on the mound, and Morneault produced five innings of two-hit shut out ball.

Morneault faced just sixteen batters and struck out four. Gonyar brought in Chris Soper for the last two innings and the rugged righty gave up one hit and fanned four.

“Our pitching was excellent,” said Gonyar. “And our defense was as sharp as it’s been all year.”

The Falcons committed two errors but turned a pair of pretty double plays, including an unusual 3-6-1 combination in the second. Pooler grounded to first baseman Tom Pollard, who flipped the ball to shortstop Chris Knickerbocker for the out at second base. Knickerbocker then relayed the ball to Morneault, who outran Pooler to the bag for the third out of the inning.

Brewer, which won all three of its games in the Zone tournament by double digits, is eager to defend its title.

“Coach makes us get up for every game,” said Kane. “If we’re going to lose, we’re going to beat ourselves.”

Grant is just happy to be in the state tournament. He is down to 11 players after Chris and Ryan Maheux decided to leave the team following Waldo’s Friday loss to Brewer.

“I’ve got 11 dedicated kids right now, and they’ve really gelled as a team this week. In the state tournament someone will need to step up. But we’ve done more than we expected,” said Grant.

After jumping out to a quick 4-0 lead in Sunday’s first game, Waldo sent 12 men to the plate in the third inning, increasing its lead to 11-0.

James Littlefield cruised on the mound for the Colonials, pitching seven innings allowing seven hits and just three runs. He struggled in the seventh allowing a two-run home run to Orono’s Steve Osborne.

Colonials 10, Acadians 4

Waldo County (11-12) Trenton (14-9)

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

Littlefield, ss 2 4 2 0 R. McDonald, cf 5 0 1 0

A. Tripp, 3b 5 1 2 3 S. Cole, ss 4 0 0 0

Bouchard, cf 5 1 0 1 T. McDonald, 2b 4 1 1 0

G. Tripp, lf 5 0 3 2 Pickering, 1b 2 2 1 0

Pooler, rf 5 0 1 1 Worcester, c 4 0 1 1

Hall, 1b 5 0 1 0 Donaldson, lf 2 1 0 1

Cox, p 5 1 2 0 Weed, dh 4 0 2 1

Guthrie, 2b 5 1 1 0 T. Cole, 3b 4 0 2 0

J. Tripp, c 5 2 1 0 Pinkham, rf 4 0 1 0

Kiley, lf 1 0 0 0

Totals 42 10 13 7 Totals 34 4 9 3

Waldo County 002 010 340 – 10

Trenton 000 301 000 – 4

E – Guthrie; McFarland, Donaldson, T. McDonald, S. Cole 2B – A. Tripp, Cox; Pickering, Weed 3B – Hall LOB – Colonials 11, Acadians 7 SB – T. McDonald, T. Cole SF – Bouchard, Pooler

PITCHER IP H R ER BB SO

Waldo County

Cox (W, 3-3) 9 9 4 3 2 7

Trenton

McFarland (L, 5-2) 7 11 10 8 4 5

Hebren 2 2 0 0 2 0

HBP – Donaldson WP – McFarland 2 PB – J. Tripp, Worcester TIME – 2:23

Falcons 10, Twins 0

Orono (17-6) Brewer (21-2)

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

Rhoads, ss 3 0 0 0 Knckrbckr, ss 3 3 2 1

Poulin, 2b 4 0 2 0 Smith, cf 5 1 1 1

Osborne, cf 3 0 0 0 Kane, rf 4 1 2 1

Terrill, 1b 3 0 0 0 Gobel, 3b 4 2 1 0

McGlinn, c 3 0 0 0 Peak, 2b 4 2 1 0

Daniels, 3b 3 0 1 0 Gilley, dh 5 0 2 4

Foster, lf 2 0 1 0 Morneault, lf 4 0 0 1

Potts, dh 2 0 0 0 Pollard, 1b 4 1 1 0

Hite, rf 3 0 1 0 Corey, c 4 0 1 0

Bowley, 1b 1 0 0 0

Menard, c 1 0 0 0

Allen, 3b 0 0 0 0

Totals 28 0 5 0 Totals 37 10 11 8

Orono 000 000 00 – 0

Brewer 313 001 02 – 10

E – Rhoads 2, McGlinn, Poulin, Osborne, Bowley; Knickerbocker 3B – Knickerbocker, Gilley LOB – Twins 8, Falcons 9 DP – Allen to Poulin to Bowley; Knickerbocker to Peak to DP – Pollard 2 SB – Hite; Kane 2, Gobel SF – Knickerbocker, Morneault

PITCHER IP H R ER BB SO

Orono

Cronkite (L, 5-2) 2 2/3 6 7 5 3 0

Young 5 5 3 3 2 5

Brewer

Gilbert (W, 7-1) 8 5 0 0 5 7

WP – Cronkite 2; Gilbert 2 TIME – 2:22

Colonials 10, Acadians 4

Waldo County (11-12) Trenton (14-9)

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

Littlefield, ss 2 4 2 0 R.McDnld, cf 5 0 1 0

A. Tripp, 3b 5 1 2 3 S. Cole, ss 4 0 0 0

Bouchard, cf 5 1 0 1 T.McDnld, 2b 4 1 1 0

G. Tripp, lf 5 0 3 2 Pickering, 1b 2 2 1 0

Pooler, rf 5 0 1 1 Worcester, c 4 0 1 1

Hall, 1b 5 0 1 0 Donaldson, lf 2 1 0 1

Cox, p 5 1 2 0 Weed, dh 4 0 2 1

Guthrie, 2b 5 1 1 0 T. Cole, 3b 4 0 2 0

J. Tripp, c 5 2 1 0 Pinkham, rf 4 0 1 0

Kiley, lf 1 0 0 0

Totals 42 10 13 7 Totals 34 4 9 3

Waldo County 002 010 340 – 10

Trenton 000 301 000 – 4 E – Guthrie; McFarland, Donaldson, T. McDonald, S. Cole 2B – A. Tripp, Cox; Pickering, Weed 3B – Hall LOB – Colonials 11, Acadians 7 SB – T. McDonald, T. Cole SF – Bouchard, Pooler

PITCHER IP H R ER BB SO

Waldo County

Cox (W, 3-3) 9 9 4 3 2 7

Trenton

McFarland (L, 5-2) 7 11 10 8 4 5

Hebren 2 2 0 0 2 0

HBP – Donaldson WP – McFarland 2 PB – J. Tripp, Worcester TIME – 2:23

Colonials 13, Twins 3

Waldo County (11-13) Orono (18-5)

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

Littlefield, p 4 2 1 1 Rhoads, ss 3 0 0 0

A.Tripp, 3b 3 2 0 1 Poulin, 2b 4 1 3 0

Bouchard, cf 4 2 2 0 Osborne, cf 4 1 1 2

G.Tripp, lf 3 1 3 4 Terrill, 1b 4 0 0 0

Hall, 1b 4 0 2 1 McGlinn, c 4 1 1 0

Cox, 2b 5 2 2 2 Menard, dh 3 0 0 0

Pooler, rf 4 0 1 0 Foster, lf 3 0 0 0

Gutherie, ss 4 1 1 0 Daniels, 3b 3 0 0 0

J.Tripp, c 4 3 2 1 Hite, rf 2 0 1 0

Totals 35 13 14 10 Totals 30 3 6 2

Waldo County 416 002 0 – 13

Orono 000 001 2 – 3

E – G.Tripp 2, Guthrie; Osborne, Foster 2B – G.Tripp, Guthrie, J.Tripp HR – Cox; Osborne LOB – Waldo 10, Orono SB – Poulin, Rhoads S – Hall

PITCHER IP H R ER BB SO

Waldo County

Littlefield (W) 7 7 3 3 1 5

Orono

Cady (L) 2 3 5 5 3 1

Young 1/3 6 6 5 1 0

Mooney 3 2/3 3 2 2 5 5

WP – Cady TIME – 3:15 ATTENDANCE – 100

Falcons 14, Colonials 0

Waldo County (12-13) Brewer (22-2)

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

Damon, lf 3 0 1 0 Knckrbcker, ss 3 3 1 1

O’Dnnll, 3b-rf 3 0 0 0 Smith, cf 3 2 1 2

Bouchard, cf 3 0 2 0 Kane, rf 4 3 2 2

Guthrie, rf-1b 2 0 0 0 Gobel, 3b 4 1 2 2

Hall, 1b 3 0 0 0 Peak, 2b 3 1 2 0

Pooler, p-rf 1 0 0 0 Gilley, c 4 0 1 0

Littlefield, ss 2 0 0 0 Pollard, 1b 3 0 0 0

J. Tripp, c 2 0 0 0 Gross, dh 3 2 1 1

A. Tripp, 2b 2 0 0 0 Preston, lf 2 2 0 0

Cox, 1b 1 0 0 0 Campbell, cf 1 0 0 0

G. Tripp, 3b 2 0 0 0 Harvey, rf 1 0 1 0

McHale, 3b 0 0 0 0

Thomas, 2b 1 0 0 0

Waite, lf 0 0 0 0

Totals 24 0 3 0 Totals 32 14 11 8

Waldo County 000 000 0 – 0

Brewer 243 500 x – 14

E – Littlefield 2, O’Donnell 2, J.Tripp 2, Pooler, A.Tripp, E – G.Tripp; Pollard, Campbell 2B – Knickerbocker, Gobel HR – Kane, Gross LOB – Colonials 3, Falcons 10 DP – Knickerbocker to Peak to Pollard, Pollard to Knicker- DP – bocker to Morneault SB – Knickerbocker, Peak

PITCHER IP H R ER BB SO

Waldo County

Pooler (L, 0-1) 1 1/3 5 6 5 3 0

Hall 4 2/3 6 8 3 6 3

Brewer

Morneault (W, 5-0) 5 2 0 0 0 4

Soper 2 1 0 0 0 4

WP – Pooler 2, Hall 2 PB – Gilley TIME – 1:53