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BUCKSPORT – While greater-than-usual snowfall and ice restricted most other baseball teams to indoor drills and practices for most, if not all, of the preseason, the Bucksport Golden Bucks traveled to Florida for some real spring training.
The benefits of their swing through the Sunshine State were apparent Monday afternoon as the Bucks showcased a solid defensive effort and effective pitching to beat Ellsworth 7-2 at Bucksport High School’s field as threatening, gray skies turned clear and sunny.
“It was nice going down to Florida. It definitely got us ready for the season,” said Bucks center fielder and leadoff man Warren Chase, who had a double, single, and one RBI. “Defense is our strong point. Mr. Gonyar really works on that with us a lot and defense is gonna be the key for us this year.”
Bucksport’s outfielders did a great job positioning themselves to track down almost everything hit beyond the infield dirt while shortstop Jason Harvey led the defense with five putouts in five chances.
“It’s a lot easier when you get the lead early on and when your defense is making the plays behind you; that makes it less difficult for me,” said junior starting pitcher Dan Nason, who worked Ellsworth hitters inside-out with an accurate fastball he mixed with a curve.
Nason allowed both runs, three hits, and two walks while striking out two batters with 61 pitches over four innings. Senior Colin Grady came on to work three innings of one-hit, shutout relief. Grady (29 pitches) also struck out two and walked no one.
“I thought all our pitching today was very impressive in that they went right after the hitters,” said coach Dave Gonyar, whose Bucks improved to 3-1. “I thought their guy did a good job, too, making us hit his pitches.”
Unfortunately for Eagles starter Aaron Kelley, the Bucks did a good job hitting those pitches, eight times in all for seven runs, only three of which were earned.
The Eagles committed four errors, three in the second inning when the Bucks scored four unearned runs on two hits.
Chris McHale and Brian Sullivan plated insurance runs in the third and fourth innings, respectively, with solo home runs – their first of the season.
The Bucks started things off with Adam Sheehan’s one-out single in the first. After another single and a walk, Sheehan scored on Sullivan’s sacrifice fly.
The young Eagles, still looking for their first win at 0-7, scored their two runs in the third on a two-out, bases-loaded single by catcher Derek Awalt.
“I don’t know what it is, but we can’t seem to get over two when it comes to runs scored so far,” Eagles coach Charlie Farley said with a frustrated shake of his head between innings.
Golden Bucks 7, Eagles 2
Ellsworth (0-7) Bucksport (3-1)
Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI
Smith, cf 4 1 0 0 Chase, cf 4 1 1
Hardison, ss 3 0 0 0 Sheehan, 3b 4 1 1
Archer, 3b 2 0 0 0 Harvey, ss 4 1 0
Awalt, c 3 0 2 2 Barnes, dh 2 0 0
Jones, lf 3 0 1 0 Sullivan, 1b 3 1 2
Boles, 1b 2 0 0 0 McHale, lf 3 1 1
Hanf, dh 2 0 0 0 Mercier, lf 0 0 0
Gott, dh 1 0 0 0 Allard, 2b 3 1 0
Buckingham, rf 3 1 1 0 Boober, c 3 0
Mayo, 2b 3 0 0 0 Ames, rf 2 1 0
Totals 26 2 4 2 Totals 28 7 8 5
Ellsworth 002 000 0 ? 2
Bucksport 141 100 x ? 7
E? Hardison 2, Awalt, Jones; Sheehan; LOB? Ellsworth 5; Bucksport 7; 2B? Chase; HR? McHale (1), Sullivan (1); SF? Sullivan; SB? Awalt, Harvey
Ellsworth IP H R ER BB SO
Kelley (L,0-2) 6 8 7 3 3 1
Bucksport IP H R ER BB SO
Nason (W,1-0) 4 3 2 2 3 2
Grady 3 1 0 0 0 2
T? 1:34; ATT? 169
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