‘Jammers’ Blodgett 2-hits MCI Camden Hills pitcher keeps Huskies grounded

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ROCKPORT – For Camden Hills junior righthander Gabe Blodgett, it was a big strikeout day.

All five of them.

“I’m a ground-ball pitcher,” he said after pitching a two-hitter that lifted the Windjammers to a 5-1 KVAC Class B baseball victory over Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield on Wednesday. “That’s probably the most strikeouts I’ve had.”

But while strikeouts are nice for any pitcher’s ego, even more important on this day was Blodgett’s ability to induce the Huskies to pound the ball into the ground – MCI had 11 groundouts in the first five innings alone.

“He had a good fastball that was dipping down,” said Camden Hills senior catcher Noah Burke. “He throws the fastball outside and down well, and a lot of guys try to pull it so he gets a lot of ground-ball outs and our infield played really well today.”

Camden Hills, which dropped a 3-2 decision at Winslow in its opener Monday in large part because it allowed two unearned runs, rebounded with a strong defensive effort in its home opener.

The 1-1 Windjammers committed just one error, with senior shortstop Miles Davee anchoring the defense with six assists and two putouts.

“Gabe’s not a strikeout pitcher, but he works the plate pretty well and he keeps the ball down pretty well and that’s what makes him so effective,” said Camden Hills coach Tom Stammen. “He also works quickly. He gets in a groove and allows his defense to support him, and that was indicated by the number of groundouts.

“Gabe can do that, and as long as we can make the plays behind him he’s going to be effective.”

MCI (0-2) got a solid pitching effort from senior righthander Travis Saucier, who scattered nine hits while striking out three and walking one.

But the Huskies, who managed only one run in their 2-1 season-opening loss to Mount View of Thorndike, simply found offense tough to manufacture. Blodgett no-hit MCI over the final six innings.

“Camden Hills got key hits at key times today,” said MCI coach John Dean. “We just couldn’t generate those hits, but they’ll come for us.”

Burke blasted a solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the first to give the Windjammers a 1-0 lead.

Camden Hills added three runs in the second, with a two-out, two-run double by Davee the key hit. Blodgett doubled and Jake Grinnell singled to open the inning before Blodgett scored on a fielder’s choice by Gordon Fischer.

Saucier retired the next two batters, but Davee lined the first pitch he saw to the gap in left-center, just beyond the reach of diving MCI center fielder Adam Connors.

MCI scored its run in the third. Saucier walked, stole second, and scored on back-to-back groundouts by Chris Cook and Victor Quint.

Camden Hills added its final run in the fifth as Burke walked, stole second, and scored on a two-out, opposite-field single to left by Jake Grinnell.

Grinnell, a junior first baseman, had three singles for the Windjammers and was the game’s lone repeat hitter.

“When he keeps that shoulder in like we keep telling him, he can be an effective hitter for us,” said Stammen.

Quint and Connors had MCI’s only hits, back-to-back singles with two outs in the first inning. Pat McGrady then drew one of four walks issued by Blodgett before Ethan West flied out to center to end the threat.

WINDJAMMERS 5, HUSKIES 1

(Wednesday night, seven innings)

MCI (0-2) Camden Hills (1-1)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Saucier, p 2 1 0 0 Davee, ss 4 0 2

Cook, 2b 3 0 0 0 Pieri, cf 4 0 0

Quint, c 2 0 1 1 Burke, c 2 2 1

Connors, cf 3 0 1 0 Hopkins, 3b 3 0 0

McGrady, ss 2 0 0 0 Blodgett, p 3 1 0

West, rf 3 0 0 0 Grinnell, 1b 3 1 1

Rowe, lf 2 0 0 0 Lammi, 1b 0 0 0

Stockwell, 1b 3 0 0 0 Fischer, lf 3 1

Dorion, 3b 3 0 0 0 Adolphsen, lf 0 0 0

Hunt, 2b 2 0 1 0

Curll, 2b 1 0 1 0

Callaway, rf 1 0 0 0

Dufour, rf 2 0 0 0

Totals 23 1 2 1 Totals 28 5 9 5

MCI 001 000 0 – 1

Camden Hills 130 010 x – 5

E-Burke; LOB-MCI 5, Camden Hills 6; 2B-Davee, Blodgett; HR-Burke; SB-Saucier, Quint; Burke, Fischer

MCI IP H R ER BB SO

Saucier (L, 0-1) 6 9 5 5 1 3

Camden Hills IP H R ER BB SO

Blodgett (W, 1-0) 7 2 1 1 4 5

WP-Saucier; Blodgett; T-1:40; ATT-75