#2 Ellsworth Rallies From 5 Runs Down to Beat #5 Hermon 8-5 for Northern Maine Class B Title

Trailing 5-0 the #2 Ellsworth Eagles scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 4th inning, and 3 runs in the bottom of the 5th and 6th innings to beat the #5 Hermon Hawks 8-5 in the the Northern Maine Class B Championship

Max Hopkins was cruising through 3 innings, allowing just 2 hits, and allowing just 2 hits. He didn't walk a batter.

In the 4th inning Dawson Curtis singled, and Hollis Grindal grounded to 1st, moving Curtis to 2nd. Brayden King bunted for a single, with Curtis moving to 3rd. Jackson Barry then grounded out to 2nd, scoring Curtis, with King moving to 2nd. Evan Haskell  then reached on an error, with King scoring to make the score 5-2.

In the bottom of the 5th inning Hunter Boles started the inning with a singe. Kyle Kenny then sacrificed moving Boles to 2nd bases. Luke Horne singled, moving Boles to 3rd based. Dawson Curtis then doubled, scoring Boles and Horne to make the score 5-4. Curtis advanced to 3rd on an and Hollis Grindal hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Curtis to tie the score at 5-5

In the bottom of the 6th inning, with 1 out, Ridge Weatherbee, pinch hitting for Thomas Jude reached on a bunt single. Hunter Boles reached on an error, with Weatherbee moving to 3rd base. Porter Merrill pitch-ran for Boles. Kyle Kenny hit a deep fly ball to center that turned Hopkins around and he was unable to make the catch. Kenny motored around the baes, getting credit for a 3-run inside-the-park home run.

Meanwhile Jackson Barry who had come on in relief in the 4th inning retired 10 batters in a row, until Tommy Meserve singled in the top of the 7th. He then struck out Max Hopkins and Luke Horne gunned down Meserve trying to steal 2nd base for a game-ending double play.

Brayden King went 3.0 innings for Ellsworth allowing 3 hits and 5 runs, 2 of which were earned. He struck out 7 and walked 3. Barry pitched the final 4.0 innings allowing 2 hits and striking out 5.

Horne had 2 hits for Ellsworth. Curtis had 2 hits with a double, driving in 2 runs. King had 2 hits. Kenny had 2 hits with a home run and drove in 3 runs. Ridge Weatherbee and Hunter Boles singled.

Hopkins went 5.1 innings for Hermon, allowing 10 hits and 8 runs, 6 of which were earned. He struck out 4 and didn't walk a batter. Maddox Kinney retired both batters he faced in the 6th inning, striking out 2.

Both Maddok and Mason Kinney each had a double. Tommy Meserve had a pair of singles. Sam Hopkins had a single.

Hermon ends the season with a 11-8 record.

Ellsworth, who have played in the regional finals every year since 2018 (with no Tourney in 2020 because of COVID). They are 14-5 and will play the winner of the Southern Maine Regional Final between #2 Greely and #8 Freeport at the University of Maine on Saturday, June 21st at 4:30 p.m. That game will be broadcast on WDEA Internet Radio, on the WDEA Free APP and on any Alexa enabled device.

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