Regional Finals Preview w/ Marc Calnan of Eastern Maine Sports

Spring tournament season is hitting its peak so I brought in Marc Calnan from Eastern Maine Sports to break down the baseball and softball regional finals — with a distinctly northern Maine lens.

Quick Hits

• Eastern Maine Sports has launched a new podcast: Open Mic with Eastern Maine Sports — subscribe wherever you listen
• Marc covered a whirlwind Saturday: Corinth (9:30am!), then multiple other sites — including a 13-12, 8-inning Bangor Christian/Katahdin game he called "one of the wildest I've ever seen"
• Eastern Maine Sports Card Show: August 1st at Dexter High School cafeteria — $1 admission, $30 vendor tables, all proceeds go to the Dexter Athletic Department (lights and eventual turf project). Organized by Colton Coro and his dad.

Show Notes

Softball

The biggest surprises of the semifinals were the exits of Class C #2 Mattanawcook and #3 Washington Academy — both knocked out in the quarterfinals by Houlton and Central respectively. Meanwhile, #1 Bucksport had to survive an absolute barn burner against Winslow just to get through.

Marc's pick to watch: Bucksport is the clear favorite, with the program's trademark depth and experience — "they don't rebuild, they reload." But he gave Central real credit, noting pitcher Spack has come into her own and the team is hitting well. A tossup, he said — though he wouldn't bet against Bucksport coach Rich.

On Cheverus: DeRoche is something else. Marc described watching her pitch and then seeing the other team's pitcher by comparison feeling "like slow pitch softball." She took a pitch to the head in her first at bat, struck out seven straight batters afterward, then homered. Lucas's summary: "It ticked her off."

Hampden's win over Oxford Hills was a highlight — 10-8 in 11 innings. They knocked off the team most people had penciled in to represent the North.

Baseball

Washington Academy baseball was Marc's pick as the most dominant team he's seen up north. Their only loss was to Isaac Richie of Mattanawcook — a junior who Marc said could compete with anyone in the state. Unfortunately for Mattanawcook, Richie isn't available for the regional final against Washington, and their #2 pitcher is on crutches. Washington Academy (17-1) should be a heavy favorite.

Noble Baseball's run as a 10-seed — beating the 2, and presumably the 3, to reach the regional final — drew some incoming complaints that Lucas had them unranked. His response: the regular season did happen.

The Gorham conversation: they're the #1 overall seed in A South, but needed a weather-shortened game to escape one opponent and then survived what looked like a controversial call against Thornton Academy in the semis. A dominant team that has twice barely survived tournament chaos.

The pitch count / rainout rule debate: when a game is suspended and resumed the next day, pitch counts carry over but innings don't — so a pitcher who hit their limit in a game that gets wiped out loses their availability for no reason. Both Mark and Lucas noted the umpires they've talked to hate this rule too.

Football preview teasers

• Herman football is on Marc's radar — Kyle Gallant doing a good job
• Winslow's got a young running back (freshman last year) that Marc thinks makes them a D contender
• Dexter is getting lights in July — first night games ever, huge deal for the community
• Lucas is determined to get to Fort Kent this winter to see Aiden Jeffers, who he considers a Mr. Basketball frontrunner

Open Mic with Eastern Maine Sports is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, iHeart Radio, and wherever else you listen. Recent episodes: Lana Cummings (new Penobscot Valley girls soccer coach), and Anna Lang (pitcher, Husson) coming this Sunday.

Maine Basketball Rankings is available wherever you listen to podcasts. Leave a review, subscribe, and tell your enemies.