Windham upends Kennebunk in preliminary baseball playoff

By Matt Pascarella

Ranked 12, Windham varsity baseball traveled to fifth-place Kennebunk to face off in a preliminary playoff round against Kennebunk on Tuesday, June 4. Although Kennebunk jumped to a 2-0 lead in the third inning, Windham fought back to pull ahead in the sixth inning and secured a 3-2 win to advance to the next playoff round.

Windham senior Owen Dakin nears home plate during a
prep baseball preliminary playoff game against Kennebunk
at Kennebunk High School on Tuesday, June 4.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“This year the guys just believed in themselves more,” said Windham varsity baseball coach Chris Doughty. “This year we knew how good we were from the beginning, and we kept believing in the process. We showed up ready to play today; the boys were fired up when we got here, stuck to our guns, executed, I think the moment wasn’t too big for them, they were ready to compete all seven innings. [Windham] stayed honest to their approach ... at the plate, waited for their pitch, stayed deep in counts – kind of got ahead – when you get ahead in counts like that you give yourself the opportunity to really hit the ball hard and that’s exactly what they did. Teamwork today was some of the best I’ve seen, the most together I’ve seen all season long, it’s all you can ask for. Everybody in the lineup did something ... and competed across the board; it came together for us and obviously Cam Davis’s big hit in the sixth inning, I don’t think it gets any bigger a moment than that. If we play clean baseball like we played today, I’d put us up against any team in the league.”

Defense on both sides was very strong as neither team scored in the first two innings. Kennebunk put two runs on the scoreboard in the third inning, but Windham only used this as motivation.

In the fourth inning, Windham junior Cayden McCartney singled; pinch runner senior Owen Dakin took his place at first base. Sophomore Wyatt Washburn ripped a ground ball to center field. Junior Joshua Plummer reached first base on an error and Dakin scored.

In the fifth inning, Windham junior Grant Coppi singled. Senior Login Desrochers reached first after hitting a ground ball driving in Coppi and the game was tied, 2-2.

“This one was absolutely huge for us,” said Desrochers. “We had a good week of practices. Nobody gave up on each other, we believe in each other, and we fought the whole way and came out victorious. Everything went well; we had so much energy, very good in the field, all-around great game from us. Everyone's been practicing hard, working on hitting and we just got it done tonight.”

In the sixth inning, Washburn singled. Plummer grounded out and Washburn made it to third base. A line drive to third base by junior Cameron Davis scored Washburn and Windham led, 3-2.

“The coaches told me to load up early and see it,” said Davis. “Let it come to me and get my hands up to it ... I loaded up early and put it over the third baseman’s head. It felt great to get this win because last year we didn’t do so hot in the first round, but this is the year, feeling good.”

After WHS failed to score in the seventh inning, Windham pitcher Brady Harvie walked a runner. Quick hands by senior catcher Erik Bowen caught the Kennebunk runner headed to second base after Brady struck out the batter. He then induced a ground out and that was it.

“A lot of adrenaline up there on the mound,” said Harvie, who had 10 strikeouts and only walked three. “It’s exciting, a good spot to be in. I had a little extra drive in that [seventh] inning. It’s just a great environment, feels nice to be pitching in a playoff game, [Kennebunk] is definitely a tough team, and we had to battle a lot and work through some tough spots. We got down two runs; usually when that happens, we tend to fall back, but our team kept pushing. I’d say our bats were really what kept us in this game; defense made some great plays and pretty solid game overall.” <