Messalonskee Bats Meet Scarborough Arms With State Title On The Line

AUGUSTA — Memories of the last time the Messalonskee baseball team played Scarborough come back to Ty Bernier in snatches.

Bernier, now a junior second baseman for the Eagles, was 5 years old when Messalonskee beat Scarborough to win the Class A state title in 2012. It was a triumphant day in the Bernier household as Ty watched his father, l Head coach Ray Sr., and his older brother, assistant Ray Jr., lead the team to glory.

“Honestly, I don’t remember much about the game, but it was still a great memory,” Bernier said. “I remember being there and seeing my dad and brother excited. I kind of grew up with this team, and seeing them win and be successful was really special.

At 1 p.m. Saturday, the Eagles will seek their first state title since that 2012 triumph when they face the Red Storm again. The showdown at Morton Field will pit the dangerous Messalonskee lineup against an equally potent Scarborough pitching staff that has been nearly unfazed this year.

All season long, Messalonskee (16-3, No. 2 seed in Class A North) has been a team of pursers. Hitting .340 as a team, the Eagles enter the state championship averaging 7.8 points per game. They have scored four or fewer points just four times this season.

Messalonskee has two hitters above the .400 mark, Michael Achorn (.426, five home runs) and Denny Martin (.424). Bernier (.388) is close, and Garrett Card (.343) also had an impressive season. Achorn (26), Bernier (26), Martin (24), Card (23), Parker Reynolds (22) and Cash Bizier (21) all have 20+ hits.

“We have great leaders – seniors, juniors and even us sophomores – and everyone is doing their job and doing their part,” Martin said. “It’s a team effort. We know that anyone on our team can step in and get that big win for us. It’s not just one guy or a few guys.

This sets up a mouth-watering matchup with a Scarborough team boasting an exceptional pitching staff. The Red Storm (18-1, No. 1 seed in A South), who have allowed just three points in the regional tournament, are allowing just 1.94 per game this season and have not allowed more than three points only twice.

Although staff ace Erik Swenson won’t be available for Scarborough on Saturday, the Red Storm will still have a steady arm on the mound in Ryan Shugars (4-0, 0.54 ERA). If the lefty runs into trouble, Zak Sanders (4-0, 1.04 ERA) is ready to handle a heavy relief load.

“They’re two damage-limiting guys who are going to force you to beat them instead of beating themselves,” Scarborough head coach Wes Ridlon said. “They limit those big innings, and that, to me, is the most important thing. It’s one thing to give up a point here or there, but it’s these big innings that will put you back on your heels.

Scarborough’s lineup, meanwhile, is hitting its best at the right time with 42 points scored in its last six games. Matthew Fallona, ​​who had two hits in the Red Storm’s 5-0 Class A South final victory over Falmouth, leads the way with a .404 average, and Sanders (.345) is also a contributor key.

Martin (3-0, 3.09 ERA) will be the man tasked with navigating this lineup for Messalonskee. The sophomore, whose best effort this season came when throwing six innings of hitless ball May 15 against Bangor, expects a tough challenge from the Red Storm on Saturday.

“They’re a great team and they’ve done some great things this year,” Martin said. “With the way we play, the team we have and the chemistry we have, I think it will be a good game. I trust Michael behind the plate and everyone on the court, so I think we have a good chance of doing something special.

Both teams have thrived in close games this season. Scarborough has won 11 of its 18 games by three points or fewer, while Messalonskee has won by that margin in eight of its 16 wins. The Eagles won by a single point in their regional semifinal victory over Skowhegan (6-5) and their title game victory over Bangor (4-3).

While Scarborough is complete in every aspect, one thing that stands out, Messalonskee head coach Eric Palin said, is the Red Storm’s team speed. So the key will be keeping the Southern Maine champions off the base paths, something Palin is confident in his team’s ability to do.

“What I can say is they’re pretty fast — they have a lot of stolen bases — and they’re a team that’s going to beat you with their pitching,” Palin said. “I expect our pitchers to be able to keep them at a reasonable level to give our offense a chance to win this game.”

Both teams have won two state titles, with Messalonskee winning it in 1973 (Class B) before the A title in 2012 and Scarborough winning Class B in 1986 and Class A in 2019. Yet this will be the first championship of State for one of the two coaches. , both of whom are in their fourth season at the helm.

“I think we expect it to be a great baseball game,” Ridlon said. “Obviously, if you’ve made it this far, you’re a strong team. It will depend on the fundamentals and who executes, and I think it will be a great game and a great challenge for us.

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