Waldo shuts out Navigators

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom ONE THAT GOT AWAY — Rowell’s Navigator third baseman Nate Church and Alex Flagg of Waldo Steamboat watch as a throw to try to catch Flagg stealing goes past third base and into leftfield during the top of the first of an American Legion game in Dover-Foxcroft on July 10. Flagg was able to score on the play for the first of his team’s seven runs of the 7-0 victory.

Stuart Hedstrom

Staff Writer

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Waldo Steamboat and pitcher Emery Dinsmore may not have been perfect in a July 10 American Legion contest against the Rowell’s Navigators at Foxcroft Academy, but the team was not too far off. The southpaw tossed a complete game two-hitter, striking out 13 Navigators in seven innings of work, allowing no walks and allowing just three baserunners with none of these players getting into scoring position in the team’s 7-0 victory.

With Waldo up 1-0 in the first, the first Steamboat run was unearned on a throwing error, Dinsmore got a flyball out and the first of his 13 strikeouts. Any late-inning drama for a potential no-hitter and/or perfect game was eliminated as Brooks Law hit a grounder toward shortstop. Law hustled down the line and beat out the throw for a two-out single. An ensuing pop fly to second base stranded Law at second.

After a pair of 1,2,3 innings, Nate Church laid down a bunt to lead off the home half of the fourth. Dinsmore’s throw to first was not in time and the ball ended missing its target as Church tried to stretch out his single. The second attempt to get the runner out worked as Church was tagged before he could slide into second base.

The Navigators would have a third baserunner in the fifth with one out. Nick Hagan struck out but a dropped third strike gave him the chance to get on base with the ball rolling away from the plate. Hagan sprinted down the first base line and touched the bag safely ahead of the throw. Dinsmore followed by striking out the next two hitters to keep Hagan from advancing beyond first base.

Waldo had a 3-0 lead to start the sixth before adding four more in the inning. With two outs, Dinsmore helped his cause on the mound by drawing a bases-loaded walk. The Navigators’ Seth Clark then relieved starter Brandon Young, but Waldo’s Zach Collier, on a 3-1 count, had a hit to deep centerfield. As the ball rolled to the fence all three runners came home to give Collier a bases-clearing, three-RBI triple.

The loss dropped the Navigators to 1-11, while Waldo improved to 2-8.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

WEB GEM — Pitcher Brandon Young extends as far as he can to make a falling catch on a popfly near the pitcher’s mound in the top of the sixth inning vs. Waldo Steamboat. Young tossed the first 5.2 innings with Seth Clark working the rest of the contest in relief.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

THE PLAY’S AT FIRST  — Nick Hagan makes the catch for the putout with ease at first base.