Seven runs in the middle innings help Ponies

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom DIVING STOP TO THROW OUT THE RUNNER — After making a diving stop to her left beyond second base, Foxcroft Academy junior Abbi Bourget makes the throw to senior Desirae Brawn at first to get MDI senior Avalon Kerley out during the top of the third of the May 7 game in Dover-Foxcroft. Bourget also had a busy day at the plate, going 3-for-4 as the Ponies won 8-1 to earn a season sweep of the Trojans.

By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Foxcroft Academy broke open a 1-1 contest vs. Mount Desert Island High School with a four- and three-run inning and a complete game three-hitter by freshman Mackenzie Beaudry helped the Ponies earn an 8-1 Class B North victory. The May 7 win snapped a brief three-game losing streak for Foxcroft (4-3), who earned victory No. 3 of 2016 at Bar Harbor, 16-6, back on April 23 over the Trojans (who remain winless at 0-7)

With the game tied at a run apiece after three and a half innings, back-to-back errors in the infield put seniors Desirae Brawn and Avery Carroll on base. Their classmate Gabie Johnson came to the plate next, and Johnson sent a pitch from MDI freshman Lindsey McEachern up the middle into centerfield. Brawn and Carroll both came home to give Johnson multiple RBIs and their team a 3-1 lead.

After a sacrifice bunt by Beaudry moved Johnson into scoring position, junior Alli Bourget drove Johnson in on a single to rightfield for the 4-1 lead.

Bourget followed by swiping second base and she then advanced to third as sophomore Kiara Prescott put the ball in play and forced the Trojan defense to throw the ball to first for the force. A wild pitch rolled to the backstop as Bourget came home for the fourth run of the fourth inning.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom SNAG A POP FLY — Freshman pitcher Mackenzie Beaudry makes the play in the infield during the fifth inning. Beaudry scattered three hits over seven innings of work in Foxcroft’s 8-1 win vs. MDI.

Foxcroft added three more runs in the home half of the fifth. A third strike could not be handled behind the plate, and sophomore Jenna Clukey took advantage of the miscue by reaching first base. Junior Grace Bickford followed by doubling on a ball hit through a hole in the defense to leftfield to set Brawn up with two Ponies in scoring position.

Brawn singled into leftfield to drive in both Clukey and Bickford to up the lead to 7-1. She would finish with a game-high three RBIs

MDI then got two outs but Brawn advanced to second on a groundout and she stole third base. A throwing error enabled her to score for what would be her team’s eighth and final run of the game.

Beaudry scattered three hits over seven innings of work to earn the victory on the mound, yielding one run in the second innings while walking a pair and striking out nine Trojans.

Junior Abbi Bourget led the Ponies at the plate as she finished 3-for-4. Bourget singled to leadoff for Foxcroft in the first and she had another single in the third. Bourget added a double in her final at-bat, sending the ball rolling to the fence in leftfield.

 Foxcroft is scheduled to host John Bapst Memorial High School of Bangor (4-4) on Thursday, May 12 at 4 p.m. in the first meeting between the programs this season.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
SLIDE ON IN TO SECOND — Pony junior Alli Bourget steals second base ahead of MDI senior Aubrie Boyce in the home half of the fourth inning on Saturday afternoon.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
TURN TOWARD HOME — Junior Grace Bickford rounds third on the way to scoring in the fifth. Bickford and sophomore Jenna CLukey both scored on a single by senior Desirae Brawn, who lead all players with a trio of RBIs.