Foxcroft erupts for 11 runs in the first inning to defeat Dexter 14-9

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Trailing 3-0 after the top of the first during a May 8 contest against neighboring Dexter Regional High School, Foxcroft Academy would score 11 times in the home half of the inning. The Ponies would need most of the early offensive output in a 14-9 victory.

Foxcroft — the Class B North team improved to 3-3 with the victory while handing the 1-6 Class C North Tigers the team’s fifth consecutive loss — did its most of its damage with two outs in the bottom of the first. Senior Matthew Spooner walked on four pitches with the bases loaded to bring sophomore Logan Martin home for the first run.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
IN AND OUT AND BACK IN AGAIN — Foxcroft Academy senior third baseman Ryan Vienneau keeps his eye on the ball to make the catch during the top of the second of a May 8 contest against Dexter. Vienneau would later hit an inside the park home run for the final two runs in the Ponies’ 14-9 victory.

Sophomore Luke Stedman followed by dropping a bases clearing double into rightfield to give the Ponies a 4-1 lead. Runs on an error and RBI-single by Martin in his second at-bat of the inning upped the lead to 6-1.

Following a walk to load the bases and a pitching change with Dexter senior Ryan Davis relieving classmate Caleb Weeks and Davis then tossing the remaining 5.1 innings, senior Doug Kane’s double drove in two more runs for an 8-1 advantage. The Ponies added three more runs on an error, RBI-single and alert baserunning as a throw to second in an attempt to catch the base stealer gave senior Ryan Vienneau time to run home for third as junior Ethan Curtis swiped the bag.

In the bottom of the first Foxcroft made 15 plate appearances and all nine batters reached base at least once on four hits, five walks, a pair of errors and one hit by pitch.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
RELAY FROM SECOND TO FIRST — Dexter senior Trever Richards flips a fielded grounder by second base to sophomore Brett Kusnierz at first for the out in the bottom of the first of a May 8 game in Dover-Foxcroft.

The eight-run cushion would not last as Dexter scored twice in both the second and fifth innings. The Tigers had two runs on an error in the second and RBI-groundout and RBI-single in the fifth to get within four at 11-7.

With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, senior Jeremy Richard hit a double to centerfield and he then came home on Kane’s double to rightfield. Kane would hit a pair of doubles on a 2-for-4 afternoon with three runs driven in and two runs scored.

Cleanup hitter Vienneau stepped into the batter’s box next and he sent a pitch rolling in front of the leftfield fence to drive in Kane with ease. Vienneau hustled around the bases, was waived home from third and he slid across the plate for an inside the park home run and a 14-7 lead.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
WHO’S GOT IT? — Pony sophomore Luke Stedman makes the catch in the fifth inning despite colliding with senior Doug Kane in shallow rightfield. At the plate Stedman and Kane combined for three doubles and six RBIs in a 14-9 Foxcroft victory over Dexter.

Spooner tossed the first five innings for Foxcroft and freshman Anthony Smith took over on the mound to start the sixth.

Dexter would get two runs in the top of the sixth on a groundout and single to make the score 14-9. Davis’ single gave him a team-high two hits (which tied for the day’s best with Kane and Curtis) as he finished 2-of-4 with a triple, RBI and a run.

Following the Davis single Smith induced a flyball out to centerfield to end the inning. He and the Pony defense had three more flyball outs in the seventh for a perfect inning to close out the victory.

The two teams were scheduled to play again in Dexter on Tuesday, May 14.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
HANDLING THE PITCHING DUTIES — Freshman Anthony Smith tossed the sixth and seventh innings for Foxcroft, taking over for senior Matthew Spooner who shifted over to third base.

BASEBALL
Foxcroft 14,
Dexter 9
DEX 3 2 0 0 2 2 0 | 9
FOX 11 0 0 0 3 0 X | 14
Dexter: Davis 2-4 3B
RBI run.
Foxcroft: Curtis 2-3 BB
RBI run SB; Kane 2-4
2 2B 3 RBI 2 runs;
Vienneau 1-3 HR
2 RBI 2 runs SB
WP — Spooner 5 IP 7 runs
5 hits 3 BB 6 K
LP — Weeks .2 IP 9 runs
2 hits 5 BB 1 K
LOB — Foxcroft 3,
Dexter 6
Records — Foxcroft 3-3,
Dexter 1-6

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
EYE ON FIRST — Dexter senior Ryan Davis monitors the baserunner at first. Davis came on in relief with two outs in the first and he pitched the remainder of the game.