6-run fourth helps Dexter defeat Mattanawcook and move to 4-0
DEXTER — Dexter Regional High School and Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln both entered Monday, April 22’s Class C North softball contest with unblemished records during the first week of the season. The Tigers and visiting Lynx had not been tested over a full game as all five combined contests between the two programs were decided by a double digit run total.
After trailing 3-1 early on, Dexter scored six times in the home half of the fourth to help the team win 9-3 and improve to 4-0 on the young 2023 season — including three wins in just over 48 hours as the Tigers swept a doubleheader at Stearns High School of Millinocket on Saturday, April 20. The Lynx fell to 2-1.
Three RBI hits in a row put Mattanawcook ahead 3-0 in the team’s first trip to the plate. With one out in the bottom of the home half of the inning, Dexter sophomore Desiree Adams sent a pitch to the rightfield fence. Adams sprinted around the bases before the ball could be relayed to the plate for an inside the park home run. She finished the day 3-for-4 with the homer, a pair of doubles, two runs driven in, and three runs scored.
EYES ON THE PLATE — Dexter sophomore Desiree Adams slides home on a wild pitch ahead of the throw from the backstop to Mattanawcook Academy pitcher Julianna Clukey during the bottom of the fifth on Monday, April 22 with Tiger senior Lily Bagley looking on after getting out of the batter’s box. Adams’ run was the ninth of the day as Dexter won 9-3 to improve to 4-0.
After leaving a pair of runners stranded in both the second and third, Dexter would get back on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth. Both senior Lillian Harris and sophomore Abigail Trafton were plunked by pitches, and Adams’ first double of the day drove in Harris.
Senior Hannah Dean’s single to leftfield tied the game with junior Mariyah Castigleigo – serving as a courtesy runner for Trafton — coming home. Dean singled in all four of her at-bats with two of these hits driving in a run.
Senior Mazie Peach singled to enable Adams to score what would turn out to be the winning run at 4-3. Peach was 3-for-4 with singles in her last three plate appearances.
ROUTINE GROUNDER — Senior Lily Bagley tosses to first from in front of second base for the out in the top of the second with classmate Hannah Dean in the background covering the bag.
The Dexter offense was only halfway done at this point as senior Lily Bagley dropped a single into leftfield to drive in Peach. A ball hit by junior Clair Fogler was bobbled and fell to the grass in centerfield to score two more runs to put the Tigers ahead 7-3 as the entire lineup went to the plate in the inning.
A run was added in the home halves of the fifth and sixth to round out the scoring for Dexter.
Fogler tossed a complete game with the three runs allowed and she scattered seven hits in as many innings. Fogler walked a pair and struck out a half dozen batters.
WOULD-BE DOUBLE TO OUT — Dexter senior Mazie Peach tags Lauren House of Mattanawcook Academy out in the top of the third before House can get back to first after looking to stretch a single into a double.
For the Lynx, Natalie Tash and Julianna Clukey split pitching duties as Clukey came on in relief to start the fifth.
Less than 96 hours after the third out was made, Dexter and Mattanawcook are scheduled to play again in Lincoln at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 26.
SOFTBALL
Dexter 9, Mattanawcook 3
MAT (2-1) 300 000 0 — 3
DEX (4-0) 100 620 X — 9
Mattanawcook: M. House 2-3 RBI SB
Dexter: Dean 4-4 2 RBI 2 SB; Adams 3-4 HR 2 2B 2 RBI 3 runs; Peach 3-4 RBI run; Bagley 2-2 BB RBI run; Harris 2-3 HBP 2 runs
WP: Fogler 7 IP 3 runs 7 hits 2 BB 6 K
LP: N. Tash 4 IP 7 runs 12 hits 0 BB 1 K
LOB: Mat 4 Dex 9