Orono junior waves ‘magic wand’

By Ernie Clark

Staff Writer

DEXTER — Jackson Coutts’ baseball bat often affects opposing teams like a magic wand whether he’s swinging it or not.

The Orono High School standout entered last Wednesday’s Class C North matchup against Dexter batting .460 this spring despite being issued 10 intentional walks in his team’s first six games — a frequency that had prompted coach Tim Bush to move Coutts into the leadoff spot in the batting order.

But no worries about all the free passes, said the junior catcher.

“No, because I’m still playing baseball and that’s what I love to do,” said Coutts. “It’s all fun.”

Even more fun on this day was the chance to swing the bat on a fairly regular basis as Coutts hit a two-run homer, singled twice, walked once and scored three runs to lead the Red Riots to a 7-1 victory at Ted Clark Baseball Park.

“I like him batting first because they’ve got to pitch to him,” said Orono senior right-hander Dennis Farnham, who pitched a two-hitter. “I don’t know of too many coaches who are going to walk him right off in that first at-bat.”

Orono has gone 4-1 since Coutts was moved to the top of the order.

And even Coutts’ lone plate appearance without a hit ignited a three-run rally in the top of the third to more than negate an unearned run by Dexter in the bottom of the second.

Coutts drew a one-out walk on four straight outside pitches from Dexter right-hander Brayden Miller, and that emphasis on working away from the strike zone proved difficult to turn around immediately.

Evan Kenefic then was hit by a 2-1 pitch, and after the control lapse increased to eight balls in nine pitches, Dexter coach Chad Graffam visited the mound. Nate DeSisto pulled Miller’s next delivery into right field to plate Coutts with the tying run.

Kenefic scored on a mishandled pickoff throw before Farnham followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-1.

“It’s always tough for a pitcher mentally when you do walk that leadoff batter,” said Bush. “There’s that stigma that goes around that says if you walk the leadoff guy it’s always going to end up as a run, and it’s usually fulfilled in high school.”

That was plenty of offensive support for Farnham, who overcame five Orono errors by striking out nine, walking one and hitting a batter during a 93-pitch performance.

The lone hits for 3-3 Dexter were a first-inning single by Cameron Pratt and a sixth-inning single by Zach White.

“(Farnham) hit his spots with his fastball and he was dropping his curveball in for strikes or making kids chase it,” said Coutts. “All his stuff was on today.”

Orono added an unearned run in the fifth off Miller, who threw a six-hitter, thanks to a heads-up baserunning play by Coutts.

The left-handed batter singled to center to start the inning, stole second and advanced when he noticed that base uncovered after third baseman Pratt ranged over behind the pitcher’s mound to flag down Kenefic’s popup.

Coutts scored on an infield error to make it 4-1.

The Red Riots added their final runs an inning later. Schuyler Cyr and Connor Robertson drew back-to-back, one-out walks before Connor McCluskey hit a sacrifice fly to left field and Coutts crushed a 1-0 fastball well over the fence in right-center for his first home run of the season.