FREEPORT  — It doesn’t matter what type of bat that is used in a baseball game, whether it’s a metal or wooden bat, pitchers still need to hit their spots, and hitters still need solid contact with timely hitting to score runs. 

That was evident Tuesday afternoon as Freeport pitcher Blaine Cockburn tossed a 2-0 no hitter against Cape Elizabeth in the CMG Mortgage Baseball League, featuring wooden bats. 

Caden Benedict drove in the only run the Falcons needed with an RBI double in the fifth as they improved to 4-5 on the season. 

“Before the game my arm was feeling the best it had felt since the state game,” Cockburn said, referring to Freeport High School’s trip to the B State Championship in June. “My arm hadn’t been feeling good since that game, but it’s been coming around and I knew it was feeling good today.” 

Cockburn struck out 13 Cape hitters, while walking two and hitting a batter. The Freeport sophomore helped his own cause, picking off a pair of runners at first base, while inducing a double play after a lead-off walk in the fifth. It’s the first no-hitter he has competitively thrown, with the exception of a combined no-no with his brother, Heath, in little league. 

“Man when he’s on,” Freeport coach Peter Wagner said afterwards about his starter. “And the great thing is, he’s been unavailable until now, and it looks like he’s back to himself. He’s such a competitor.” 

“I was hitting my spots all game as I had a lot of confidence in my arm today,” Cockburn said. “Nick called a great game back there behind the plate and helped me even more with my confidence on the mound.” 

Cape Elizabeth (2-3) starter, Pat O’Brien matched Cockburn early on, allowing just a third-inning double to Julian Gideon, while fanning six through four innings. O’Brien finished with eight strikeouts, while allowing three hits and walking three. 

In the fifth, after a lead-off walk and a stolen base to Cape’s Jake Tinsman, Freeport first baseman Gabe Wagner cut down Tinsman heading to third for a fielder’s choice and Cockburn induced the ground ball for the inning ending double play to end the only threat the visitors mounted. 

“Blaine is fun to catch,” catcher Nick Signorelli said. “He threw to his spots and had a lot of hitters guessing today.” 

Entering the home half of the fifth, Gus Wing led off the frame with a single for Freeport. Benedict followed with a slicing drive over the right-fielder’s head, allowing Wing to score from first as Benedict advanced to third on the late throw to the plate. Benedict later scored on a double-steal to make it 2-0. 

“That was a quality arm right there, an up-and-coming high school player,” coach Wagner said about Cape’s O’Brien.  

But the coach also felt his team is in a bit of a hitting slump. 

“This is our third game in a row that we’ve been a little flat with the bats,” Wagner added. “The last couple of times out we haven’t been able to put good swings together and make good contact. Today we didn’t take too many bad swings so that was better. We hit the ball well in our first few games, so I don’t believe using a wood bat has affected us any.” 

In fact, some hitters like the wood bats. 

“That’s the best part of league,” Freeport sophomore Nathan Abbott said. “It sounds nice and makes for a peaceful game.” 

“They’re definitely balanced differently than metal bats,” Signorelli, who will be junior this fall at Freeport said. “They feel a little heavier, but it’s all about bat speed and getting it through the zone. You have to square it up a little bit better, but in the large part, it’s pretty much the same.”  

Coach Wagner likes them too. 

“When BBCOR (bat-ball coefficient of restitution) bats came into existence a couple of years ago, it kind of equalized the bats a bit, not having as much pop as (metal bats) once did,” the Freeport coach said. “So I don’t think the players are noticing a whole lot with the action off the bat, but for whatever reason, there’s a cool factor for the kids. It’s a good thing that changes one very basic element of the game that almost makes it a different game to some degree.” 

Cockburn retired the Capers in order in the seventh for the no-hitter. 

Freeport, in its first year in the three-year old league, hosts Bonny Eagle at 4 p.m. on Thursday at Freeport High School. 

“This is a good league for us,” Wagner said. “It showcases what high school varsity teams will look like in 2020, and with the combination of having some of the upperclassmen on the bench with the younger players, it helps the high school programs.” 

Each CMG Mortgage team draws its players from a single high school program who haven’t graduated yet. The league competes with American Legion baseball, which has rosters that may include players who have already graduated from high school, and often from multiple school districts.  

Teams in the league also include — South Portland, Gorham, Biddeford, Yarmouth, Scarborough, Kennebunk, Portland, Westbrook, Falmouth, Thornton Academy and Greely. 

“This is a great league, it’s kind of laid back league that’s a lot of fun that allows us to get a ton of reps in a competitive place,” Abbott added. “Not a lot of travel with no real pressure. It’s just you come and have fun while getting better.” 

The league’s travel team-friendly schedule is built around doubleheaders on Tuesday and Thursday. Usually the older players play the first game of the doubleheader and the second game features the younger players. 

Copy the Story Link

Comments are not available on this story.