Gibby Sullivan of Yarmouth cracks a single to left field during the first inning of Friday’s game against Mt. Ararat at Yarmouth High School. Eli Canfield/The Times Record
YARMOUTH — Things didn’t go as planned for the Mt. Ararat baseball team in its season opener Friday afternoon.
After having to quarantine and pause operations from last week up until Wednesday, the Eagles didn’t play at the level they’d like after practicing only twice in the past two weeks. It hurt Mt. Ararat on Friday, as the Eagles fell 9-3 to Yarmouth.
“We don’t want to make excuses, but we were definitely a little rusty out there,” said Mt. Ararat (0-1) catcher Ryan Robertson. “It’s only the first game, we’re going to keep our heads up and coming out swinging next time out.”
The Eagles mustered seven hits overall, with five of the seven coming against the Clippers’ bullpen. Yarmouth (2-0) starter Will Dickinson was at the top of his game, allowing just two hits while striking out seven in four innings to earn the win.
“When you know in the back of your mind you have a defense behind you like we do, it allows you to go out there and try to let them get a bat on it,” Dickenson said. “I was just playing catch with my catcher and it all came together.”
It was a frustrating way to start the season for the Eagles, who saw head coach Brett Chase get ejected in the third inning after several close plays went Yarmouth’s way. After Chase was tossed, the Eagles tried to get behind their skipper.
“Let’s do it for Coach, let’s get after it guys,” said Mt. Ararat senior Kobe Clark, who started on the mound, emphatically in the dugout to the rest of his team. The pep talk worked for the moment, as the Eagles were able to break through for two runs in the next inning.
“I think our energy was there, we just didn’t execute when we needed to,” Robinson said.
Will Cox, middle, and Gibby Sullivan, right, of Yarmouth, hi-five while Mt. Ararat catcher Ryan Robertson looks to the field after Cox scored a run in Friday’s game at Yarmouth High School. Eli Canfield/The Times Record
The Yarmouth offense got to Clark early and often, scoring six of its nine runs in the first two innings. Clark struggled to find his control, walking three batters in the first inning alone.
“Our coaches are great at seeing things within the game and help us make the proper adjustments,” Dickinson said. “Coach Halsted (Marc) emphasized to let them to the work and to have a different approach, it definitely paid off.”
After Clark hit Will Cox with a pitch to lead off the game, he would steal second and come around to score on a Max Brewer RBI single. After Gibby Sullivan grounded out to third, scoring another run, Clark loaded the bases and walked in another run before retiring the side.
The Clippers continued their onslaught in the second inning, plating three more runs to blow the lead open to seven.
“This game is all about having the right approach and keeping your confidence up,” said Sullivan. “Our confidence can only grow from here.”
After Clark was chased after two innings, the Eagles turned to Tucker Swanson in relief. Swanson was solid, allowing just two runs over four innings despite some heavy traffic on the base paths.
“One thing about us is that we’re cool under pressure,” said Robinson, who went 2-4 on the day with an RBI triple that almost left the yard. “Whether it’s no runners on or bases loaded no outs, we stay as calm as we can and just play our game.”
The Eagles were able to break through with the bats in the sixth inning behind an Austin Berry RBI ground-out and a Brady Merrill RBI double. The Eagles would plate another unearned run in the seventh on an error.
For Robinson and the rest of the Eagles, the late signs of life bodes well for their outlook going into Saturday’s game with Freeport.
“We’re going to come out hot tomorrow against another good team,” Robinson said. “Today was a setback and may have humbled us a little, but we’re going to play like a completely different team this time tomorrow.”
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