CUMBERLAND—The recipe for success during Derek Soule’s long tenure as Greely’s baseball coach is to boast great pitching, solid defense, timely hitting and the ability to the little things better than the opponent.

All of those qualities were on display Saturday morning at Twin Brook Recreation Center, as the Rangers took on York in a playoff rematch/key midseason showdown.

Junior pitcher Keeler Vogt was superb early, retiring the first 11 hitters he faced, and in the bottom of the third inning, his teammates staked him to a 2-0 lead, as junior catcher Wyatt Soucie hinted at a huge day to come with a key opposite field RBI single, then senior third baseman Marky Axelsen followed with a run-scoring double.

Vogt surrendered his first hit, an RBI single from junior designated hitter John Jacobsohn, in the top of the fourth to cut the lead in half, but he didn’t allow the visitors anything more.

In the bottom of the fifth, Greely got some breathing room, as again Soucie (RBI infield single) and Axelsen (sacrifice fly) came through in the clutch to make it 4-1.

The Rangers then ended all doubt in the sixth, taking advantage of a York error and scoring three runs.

Vogt retired the first batter in the seventh, then was replaced by sophomore Gehrig Donnelly, who recorded the final two outs as Greely prevailed, 7-1.

Vogt threw a one-hitter, while Soucie had two hits, two RBI and threw out two baserunners as the Rangers improved to 8-1, dropping the Wildcats to 6-3 in the process.

“I thought it was great all-around effort and execution in all phases of the game against a quality York team,” said Soule, after his 335th victory with the program. “It was just a good day for the Rangers today.”

Rematch

Greely got past York, 5-1, in last year’s Class B South preliminary round of the playoffs. The Rangers eventually got to the semifinals before being ousted by Yarmouth, 6-1.

This season, both teams have turned heads in a deep and balanced region.

York started with decisive wins over Morse (13-6) and Wells (10-3) before losing to Poland (8-7, in a game it nearly erased a seven-run deficit). The Wildcats then bounced back and defeated Fryeburg Academy (10-5), Wells (2-1) and Cape Elizabeth (4-2) before falling Monday at Yarmouth, 5-1. Friday, York avenged its earlier loss, defeating visiting Poland, 3-0.

Greely also started fast, opening with a 12-1 (five-inning) victory at Lake Region, then blanking visiting Gray-New Gloucester in five-innings (12-1, on Vogt’s perfect game), before downing visiting Fryeburg Academy (5-1) and beating host Edward Little, 3-2, in a contest played at Central Maine Community College. The Rangers then fell from the unbeaten ranks when they were shut out at home, 1-0, by Yarmouth. Greely bounced back to knock off visiting Freeport (8-5) and shut out visiting Lake Region, 7-0 (on Donnelly’s no-hitter), before beating host Fryeburg Academy Friday, 3-1, thanks to pushing across two runs in the top of the seventh inning.

Last year, Greely won the regular season meeting (11-1, in five-innings), as well as the playoff encounter.

The teams were originally scheduled to play Wednesday, but rain pushed it to Saturday, where, under overcast skies and occasional drizzle on a 51-degree day, York sought to beat Greely for the first time since April 29, 2019 (11-0 at home), but instead, the Rangers made it four in a row in the series.

Neither team could solve the opposing pitcher in the first inning.

Greely junior Keeler Vogt delivers to York leadoff hitter Ben Brown. Vogt only allowed one hit in a 7-1 Rangers’ victory. Hoffer photos.

Vogt fell behind senior centerfielder Ben Brown 3-0 to start the game, then came back to work the count full and strike him out looking. Junior Jack Joyce, the Wildcats’ pitcher, then watched strike three on a 2-2 pitch before senior shortstop Brody Gullison swung and foul tipped strike three into Soucie’s glove to retire the side.

“Our bullpen is a big adjustment to the game mound,” Vogt said. “I told Jack Joyce that. It’s really slippery over there. The real mound is different. I got used to it and settled in. ”

York starter Jack Joyce delivers to Greely catcher Wyatt Soucie.

In the bottom half, Joyce got Soucie to chase an off-speed pitch and strike out and after Axelsen lined out softly to senior first baseman Leo Sullivan, senior leftfielder Ryder Simpson got ahead in the count 3-0, but ultimately chased strike three.

Vogt got his fielders involved in the top of the second, as he induced Jacobsohn to ground out to short, Sullivan to fly out to center and junior catcher Brad Carr to bounce out to second.

In the bottom half, Joyce rose to the challenge and again set Greely down in order, getting junior rightfielder Wes Piper to fly out to right in foul territory, sophomore Ben Kyles to fan on a 3-2 pitch and senior designated hitter Ethan Robeck to fly out deep to center.

Junior third baseman Conor Fell grounded out to third leading off the top of the third and Axelsen’s throw was in the dirt, but Kyles scooped it up for the first out. Vogt then blew strike three past junior second baseman Robbie Hanscom and caught junior rightfielder Lucas Hanscom looking at strike three to make it nine up, nine down.

The Rangers then put their hitting shoes on in the bottom half to break the ice.

Freshman shortstop Kyle Soule, Derek Soule’s nephew, got things started by blooping a single over the glove of the leaping Gullison at short. Joyce then appeared to have Soule picked off, but after the pitcher threw to Sullivan at first, Sullivan’s throw to second was too late and Soule had a stolen base and was in scoring position. Junior second baseman Liam Coull couldn’t get a bunt down, then lined out to second and Joyce fanned senior centerfielder Jackson Leding with high heat. That left the inning up to Soucie, who drove in the go-ahead run Friday at Fryeburg and he came through again, going the other way and lining a single to left-center, scoring Soule with the game’s first run.

“(Joyce) was throwing me away,” said Soucie. “He struck me out curveball low and away the first time. That time, I was just thinking, opposite field gap and getting (Kyle) in any way I could.”

Axelsen then showed off his prolific strength by driving a pitch the other way, deep to right, over the head of Ketchum and to the wall for an RBI double, scoring Soucie.

Greely senior third baseman Marky Axelsen launches an RBI double.

Greely junior catcher Wyatt Soucie comes home with the second run of the inning.

Simpson grounded back to the mound, but Vogt had a lead he wouldn’t relinquish.

Vogt remained perfect into the fourth, as he caught Brown looking at strike three before getting Joyce to fly out to center, but on a 2-1 pitch, Vogt plunked Gullison and York had its first base runner. Gullison promptly stole second and on an 0-2 pitch, Jacobsohn singled to right and Gullison came home to cut the deficit in half. The Wildcats couldn’t pull even, however, as with Sullivan at the plate, Soucie fired a strike to Soule at second to tag out Jacobsohn trying to steal, keeping the score 2-1.

The Rangers went quietly in the bottom half, as Piper flew out to right on a 3-2 pitch, Kyles chased strike three and Robeck bounced out to second.

Vogt returned to his shutdown ways in the top of the fifth, getting to a squibber off the bat of Sullivan before throwing him out in a close play at first, then getting Carr to fly out deep to right before inducing a grounder to first off the bat of Fell and when Kyles initially bobbled the ball, Vogt ran over to take the throw to record the final out.

Greely, thanks to some Wildcats generosity, then opened up its lead in the bottom half.

Soule led off to a grounder to short and reached on an error. Coull then grounded back to the mound and Joyce threw to Hanscom covering for the force out, but Coull promptly stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. Leding drew a walk, bringing up Soucie, who came through again, this time reaching on an infield single to first, as Sullivan got to the ball to his right, but lost his footing. On the play, Coull scored and Leding aggressively raced into third.

“That was a hit-and-run,” Soucie said. “I was just trying to get the ball on the ground and get to first as quick as I could.”

That extra base loomed large, as Axelsen popped up to the right side and while Hanscom went back into the outfield to make the catch, Leding took off and scored on one of the shorter sacrifice flies you’ll see. Soucie took third on an errant throw, but Simpson struck out swinging to send the game to the sixth inning with Greely up, 4-1.

Vogt got Hanscom to fly out deep to center on a 3-2 pitch to start the top of the frame, then he fanned Ketchum. Brown earned a walk on a 3-2 pitch, but with Joyce at the plate, Soucie picked Brown off to end the threat.

“I love throwing out runners,” Soucie said. “I definitely take pride in that.”

“Wyatt has had a tremendous season in all phases,” said Derek Soule. “He’s a five-tool player. He hits for power, he can run, his throws are outstanding. He’s a tremendous athlete. He’s as good a defensive player as I have. I need him behind the plate, but he’d be a great utility player for a college.”

Piper then started the fun in the bottom half with a single to center and junior Owen Piesik pinch-hit and sacrificed him to second. Robeck followed with a sharp single to center and when the ball got past Brown for an error, Piper scored and Robeck raced all the way to third. Kyle Soule followed by blooping a single down the leftfield line, bringing in senior courtesy runner Dan Ferrelli. Soule stole second, then moved to third on a fly out to right off the bat of Coull. Leding then drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch and with Soucie at the plate, Leding took off for second, stole it, and on the play, Soule stole home. Leding moved to third on a passed ball and Soucie almost produced another RBI, as he lined the ball toward left, but Gullison soared to snare it to retire the side, even though the damage was done and the lead was six.

Joyce lined out to Axelsen at third leading off the top of the seventh, then Gullison drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch, ending Vogt’s outing.

Donnelly came in and threw wildly to first, trying to pick off the runner, and Gullison went to third, but he’d be stranded, as Donnelly got Jacobsohn to pop out to second before inducing a grounder back to the mound off the bat of Sullivan and Donnelly ran over and stepped on first to bring the curtain down on the Rangers’ 7-1 triumph.

Vogt earned the victory, allowing just one run on one hit in 6.1 innings. He walked two and struck out eight.

“My fastball worked really well today,” Vogt said. “I got a lot of spin on it that got a lot of swings and misses. We just have to figure what works and replicate that every time I go out there.”

“We have great pitchers,” Soucie said. “Keeler was locating everything. They had no chance. They didn’t hit the ball hard and he got outs efficiently.”

“A lot of times guys take an inning to get settled in, but Keeler hit his spots,” Derek Soule added. “We had a game plan and he executed it really well. Keeler is a pretty experienced pitcher at this point. He’s pitched really well all year.”

Donnelly retired both hitters he faced in relief.

Offensively, Soucie had two hits, drove in two runs and scored once.

Kyle Soule also had two hits, scored twice and drove in a run.

Coull, Ferrelli, Leding and Piper all touched home plate once.

Axelsen also had two RBI.

Greely stole six bases and left just three runners on base.

Joyce took the loss for York, giving up seven runs (just three earned) on seven hits in six innings. He walked two and fanned six.

Gullison scored the run and Jacobsohn had the lone hit and RBI.

The Wildcats stranded one runner.

“We needed more execution at the plate and of course, more execution on the field,” said York coach Nick Hanlon. “Jack pitched well and deserved more support. For us, it’s really trying to take what pitchers are giving us. Our guys can hit the ball well, but sometimes when a pitcher like Vogt knows what they’re doing, we have to spray singles, get on base, run the bases. ”

No rest for the weary

York (currently ranked fourth in the Class B South Heal Points standings) is back in action Monday at home versus Fryeburg Academy. After going to Gray-New Gloucester, the Wildcats have key home tests versus Cape Elizabeth and Freeport.

“We can settle in at home a little bit and we play better at home,” said Hanlon. “I’m excited for the second half of the year. We need those (Heal Points). The win against Cape helped us out and showed the guys what they’re capable of if they believe in themselves and play for each other. We have to stay mentally tough.”

Greely (which is second to Yarmouth in Class B South) has a huge week upcoming, facing its top rivals.

After hosting Cape Elizabeth Monday, the Rangers visit Yarmouth Wednesday, then go to Freeport Friday.

“Our goal is a state championship,” said Soucie. “We just have to keep swinging the bats, hitting the ball, playing lockdown defense.”

“This is a tough league with a lot of good pitchers,” said Derek Soule. “We’re focused on becoming a team that can produce against good pitchers and play fundamentally sound defense, try to control other teams’ running games and we want to be the best small-ball team we can be and we’re getting there.

“We have a big stretch. Fryeburg was a good defensive team and we had to pull that out late. York today. We get Cape, Yarmouth and Freeport next week. It’s fun. We want to see the best pitching to prepare us for hopefully the postseason.”

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net.