CAPE ELIZABETH—Greely’s baseball team traveled to Holman Field Wednesday afternoon knowing that rival Cape Elizabeth was going to be shorthanded for the squads’ late-season showdown, but the Rangers didn’t fall victim to overconfidence and quickly took care of business to earn a crucial victory.

Greely jumped ahead, 4-0, in the top of the first, as junior second baseman Wes Piper continued his recent torrid hitting with a two-run double and senior rightfielder Sam Almy added a two-run single off Capers junior starting pitcher Andy Choi.

After junior starter Keeler Vogt set Cape Elizabeth down in order in the bottom half, the Rangers scored three more runs in the second, on another two-run double from Piper, and an RBI single from Almy.

Greely made it 9-0 in the third, as senior third baseman Marky Axelsen brought a run home with a ground out and another scored on an error.

The Capers, down several of their top players, who were unavailable to participate, refused to roll over and got on the board in the bottom of the third, as junior catcher Jimmy Hollowell walked with the bases loaded, but they couldn’t add any more runs to truly make things interesting.

Vogt allowed just two hits in four innings and he gave way to freshman Kyle Soule, who didn’t allow a hit in a perfect three-inning relief stint as the Rangers rolled to a 9-1 victory.

Greely got four RBI from Piper, three more from Almy and improved to 12-2 on the year, dropping Cape Elizabeth to 9-5 in the process.

“I don’t have problems keeping this group focused,” said longtime Rangers coach Derek Soule. “We’ve got great senior leadership on this team. We knew on Monday that a solid Fryeburg team came here and lost to short-handed Cape Elizabeth, so that certainly caught our attention. The guys looked ready to go from the time they got off the bus to when they got in the batter’s box.”

High drama

There’s been nothing like Class B South baseball this spring, as an abundance of teams can call themselves true contenders and the best news for fans is that most of those squads have gone head-to-head at least once, and in many cases, twice.

Cape Elizabeth and Greely were chasing Yarmouth for the top spot in the standings when the day began and both teams have enjoyed more ups than downs over the course of the season.

The Rangers opened with a 12-1 (five-inning) victory at Lake Region, then blanked visiting Gray-New Gloucester in five-innings (12-1), before downing visiting Fryeburg Academy (5-1) and beating host Edward Little, 3-2, in a contest played at Central Maine Community College. Greely fell from the unbeaten ranks when it was shut out at home, 1-0, by reigning regional champion Yarmouth. The Rangers bounced back to knock off visiting Freeport (8-5) and shut out visiting Lake Region, 7-0, before beating host Fryeburg Academy, 3-1, visiting York, 7-1, and visiting Cape Elizabeth (7-5, on senior Ryder Simpson’s walk-off home run). After dropping an eight-inning decision at Yarmouth (2-1), Greely rolled at Freeport (10-2) and Monday, blanked host Wells (5-0).

Cape Elizabeth, meanwhile, edged visiting Poland in the opener (3-2, in eight-innings) before blanking host Leavitt (4-0) and downing visiting Yarmouth in a rematch of last year’s regional final, 7-2. After falling at Wells (4-2), the Capers outlasted visiting Mt. Ararat in 10-innings (1-0). After falling at home to York (4-2), Cape Elizabeth beat visiting Wells (6-3), then lost at Yarmouth (3-1), before bouncing back for a 6-1 victory at Lake Region. After a 7-5 setback at Greely, the Capers rebounded to handle host Poland (11-1), rallied to down host York in nine-innings (10-6), then Monday, they beat visiting Fryeburg Academy (3-1).

While Simpson’s home run was the headline from the teams’ first meeting, which was hard-fought and contentious at times, both teams rose off the deck, as Greely erased a 4-1 deficit with a four-run bottom of the sixth and despite being down to its last out, Cape Elizabeth managed to push across the tying run in the top of the seventh before Simpson played the hero in the bottom half.

Wednesday, on a warm (72 degrees at first pitch) but windy afternoon, the Rangers would need no late-game dramatics, instead putting it away early.

Junior catcher Wyatt Soucie drew a walk from Choi leading off, then Axelsen lined the first pitch he saw through the hole between short and third to put two runners on. After Simpson drew a walk to load the bases, Piper came up huge, doubling down the leftfield line to score both Soucie and Axelsen. On the play, Simpson was thrown out trying to advance to third, but Greely was on top to stay.

“At the beginning of the season, we started games more slowly, so it was great to come out here and hit the ball today,” Piper said. “I was just thinking line drive and put the ball in play. I’ve been seeing the ball great.”

After sophomore first baseman Ben Kyles went the other way and singled to left, Kyles stole second, then Almy bounced a single up the middle to score both runners. Almy took second on the throw home, then he moved to third on a ground out to short by Soule, who began the game at shortstop, but he’d be stranded there, as senior designated hitter Ethan Robeck bounced out to third on a close play.

Regardless, the Rangers were in control.

Vogt started the bottom half of the inning by getting Choi to ground to the hole, where Soule made a nice backhanded stab before throwing out the runner. After falling behind sophomore shortstop Caiden Johnson, Vogt fought back to work the count full, then he fanned Johnson swinging before doing the same to freshman centerfielder Max Hayward.

Greely put its hitting shoes right back on in the top of the second.

After senior centerfielder Jackson Leding popped out foul wide of third, where Johnson raced over from shortstop to make a terrific play, Soucie singled over Johnson’s head into left-center, then Choi hit Axelsen with a pitch before Simpson beat out an infield single off the glove of Choi to load the bases. Piper then delivered again, this time crushing a deep drive down the leftfield line which rolled out of play for a ground rule double, scoring both Soucie and Axelsen.

“Wes had a really nice day,” said Derek Soule. “He’s been hot for us lately. He hit a big home run Monday down in Wells.”

Kyles then worked his way from an 0-2 count to walk and load the bases for Almy, who grounded into a short-to-second forceout, bringing home Simpson. Almy stole second, but Choi avoided further damage by fanning Soule to keep the score 7-0.

In the bottom half, Hollowell hit a sharp grounder leading off, but it was right at Piper at second for the first out. After Vogt fanned freshman leftfielder Jackson York, senior second baseman Alex Brooking chased a high fastball for strike three to retire the side.

Robeck led off the top of the third with an infield single. Leding followed with a single up the middle, then Soucie walked on a full count pitch to load the bases. Axelsen made contact, grounding the ball to second, which resulted in a throw to shortstop and a force out, scoring Robeck, and when the throw to first to complete the double play was wild, Leding came home as well. Simpson grounded into a second-to-short force out, then Kyles flew out deep to left, but Greely was now up, 9-0.

The Capers could have easily packed it in, but instead, they produced some good at-bats and were able to get on the board in the bottom half.

Vogt plunked freshman first baseman Cooper Justh with a pitch leading off and after fanning senior designated Tate Mosher, he hit Choi with a pitch as well. Johnson chased strike three for the second out, but Hayward walked on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases. Hollowell then got ahead in the count 3-0 and after Vogt worked it full, Hollowell took ball four as well, to score Justh. That’s all Cape Elizabeth would muster, however, as York grounded into a short-to-second force play to retire the side.

Freshman Justin Strunk came on to relieve Choi in the top of the fourth and didn’t allow the Rangers to score.

After getting Almy to fly out to center on the first pitch, Strunk walked Soule, then he got Robeck to ground the ball back up the middle, where it ricocheted off the pitcher to Brooking at second, who threw out the batter. Leding drew a walk, then Soucie did the same to load the bases for Axelsen, but Strunk managed to strike the slugger out to keep the score 9-0.

Vogt’s final inning of work would be the top bottom of the fourth.

He fanned Brooking leading off, but sophomore pinch-hitter Henry Towbridge produced Cape Elizabeth’s first hit, a single into the hole. After Strunk flew out to center, Mosher lined a single over shortstop, but Choi grounded into a short-to-second force play to retire the side, keeping the score 9-1.

Greely put a couple runners on against freshman reliever Joseph Grela in the top of the fifth, but couldn’t add to its lead.

Senior Jerik Phillips led off with a grounder to first. Junior Owen Piesik then beat out an infield single to the hole and senior Lucas Martin reached on an error, when Grela couldn’t handle a comebacker, but he bore down and got senior Nic Colamaria to pop to second and Kyle Soule to fly out to left.

Soule then came on to pitch in the bottom half and he got Johnson to ground to short, Martin to bounce out to second and Hollowell to ground out to short to retire the side.

Grela got junior Liam Coull to line out to first leading off the top of the sixth, but senior Dan Ferrelli followed with a single to center. Junior Ezra McDuffie then grounded into a short-to-second force out before Axelsen flew out deep to center to keep the score 9-1.

The Capers couldn’t put anything together in the bottom of the sixth, as Soule caught York looking at an off-speed pitch for strike three, struck out sophomore Joseph Rinaldi swinging, then caught Grela staring at strike three.

Rinaldi took over on the mound for the seventh and after Phillips reached on an error, Piesik popped out to third. Kyles reached on an error as well, but the runners would be stranded, as Colamaria grounded into a third-to-second force out and Kyle Soule flew out to right.

Soule then made quick work of Cape Elizabeth in the bottom of the seventh, catching Strunk looking at strike three, doing the same to Mosher, then inducing a ground out to second off the bat of sophomore pinch-hitter Josh Tracimoicz to end it.

“We knew coming into the game they were missing guys, but we had to keep our head on straight,” Piper said. “They’re still worth the same Heal Points and we wanted to come out and get the ‘W.’ It’s great to beat them twice in one season.”

Piper led the way with two doubles, a single and four RBI. He also scored a run. Axelsen and Soucie touched home twice, while Kyles, Leding, Robeck and Simpson also crossed the plate.

Almy had three RBI and Axelsen drove in one run.

Greely stranded 13 runners, but it didn’t prove costly.

On the mound, Vogt pitched a solid four innings to earn the win. Vogt surrendered one run on two hits, walking three, hitting two and striking out seven.

“Keeler didn’t have his good location today,” Derek Soule said. “Usually, his location is much better. He battled through it, but he didn’t look comfortable on their unusually big mound.”

Kyle Soule was excellent in relief, retiring all nine hitters he faced. Soule struck out five and didn’t walk a batter.

“Kyle has a big arm for a freshman and it’s sad that it’s only his second appearance because we have so much pitching,” Derek Soule said. “He’ll be a good one for the next three years when he gets more innings. He has really good stuff.”

Cape Elizabeth’s run was scored by Justh, while Hollowell had the RBI.

The Capers left six runners on base.

Choi took the loss, giving up nine runs (eight earned) on 10 hits in three innings. He walked four, hit a batter and struck out one.

Strunk threw a hitless, shutout inning of relief, walking three and fanning one.

Grela’s two innings of relief saw him give up no runs on two hits.

Rinaldi didn’t allow anything in his one-inning stint.

“I think it speaks to the depth of our program that those guys can get some varsity experience on a competitive team against a competitive opponent,” said Cape Elizabeth coach Donny Dutton. “That’s beneficial to them. Keeler pitched well, but we put decent at-bats together. Our young pitchers came in and threw strikes.”

Nothing’s determined

The jockeying for playoff positioning figures to go down to the season’s final day and both squads have some tests to pass before they can turn their attention to the postseason.

Cape Elizabeth (currently ranked third in the Class B South Heal Points standings) stays home to face Gray-New Gloucester Friday, then closes at Freeport Tuesday of next week.

“We have to continue to work hard every day and have good practices,” Dutton said. “We want to compete in the two tough games we have left. When it’s all said and done, I think we’ll be in a good spot and when it’s June, we’ll be ready to go.”

Greely (second behind Yarmouth in Class B South) is home versus Poland Friday, then finishes at York next Tuesday.

“We have to stay strong early in games, play solid defense and get good pitching and get the bats going,” Piper said. “I think we have what it takes to make a run. We have a good crew. We have the pitching and our lineup doesn’t have holes.”

“I’m really pleased where we are defensively, pitching-wise and the guys look more comfortable with the bats during the latter half of the year,” Derek Soule said. “They’re driving the ball with authority against good pitchers. I want to finish ideally top four to get a bye and top two would be nice to host the first two rounds.”

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

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