Figure, Olson is back after attending the Police Academy, his team is 11-3 and will play in the KVAC championship game on June 1 in Waterville, guaranteed after a recent Winslow setback, according to the coach.
“The KVAC title right now is really important to this team,” said Olson, whose squad also looks to be locked into one of the three top positions in the Western Maine Class B Heal Point Standings, giving the Shipbuilders a bye into the quarterfinals come playoff time.
And one more thing, according to Olson, his team “played about as poorly as we can play and we still had a chance to win, with a key hit here or a key hit there. We didn’t deserve to be close to winning this game, but these kids have been way down before and feel they deserve to win every time out. Today, we just didn’t get enough big hits.”
Camden Hills used a threerun second inning to claim a 4-0 lead, with the never-saydie Shipbuilders rallying to close to 5-4 through six innings. The Windjammers, who improved to 7-7, scored two runs in the seventh, and pitcher Adam Carlson recorded his only 1-2-3 inning in the home half of the seventh to end it.
Early deficit
Camden forced Morse starting pitcher Chris Luedee to work hard in the first inning. The hurler threw 24 pitches, and the Windjammers jumped on top with an RBI double by Caleb McFarland, plating Taylor Hall, who had walked with two outs.
The visitors kept coming in the second as Luedee tossed another 23 pitches and permitted three runs. Andrew Flanagan singled and stole second, one of eight stolen bases on the day for the Windjammers. Alex Crans picked up an RBI with a double, and Carlson’s two-run single made it a 4-0 game.
“We were doing the little things wrong, like not holding runners on base, and that allowed them to steal at least twice as many bases as (catcher) Wade Hunt has allowed all year,” said Olson.
Morse found some offense in the home half of the second frame. Hunt and Liam McDonough opened the inning with back-to-back singles.
With one out, Gary Stevens sliced a single to right field to score Hunt, who slid in under the tag of Camden catcher Kyle Olehnik.
McDonough also had to slide to score a run, coming home on a wild pitch to cut the Shipbuilders’ deficit in half.
Camden scratched a run across in the fourth. Joe Chamberlain singled, moved to second on a stolen base and scored on a sacrifice fly by Hall.
Down 5-2, Morse got back within two when Hunt singled, stole second and came home on a Luedee single, and the Shipbuilders clawed to 5-4 in the sixth as pinch runner Aaron Barrett scampered to the plate when a throw to first base on an infield single by Paul Whalen skipped past the Windjammers’ first baseman for the only error of the contest.
“This group just refused to give up, and is never out of a game,” said Olson, whose squad visits Oak Hill on Friday.
Camden put the game away in the seventh against reliever
Trent Moore. With one out, Chandler Crans singled, followed by consecutive walks to Flanagan, Alex Crans and Chamberlain (RBI). A two-out walk to Olehnik finished the scoring.
Flanagan was 3-for-3 with a walk for the Windjammers, while Carlson, McFarland and Chamberlain each picked up two hits.
Carlson struck out seven, walked two and permitted seven hits for the mound win.
Luedee went 4.2 innings, striking out one, walking three and allowing 10 hits on 87 pitches.
Zach Groat and Moore finished up, combining on one strikeout and four walks.
Hunt paced the Shipbuilder offense with a 2-for-3 afternoon, while Moore doubled.
Camden Hills 7, Morse 4
At Kelley Field, Bath
Camden — 130 100 2 — 7-11-1
Morse — 020 101 0 — 4- 7-0
Adam Carlson and Kyle Olehnik; Chris Luedee, Zach Groat (5), Trent Moore (7) and Wade Hunt.
Doubles — (CH) Adam Carlson, Alex Crans; (Mo) Trent Moore.
Repeat hitters — (CH) Adam Carlson, Caleb McFarland, Andrew Flanagan (3), Joe Chamberlain; (Mo) Wade Hunt.
Records — Camden 7-7, Morse 11-3.
Next for the Shipbuilders — Friday at Oak Hill, 4:15 p.m.
sports@timesrecord.com
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