Our Communities. Our Teams. Our Future.
We’re proud to make high school sports coverage free for everyone—because these moments matter. At Maine State Credit Union, we’re here for the people and places that make Maine strong. Let’s Go! Learn more at mainestatecu.org. 

View 7 photos

AUGUSTA — For the third time this postseason, the Mt. Ararat baseball team found itself in a one-run game. For the third time, Mt. Ararat was on the winning side.

And for the first time since 2004, the top-seeded Eagles are headed to the Class A state championship game after beating Bangor in the Class A North final, 4-3, on Tuesday.

“It wasn’t the best way to win it, but it sure feels good,” Mt. Ararat pitcher Stan Spooner said shortly after recording the final out.

After giving up a game-tying two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning, Spooner (seven innings, four hits, three earned runs, two walks, seven strikeouts) returned to the dugout and asked his teammates for some hits. They delivered.

Senior designated hitter Nick Creek (1 for 2) started the inning with a single, then a single by pinch hitter Tyler Thibeault put runners on the corners with one out. Bangor brought in pitcher Kyle Johnson, whose home run over the right-field wooden wall in the top half of the inning made it 3-3, but Johnson’s second pitch went wide and allowed Creek to score the go-ahead run.

Spooner retired the side in the seventh to punch Mt. Ararat’s ticket to Saturday’s state final. The Eagles (16-3) will play South champion Biddeford (15-4) at St. Joseph’s College in Standish.

Bangor, the third seed in the North, ends its season at 13-6.

“(Mt. Ararat) had a great year,” Bangor coach Dave Morris said. “Their pitcher pitched a great game. I mean, he really competed, and when he needed to throw a strike or he needed to get an out, he got it. Then, when they needed a timely hit, they got the timely hit. We had a couple there, we just needed a few more.”

Tuesday’s regional final was Mt. Ararat’s fifth straight game decided by one run, and its 10th one-run game this season.

“I said it last time, we have a great team, great camaraderie, we stay in games, we fight,” sophomore third baseman Will Davis said. “There was a big change in momentum there, when (Johnson) hit the home run to right, but what was so great about it is we stayed in it. And even though the momentum switched, it didn’t seem like it did to us, because we were so locked in and we knew that we could get that run back.”

For the first time this postseason, the Eagles scored first with a first-inning two-out double to the fence from senior first baseman Andrew Clemons (1 for 3, RBI).

Junior shortstop Teddy Stephenson scored Bangor’s first run in the fourth inning on a fielder’s choice grounder by third baseman Ethan Sproul.

Mt. Ararat regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth with a two-out RBI double from Davis (2 for 4, RBI) and an error at third on a hard-hit grounder by senior shortstop Ethan Berry (1 for 4, run).

Outside of the sixth, Bangor never had more than four at-bats an inning. A divot in the mound near Spooner’s left foot impacted some of his pitches, particularly his curveball, but his fastball proved to be effective down the stretch. Spooner said he did not let the sixth-inning home run rattle him by trying to calm down in between innings and taking a deep breath before each pitch in the seventh.

“I thought Stan was getting stronger as a game went along. I thought his fastball was really good,” Mt. Ararat coach Brett Chase said. “And Stan is that way, he’ll throw 200 pitches, he doesn’t care. So, there was really no question whether or not to bring him back out (in the seventh inning.)”

Chase added: “It’s just hard to wrap my head around it. I mean, these guys have worked so hard, just all the hard work… I just told the guys enjoy it tonight, we get back to work tomorrow.”