(Ed. Note: For the complete Falmouth-Cape Elizabeth boys’ lacrosse and Greely-Falmouth and Yarmouth-Kennebunk girls’ lacrosse game stories, with photos and box scores, see theforecaster.net)

The baseball, softball and lacrosse playoffs are upon us and local teams will be in the middle of the fun.

Here’s a look at who’s done what and who is playing where as the fun really begins.

Baseball

Four of five local baseball teams have made the playoffs.

In Western A, Falmouth closed the regular season on a 10-game win streak, capped by a 3-2 victory at Poland last Tuesday, to finish 14-2 and second in the Heal Points standings. Against the Knights, Colin Coyne and Connor MacDowell drove in runs, a third run scored on an error and Addison Foltmer allowed two runs on four hits, fanned four and walked three in six innings to pick up the win. Will D’Agostino closed it out with a 1-2-3 seventh.

“I thought Addy threw a great game today,” Falmouth coach Kevin Winship said. “He kept the ball down. I thought he kept them off-balance for the most part. His pitch count got up there a little bit. We thought he was getting a little bit tired.”

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“(D’Agostino) is a great pitcher for an inning. He throws gas,” Foltmer said. “It’s a nice change of pace to have him come in.”

Rightfielder Reece Armitage and centerfielder Connor Aube both made pivotal catches in the outfield.

“Coming up with that defense I think was a big momentum shift for us,” Winship said.

The Yachtsmen will host either No. 7 Kennebunk (10-6) or No. 10 Westbrook (9-7), the defending state champion, in Thursday’s quarterfinal round. The Blue Blazes and Rams met in a preliminary round contest Tuesday. Falmouth split with the Rams this year, falling, 7-5, in Kennebunk May 12 and eking out a 5-4 home victory over the Rams eight days later. The teams have never met in the postseason. Falmouth and Westbrook have no history.

In Western B, Greely earned the No. 2 seed after a solid 13-3 campaign. The Rangers will host either No. 7 Gray-New Gloucester (9-7) or No. 10 Yarmouth (8-8) in Thursday’s quarterfinals. Greely held off visiting Yarmouth, 5-4, May 7 and rolled at the Patriots, 10-0, in six innings, two weeks later. The Rangers have split four prior playoff meetings with the Clippers, with a 7-5 Greely victory in the 2011 Western B Final the most recent. Greely has no playoff history with Gray-New Gloucester.

Freeport’s three-game win streak to end the regular season gave it a 7-9 record and the No. 9 seed in Western B. The Falcons went to No. 8 Wells (9-7) for a preliminary round game Tuesday. Freeport lost at home to the Warriors, 3-0, way back on April 28. The teams had no playoff history. If the Falcons advanced, they would go to top-ranked Lincoln (12-4) Thursday for the quarterfinals. The teams don’t play in the regular season. The last playoff meeting came in the 1985 Western C semifinals (an 8-7 victory for the Eagles).

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Yarmouth finished 8-8 after a 10-5 home loss to Kennebunk last Tuesday (Luke Klenda had two hits, including a home run). The Clippers still managed to snare the 10th and final playoff spot in Western B and went to No. 7 Gray-New Gloucester (9-7) for a prelim Tuesday. Yarmouth lost at home to the Patriots, 4-1, back on May 5. The Clippers had won three of the prior four postseason encounters, the most recent being a 5-0 quarterfinal round victory in 2011.

North Yarmouth Academy wound up ninth in Western D (only seven teams qualified) after finishing 1-12.

Looking ahead, the semifinals are Saturday on the fields of the higher remaining seeds. The Western A Final is Tuesday at St. Joseph’s College. The Western B Final is Wednesday, also at St. Joe’s. The Class A state final is Saturday, June 21, at St. Joe’s. The Class B state game is the same day in Bangor.

Softball

Falmouth, Greely and Yarmouth’s softball teams are looking to make playoff runs.

In Western A, Falmouth wound up sixth at 10-6 after closing with a 6-1 victory at Poland last Tuesday. Liz Walker singled, doubled and tripled and scored three times and Amanda Carver earned the win. The Yachtsmen hosted No. 11 Marshwood (5-11) in a preliminary round game Tuesday. The teams had no history. If Falmouth advanced, it would go to No. 3 Cheverus (13-3) for the quarterfinals Thursday. The teams have no history.

In Western B, Greely and Yarmouth are on a quarterfinal round collision course.

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The Clippers closed by winning their final six games, capped by a 12-0 (five inning) home victory over Kennebunk last Tuesday. Cat Thompson threw a one-hitter and singled and doubled, while Eleanor O’Gorman had three hits and six RBI. Yarmouth’s 10-6 record gave it the No. 4 seed in the region and allows it to host Greely in quarterfinals Thursday afternoon. The Rangers finished 11-5 and fifth.

Greely won the regular season meeting, rallying for a 5-4 home win on May 7. The Rangers also won the two prior playoff encounters, including a 9-3 quarterfinal round decision a year ago.

Freeport finished 4-12 and 14th in Western B, but only 10 teams qualified.

Looking ahead, the semifinals are Saturday on the fields of the higher remaining seeds. The Western A Final is Tuesday at St. Joseph’s College. The Western B Final is Wednesday, also at St. Joe’s. The Class A state final is Saturday, June 21, at St. Joe’s. The Class B state game is the same day in Brewer.

Boys’ lacrosse

All five local boys’ lacrosse teams are playoff-bound.

Falmouth appears to have the best shot at making a title run. The 2011 and 2012 Class B champions go into the playoffs second in Western Class B behind undefeated, defending champion Cape Elizabeth with a 9-3 mark after falling at home to the Capers in the finale last Wednesday, 12-10. Joe Dancoes had four goals, but it wasn’t enough as the Yachtsmen lost to their rival for the fifth straight time.

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“I told the guys not to worry about the final score today, just on improving as a team and getting better,” said Falmouth coach Mike LeBel. “When we play our best game, it’s tough to beat us.”

The Yachtsmen have a bye into Saturday’s semifinal round, when it will host either No. 3 Kennebunk (8-4) or sixth-ranked Fryeburg (6-6). Falmouth split with the Rams during the regular season, romping at home, 15-2, and losing at Kennebunk, 11-8. The Rams won the two previous playoff meetings, 13-9 in the 2004 West Region quarterfinals and 10-9 in the 2005 West Region quarterfinals. The Yachtsmen handled the visiting Raiders, 16-2, during the regular season. The teams have never met in the playoffs.

Greely wound up fourth in Western B at 7-5 after closing with a 15-8 home loss to Kennebunk last Thursday. Sam Doolittle had three goals in defeat. The Rangers hosted No. 5 Waynflete (8-4) in the quarterfinals Wednesday (see theforecaster.net for game story). The teams didn’t play this year. Waynflete won both prior playoff encounters (8-5 in the 2003 quarterfinals and 11-8 in the 2005 preliminary round).

In Eastern B, Freeport finished second at 7-5 (its best record since 2010) despite falling at Waynflete, 20-11, in the finale last Thursday. Sam Wogan had seven goals and Zac Wogan made 20 saves. The Falcons hosted No. 7 Oak Hill (4-8) in the quarterfinals Wednesday. The teams didn’t play in the regular season. Freeport took the only prior playoff encounter (12-5 in the 2004 preliminary round).

Yarmouth ended a skid of four losses in five outings with a 4-2 home win over NYA Friday night. Bill Jacobs scored twice. The Clippers wound up 7-5 and fourth in Eastern B and hosted No. 5 Gardiner (8-4) in the quarterfinals Wednesday. The teams didn’t play this year. Yarmouth holds a 2-1 all-time postseason edge over the Tigers, with the most recent encounter being a 15-3 Clippers’ victory in last year’s regional final.

NYA fell to 2-10 after its 4-2 loss at Yarmouth (Wes Bright did score both Panthers goals). It still managed to secure the eighth and final playoff spot in Eastern B and went to top-ranked Maranacook/Winthrop (12-0) for a quarterfinal Wednesday. The Panthers lost at home to the Black Bears in the opener way back on April 26, 6-1. NYA won the lone prior playoff meeting, 16-5, in the 2012 quarterfinals.

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The regional finals for lacrosse are Wednesday of next week. Games will be hosted by teams with higher seeds. The Class A and Class B Finals are Saturday, June 21 at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland.

Girls’ lacrosse

On the girls’ side, Yarmouth easily finished atop the Eastern B Heal Points standings with a 10-2 record, despite falling in its finale last Wednesday, 8-6, to Kennebunk on Senior Night. The Clippers’ normally unstoppable offense was held at bay, as Shannon Fallon was the only multiple scorer with two goals and Yarmouth’s win streak ended at 10 games.

“I wish we’d won on Senior Night, but now we know what we need to do,” said Clippers coach Dorothy Holt. “They wanted it more than we did. They made fewer mistakes than we did. Give them credit. They just came out on top tonight.”

Yarmouth will host either No. 4 Gardiner (8-4) or No. 5 NYA (4-8) in a semifinal round game Friday at 5 p.m. The Clippers don’t play the Tigers in the regular season. Yarmouth won the one previous playoff meeting, 22-4, in the 2010 quarterfinals. The Clippers handled the visiting Panthers, 17-8, on May 22. Yarmouth and NYA have played nine previous times in the postseason, with the Panthers winning five. The most recent was a 6-5 Clippers’ victory in a thrilling regional final three years ago.

“Nothing’s guaranteed,” Holt said. “Just because you have 10 wins doesn’t mean you’ll make it to the finals. Every team has won and lost. Every team is beatable. We know what we have to do. Now we just have to go do it.”

Freeport capped the best season in program history at 10-2 after a 14-8 home victory over NYA on Senior Day. Meredith Broderick and Lizzy Martin both scored three times and Molly Lane made nine saves. The Falcons wound up second in Eastern B and will host either No. 3 Morse (10-2) or No. 6 Camden Hills (6-6) in semifinals Friday or Saturday. Freeport was a 10-9 overtime winner at the Shipbuilders on May 3 and did not face the Windjammers this spring. The Falcons beat Camden Hills, 8-7, in the 2007 quarterfinals. Freeport and Morse have no playoff history.

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Despite its regular season-ending 14-8 loss at Freeport to cap the season (Olivia Madore did have four goals), NYA snapped a two-year playoff drought by earning the No. 5 seed in Eastern B at 4-8. The Panthers did not face Gardiner this year. NYA handled the Tigers, 16-4, in the 2011 semifinals in the lone prior playoff meeting.

In Western B, Greely will be a dangerous No. 4 seed. The Rangers wound up 6-6 after downing visiting Falmouth, 12-7, in their finale last Tuesday. Teal Otley had four goals and Cameron Keefe added three.

We had a lot to work on at the beginning of the season,” Otley said. “We knew we had a lot of strong individuals, but it took awhile to figure out how to work together.”

“I think we’re really coming together as a team on both ends,” said Greely coach Becca Koelker. “It’s nice to see. Everyone’s contributing. It really took a team effort both in our last win and this win.”

The Rangers hosted No. 5 York (7-5) in a quarterfinal round game Wednesday. Greely eked out a 10-9 overtime home win over the Wildcats back on May 7. The Rangers held off York two years ago in the quarterfinals, 12-10, in the only previous playoff encounter.

“We’re the underdogs,” Keefe said. “We’re underestimated and we’ll take that. We want to go to states our senior year.”

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Falmouth closed with a flourish, beating visiting York in an 9-8 triple-overtime thriller last Wednesday, Julia Spugnardi scored the winner. The Yachtsmen finished 4-8 and sixth in Western B. They went to No. 3 Cape Elizabeth (8-4) for a quarterfinal Wednesday (see theforecaster.net for game story). The Capers won both regular season meetings: 12-5 at home and 10-7 in Falmouth. The teams had met three previous times in the playoffs with Cape Elizabeth prevailing twice. The most recent encounter was a 14-12 Capers’ victory in the 2011 semifinals.

The regional finals for lacrosse are Wednesday of next week. Games will be hosted by teams with higher seeds. The Class A and Class B Finals are Saturday, June 21 at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland.

Sun Journal staff writer Randy Whitehouse contributed to this story.

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.

Sidebar Elements


Falmouth senior Julia Spugnardi (center) is mobbed by teammates (from left) freshman Sydney Bell and junior Elle Fitzgerald after her goal in “sudden victory” overtime beat York, 9-8, last week. The Yachtsmen earned the No. 6 seed for the Western B girls’ lacrosse playoffs.

Yarmouth senior Julia Primeau races upfield during last week’s 8-6 home loss to Kennebunk. The setback snapped the Clippers’ 10-game win streak, but Yarmouth is top seed for the Eastern Class B playoffs.


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