SPNLL Opening Day upcoming

The South Portland National Little League will hold its Opening Day ceremonies Saturday at 9 a.m., at the Little League fields on Pine Street. The festivities will include the introduction of the league’s teams and coaches. About 300 boys and girls from ages 5 to 14 are participating. The ceremonies will feature South Portland High School boys’ basketball coach Phil Conley and the Red Riots, who made it to the Class A state final last month. The festivities will also include “Slugger,” the Portland Sea Dogs’ mascot, and a South Portland Color Guard.

SMCC spring season winding down

Southern Maine Community College’s baseball team had a busy and successful weekend, playing three doubleheaders and winning five of six games. The Seawolves swept U. Maine-Presque Isle (3-1 and 4-1) and New Hampshire Technical Institute (20-10, in five innings, and 7-6) before splitting with Dean College (losing, 4-2, and winning, 15-14, in nine innings, as South Portland’s Zach Horton scored the winning run on a throwing error). SMCC is 20-20-1 overall and 9-1 in the Yankee Small College Conference. The Seawolves were home with Northern Essex CC Wednesday and will host the YSCC tournament this weekend. Additionally, Jeremy Gearty was named YSCC Player of the Week after producing nine hits, including three doubles, in the six games.  Softball was swept in a twinbill at NHTI (11-9 and 3-2), then split two with Dean College (falling, 5-3, before winning, 9-6, behind three hits and two RBI from Kathryn Chicoine). SMCC (7-17 overall, 6-6 in conference) will travel to NHTI for the conference playoffs this weekend.