While the early-season lacrosse schedule has already produced multiple premier matchups (please see story), baseball, softball, track and tennis have also seen their share of triumph and drama.

Here’s a glimpse of how things look in the early stages of a very quick spring campaign.

Baseball

Yarmouth’s highly touted baseball team was undefeated at press time. The Clippers opened with an 11-0 triumph at Lake Region, then downed visiting Wells (9-4), Freeport (16-7) and Poland (13-3, in six innings). Against the Warriors, senior Chris Lawlor struck out eight in six shutout innings. Senior Aidan Sullivan had three hits, including a double, drove in a pair of runs and stole two bases. In the win over the Falcons, junior Bryce Snyder launched a grand slam home run and drove in five runs. Senior Campbell Belisle-Haley had a single, double and triple and Sullivan had four hits. Yarmouth erased a 3-0 deficit with a six-run third inning, then, after falling behind, 7-6, scored three times in the fifth before putting it away with seven runs in the sixth. Against the Knights, Sullivan went the distance, allowing just four hits. Offensively, Belisle-Haley, Snyder, Sullivan and senior Dustin McCrossin all had multiple hits. Yarmouth hosted Gray-New Gloucester Wednesday, visits Fryeburg Saturday and hosts York Monday before facing a regional final rematch at Cape Elizabeth next Wednesday.

Greely won its first four games, but fell from the unbeaten ranks Monday. After an explosive weekend which featured wins over host York (12-1, in five innings) and visiting Lake Region (8-1), the Rangers and longtime rival Cape Elizabeth battled for nine innings Monday before the Capers won, 8-4. Against the Wildcats, junior Mike Leeman had his second straight stellar start and junior Pete Stauber had three hits, including a home run. Senior Matt Labbe and junior Liam Maker also had multiple hits. In the win over the Lakers, freshman Bailey Train allowed just one hit and struck out five in six innings in his first varsity start, earning the victory. Greely couldn’t hold a 3-0 lead against the Capers. The Rangers hosted Falmouth Wednesday, go to Freeport Thursday and return home Monday to meet Fryeburg.

Falmouth lost its opener at Wells, but improved to 2-1 with recent wins over host Freeport (14-4, in five innings) and host Gray-New Gloucester (9-2). Sophomore Thomas Fortier earned the win over the Falcons as senior Dillon Dresser homered and sophomore Drew Proctor drove in four runs. Monday, at the Patriots, Dresser threw a five-hitter to earn the victory and junior Ryan MacDonald powered the offense with four hits. The Yachtsmen were at Greely Wednesday, host Lake Region Friday and go to Poland Monday.

Freeport battled hard in its first four games, but dropped them all. Monday, however, the Falcons got in the win column, 9-5, over visiting Fryeburg. Junior Sawyer Williams earned the victory in relief and junior Kaleb Farmer and sophomore Connor Dietrich had a pair of hits each. Freeport was coming off losses to Falmouth (14-4, in five innings) and Yarmouth (16-7). Junior Josh Weirich had a couple hits against the Yachtsmen. Sophomore Nick Cartmell and junior Luke LaMagna each had two versus the Clippers. Freeport is home against Greely Thursday and visits Lake Region Monday.

In Western C, North Yarmouth Academy (a 26-0, five inning winner over Sacopee its first time out) fell to 1-1 last Wednesday after a 6-5 loss at Old Orchard Beach. The Panthers returned to action Wednesday at home against OOB. After hosting Sacopee in a doubleheader Saturday, NYA will host Gray-New Gloucester Monday.

Softball

On the softball side, Greely was off to a blistering start before running into Cape Elizabeth Monday. The Rangers enjoyed a 25-0 (five inning) win at York Friday and blanked visiting Lake Region (7-0) Saturday to improve to 4-0, but only managed one run at home against the Capers, losing 2-1. At York, sophomore Danielle Cimino only allowed two hits, doubled twice and drove in three runs. Mykaela Twitchell tripled and homered. In the win over the Lakers, Cimino threw a one-hitter, tripled and drove in a pair. Caroline Hamilton had a pair of hits and Lindsey Arsenault tripled. Cimino only surrendered two hits in the loss, but Greely mustered only four. The Rangers hosted Falmouth Wednesday, visit Freeport Thursday and are home against three-time defending regional champion Fryeburg Monday.

Yarmouth is also 4-1. The Clippers beat visiting Wells (7-2) and Freeport (4-0) last week, fell, 9-3, at Fryeburg Saturday, then bounced back Monday with a 5-2 home win over Poland. Junior Suzanne Driscoll had three hits and sophomore McKenzie Gray earned the victory against the Warriors. Driscoll drove in a pair and senior Laura Klepinger and Gray combined for the shutout versus the Falcons. In the loss, Klepinger tripled and Gray and senior Julie Dursema had multiple hits. Monday, Senior Abbie Hutchinson and Gray combined to hold the Knights to four hits. Freshman Monica Austin had a clutch RBI triple. Dursema and freshman Alexa Sullivan both had a pair of hits. Yarmouth was home against Gray-New Gloucester Wednesday, visits Traip Thursday and hosts York Monday.

Falmouth bounced back from its 4-3 loss at Wells in the opener with a 4-1 home win over Freeport last Wednesday. Senior Sarah Collmus earned the win, striking out seven. Senior Kelsey Freedman got the save and had a couple hits. The following day, in the rain, the Yachtsmen lost at home to Cape Elizabeth, 7-4. The Capers scored three times in the top of the second as three wind-blown pop flies landed safely on the infield. After Falmouth got back to 3-2 in the bottom half, Cape Elizabeth scored three more runs in the third. The game was stopped 35 minutes after lightning was viewed in the area. When the game resumed, the Yachtsmen attempted to rally, scoring single runs in the fifth and seventh, but it wasn’t enough.  Freedman took the loss, despite 11 strikeouts. Collmus, Freedman and junior Allie Carver all had multiple hits.

“We dug a hole,” said Falmouth coach John Keyes. “We had the one inning where we gave them three runs with the ball not leaving the infield. Cape hit the ball and made us make plays and we couldn’t make them. The good part is that we didn’t quit and that we hit.”

Falmouth rolled, 7-2, at Gray-New Gloucester Monday (Collmus threw a two-hitter and Freedman had a pair of hits, including a triple). The Yachtsmen were at Greely Wednesday, welcome Lake Region Friday and visit Poland Monday of next week. They expect to keep improving.

“I think this is the best team I’ve coached here,” Keyes said. “The reason why is because they’re all into it. They come every day ready to play. We have big ones coming up. Hopefully we’ll get over that hump.”

Freeport captured its opener, but has dropped four in a row since, capped by recent losses to host Falmouth (4-1), host Yarmouth (4-0) and visiting Fryeburg (8-0). Sophomore Leigh Wyman had three hits and an RBI in the loss to the Yachtsmen. Wyman also threw a two-hitter in the loss to the Clippers. Freeport was at Sacopee Wednesday, hosts Greely Thursday and goes to Lake Region Monday.

In Western C, first-year NYA is 0-2, losing five-inning affairs to Sacopee (19-2) and Old Orchard Beach (12-0). The Panthers tried again Wednesday against visiting Old Orchard Beach. They host Sacopee for a doubleheader Saturday and welcome Gray-New Gloucester Monday.

Track

A new outdoor track season is underway and Falmouth’s boys beat NYA, Fryeburg and host Wells last week in their first meet.

Event winners for the Yachtsmen included Will Wegener (100, 11.34 seconds, and 400, 52.05), Matt Goldstein (racewalk, 7 minutes, 55.70 seconds, and discus, 97 feet, 4.5 inches), Justin Hovey (300 hurdles, 47.14), Jacob Buhelt (200, 23.00), Ryan Tartre (high jump, 5-9, Reid Pryzant (long jump, 18-1), Andrew Kowalsky (shot put, 41-6.75), Matt Kingry (javelin, 148-1.5) and the 400 relay team (46.91).

The Panthers got wins from Mohamed Dahia (110 hurdles, 16.11), Alex Coffin (800, 2:05.89) and their 1,600 relay (3:48.52).

In the girls’ competition, Falmouth was first, while NYA came in fourth. The Yachtsmen got wins from Sarah Abramson (racewalk, 9:50.04), Catherine Hebson (mile, 5:35.80), Olivia Hoch (800, 2:35.63), Kate Sparks (javelin, 70-0), Jenna Serunian (discus, 95-9.5, and shot put, 36-00.25), Jena Mannette (400, 1:06.79) and their 3,200 relay team (12:29.24).

Panthers wins came from Maura Anderson (300 hurdles, 1:15.42), Hillary Detert (two-mile, 12:48.08) and Moira Lachance (high jump, 4-6).

Freeport and Greely joined A.R. Gould and Old Orchard Beach at Lake Region. The Rangers were first in both meets. The Falcons boys placed second, the girls third.

In the boys’ meet, Greely got victories from Nathan Madeira in the mile (4:54.1), Stefan Sandreuter in the two-mile (11:08.6), Jesse Leeman (long jump, 17-7.5), Ben Giffard (triple jump, 33-1), Michael Burgess (shot put, 51 feet), Jack Fellows (discus, 136-7) and Alex Parenteau (javelin, 170-2), Isaac Emery (300 hurdles, 47.0, and pole vault, 7 feet), Tanner Storey (high jump, 6-2) and their 400 (48.3) and 1,600 (3:51.2) relay teams.

Freeport winners included Ryan Collet in the 100 (11.6) and 200 (23.7), Harrison Stivers (400, 54.7) and Taylor Saucier (800, 2:05.9).

On the girls’ side, Greely winners included Sara Schad (400, 1:05.1), Jessica Wilson (800, 2:36.7), Kirstin Sandreuter (mile, 5:31.3), Sarah Ingraham (long jump, 14-9), Meghan Crowley (triple jump, 31-4.5), Cassidy Storey (shot put, 32-11.25), Katherine Harrington (discus, 107-1), Kaley Sawyer (high jump, 4-8), Abby Bonnevie (pole vault, 8 feet) and its 1,600 relay (4:32.8).

Freeport’s lone winner was Kelly Edwards in the two-mile (12:53.5).

Yarmouth went to York, along with Gray-New Gloucester, Seacoast Christian and Waynflete. The boys were third and the girls came in fourth.

Tennis

The three-time defending Class B state champion Falmouth girls’ tennis team is one again crushing all foes, winning its first four matches by 5-0 scores this spring. The Yachtsmen have downed Fryeburg, Freeport, Old Orchard Beach and York to date. They host Yarmouth Friday. The Clippers beat York (4-1) and Waynflete (3-2) to start the year, then lost, 3-2, to NYA Monday. The Panthers, the four-time reigning Class C champions, improved to 3-0 with that victory. They previously downed Old Orchard Beach (5-0) and Fryeburg (5-0). Greely has beaten York (3-2) and Lake Region (5-0) in the early going. Freeport lost to Waynflete (4-1) and Falmouth (5-0) to start the year, then got in the win column, 5-0, at Lake Region.

On the boys’ side, Falmouth has yet to surrender a point in its start, beating Freeport (3-0), Fryeburg, Greely and York (5-0). The Falcons lost to Falmouth and Waynflete (4-1) their first two times out, then downed Lake Region,3-2. Greely lost its first two matches, 5-0, to York and Falmouth, then blanked Lake Region, 5-0, Monday. Yarmouth is 1-3 to date, losing to York (5-0) and Waynflete and NYA by 3-2 scores. The Clippers downed NYA, 3-2, last week. The improved Panthers lost 3-2 to NYA and Fryeburg to start, then got in the win column Monday with the 3-2 victory over Yarmouth.

              Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net and followed on Twitter @foresports

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Greely senior Sean Ross dives back into second base before the tag can be applied during Monday’s home showdown with rival Cape Elizabeth. The Rangers dropped an 8-4 decision in nine innings.

Greely junior third baseman Liam Maker prepares to field a ground ball during the latter stages of Monday’s loss. The Rangers fell to 4-1 with the setback.