Mt. Blue celebrates with a 3-2 win over Gardiner.
By Bob McPhee
Staff Writer

FARMINGTON – The Mt. Blue baseball team received a confidence booster under the lights at Hippach Field Friday night.

In a night of celebration, the Cougars Justin Tibbetts pitched a masterful two-hit, complete game, and Craig Simpson drove in the eventual winning run in the bottom of the second inning in a 3-2 KVAC victory over Gardiner in front of 350 fans.

Mt. Blue improved to 7-4 after winning its four games this week. The successful stretch included triumphs over Cony and Lawrence.

Gardiner (4-7) also received an outstanding pitching performance by Kris Ramsay who allowed six singles and struckout 10 batters. The Tiger right hander was hurt by shoddy defense in the first two innings, but remained composed and recorded at least one strikeout in each inning.

In a pregame ceremony, the new state-of-the-art digital scoreboard in the outfield was renamed in honor of Warren “Red” Dean. Dean was a well-known figure in the community and was a standout pitcher in the former Pine Tree League. Dean was drafted by the Milwaukee Braves and played in its minor league system. He was the first-ever baseball coach at Mt. Blue and also coached at Wilton Academy and Farmington high schools. Dean was inducted into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001.

“I really wouldn’t have believed that winning four games this week was possible,” Mt. Blue coach Gary Parlin said. “It has been an emotional draining week, but the kids stayed together and gave it everything they had. If I called practice for Saturday morning, it would be a surprise to see any one attend it because they’re exhausted.”

Gardiner got on the board with two unearned runs in the first inning. Ramsay and Mike Burden each scored after the Cougar infield committed two errors.

But Tibbetts took control and had a no-hitter going through five innings. The righty retired 12 batters in a row from the second inning on until Burden hit a liner past Cougar second baseman Jason Shaw. Tibbetts finished with three strikeouts and two walks

“Justin had thrown well this spring,” Parlin said. “The first inning has been hard to get through, but from the second to the seventh inning he has been unbeatable. Plus, our defense made some good plays, especially Aaron Wolfe at shortstop. He has bided his time, played third base two seasons, but now makes the hard plays and the routine ones.”

Mt. Blue scored an unearned run by Shaw in the first and then put things together in the second inning. Brian Wells, Ben Paytas, Ben Saviello and Simpson each singled. Wells was the lone repeat hitter

Gardiner threatened in the sixth as Tom Colby doubled to put runners in scoring position, but Tibbetts caught a snow cone off the bat of Nate Munzing for the final out.

“We just couldn’t get any hits,” Gardiner coach Jim Palmer said. “We also threw the ball around early, but it was quite a pitchers duel, both of them were rearing back and grunting on every pitch.”