By Bob McPhee,Staff Writer

DIXFIELD – The Dirigo baseball team is obviously on a mission.

The Cougars received another shot in the arm from Spencer Berry and utilized some timely hitting to extend their unbeaten streak to eight games, following an impressive 11-2 win against Mt. Abram in MVC action at Harlow Park on Tuesday.

The game was tied 2-2, but Dirigo (11-1) broke it wide open by scoring nine runs in the fifth and sixth innings. The key blows were two RBI singles by Jon Smith, Aaron Fenstermacher and Gary Holman. Every Cougar in the starting lineup contributed with either a hit or run scored or RBI.

“This team is coming around,” Berry said. “We didn’t play well in a 6-4 win at Carrabec on Saturday, but we’re playing as a team. This season is dedicated to Craig Langervin who died this winter. Everybody on the team knew him and we miss him.”

It was Berry who turned in a yeoman performance with a complete game five-hitter. The junior righty kept the Roadrunner batters off-balance with a slow-breaking change-up. He pitched out of a jam in the fifth and also was supported by several strong defensive plays.

Mt. Abram (8-4) entered the game with plenty of momentum after having upset top-ranked Jay on Monday. The Roadrunners tied the score in the fourth on an RBI double by David Fullerton and a Chris Smith batted ball.

On the play, Fenstermacher threw Smith out from right field. Cougar second baseman Josh Daley caught a sharp grounder, tagged Wyatt Johnson out and threw to first baseman Chris Richards to complete the double play.

Mt. Abram pitcher Jordan Norton held the Dirigo batters in check, but the aggressive batters eventually solved the problem.

“We’ve been very aggressive at the plate,” Berry said. “(Norton) was throwing a strike on the first pitch, so the team went up there swinging.”

Dirigo got things going in the fifth with singles by Richards, Derek Daley (two runs) and Josh Daley. The latter was a perfectly executed drag bunt and Smith (two runs) promptly drove home two. Holman had an RBI sacrifice fly and Fenstermacher’s hit sealed the deal.

“We got some big hits in the fifth,”Dirigo coach Donnie Hebert said. “Fenstermacher’s hit was with two outs and Josh Daley’ bunt was excellent. But, Spencer Berry deserves a lot off credit for pitching seven innings. He has a sore arm, but he battled threw it.”

The Cougars jumped ahead on a two-run RBI double by Levi Hutchins in the second. Dekota Holmquist scored a run and had an RBI sac fly. Scott Walsh was inserted as a pinch runner and scored.

“We’ve got two games left,” Josh Daley said. “They are important, so we’d like to win them both and keep our successful season going, and we think we can do it.”

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