DIXFIELD – When third base coach Dave ‘Buzzy’ Berry asked Dekota Holmquist if the play was possible, there was no hesitation and the Dirigo baseball team reaped the benefits in a the regular-season finale.

Holmquist stole home with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning with the eventual winning run and Aaron Fenstermacher went the distance on the mound as the Cougars survived 2-1 against Hall-Dale at Harlow Park.

The heroic ending offset the performance of Hall-Dale pitcher Ryan Leach, who threw a no-hitter as the Cougar batters were completely baffled through out the game. The Cougars’ aggressive on the base paths and a strong defense that made the difference.

The outcome was a double-edged sword for Dirigo, who despite finishing with a 13-2 record, will not play in the Mountain Valley Conference championship game because of the format.

The MVC has 14 countable games, however, it allows each team to schedule additional games. Dirigo and Livermore Falls (three losses) split in head-to-head, but the Andies will play against Winthrop in the title game. Dirigo, who won the MVC crown in 2006, beat the Andies in April, however, the game didn’t count in the MVC. Livermore Falls beat the Cougars by one run last month. “The boys had found out prior to the game that they wouldn’t be playing in the MVC game,” Dirigo coach Dave Lafleur said. “They were extremely disappointed, so they had trouble staying focused. Still, with no hits we were lucky to win. We actually stole it.”

Holmquist drew a walk with one out in the sixth and then stole second and third. Leach struck out Levi Hutchins and had two strikes on Ryan Lafleur.

“I didn’t go on my own,” Holmquist said. “Coach Berry looked over and asked me if I could steal home. I said, sure.”

Holmquist took a big lead because Leach didn’t look over, and his curve ball forced catcher Jake Levesque to reach on the right side of home plate. This movement allowed Holmquist to slide in safely.

“We had to try it,” Berry said. “We certainly weren’t hitting the ball and it was late in the game.”

Hall Dale 7-8 had tied the game in the fifth on a Tyler Cummibs single that scored Dan Aloysette, when the right fielder bobbled the ball. On a prior play, Cougar catcher Eric Bolduc tagged out Nick Keene, who broke for home on a broken play.

“A suicide squeeze had been called,” HD coach Tim Johnson said. “But the batter missed the verbal signal and it was big because the next batter got a hit. Ryan Leach has a 1-6 record because he had pitched against the iron teams in the MVC.”

Dirigo scored in the first when Derek Daley walked, stole two bases and raced home on a wild pitch. The game featured several outstanding defensive plays, including second baseman Tyler Gates smothering the ball and Hutchins making a running catch for a third out. Ryan Lafleur threw to Jon Smith to nail a runner at second base. Fenstermacher (5-0, .085 ERA) scattered five hits, had six Ks and walked one.

“I felt good out there,” Fenstermcher said. “I struggled a little bit in the middle of the game, but I was able to mix-up my pitches.”