Familiarity is the theme of three of the four state championship baseball games being played Saturday, whether it’s familiar opponents or familiar storylines.

The one game that doesn’t come close to a been there, done that feel is the Class C championship (2 p.m., Mansfield Stadium in Bangor) pitting Lisbon (15-4) against Orono (13-6). In fact, this is the first Class C state title game for both schools. Both played for championships in Class B previously, Lisbon last appearance was a loss in 1994, and last won the title in 1979. Orono won its previous appearance in 1994.

The Greyhounds feed off of a strong senior nucleus, led by pitcher/outfielder Tyler Halls, catcher Nick Lerette and shortstop/pitcher Ryley Austin. 

Halls, a lefthander, started Wednesday’s 12-5 regional final win over Monmouth but was lifted in time so he would be eligible to pitch on Saturday. His replacement, sophomore Lucas Francis, is also available to pitch, as is Austin and every other arm on coach Randy Ridley’s roster.

“Everybody’s available. We stayed within the two-day rest period for both Tyler and Lucas,” Ridley said. “I think that’s going to be huge for this game. It gives us a little bit of flexibility.”

Orono also has some flexibility with its dynamic senior duo of Jackson Coutts and Nate DeSisto.

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Coutts, the son of former Edward Little star and current University of Maine softball coach Mike Coutts, is headed to the University of Rhode Island on a baseball scholarship. He threw three scoreless innings and picked up the win in relief of DeSisto in Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Dexter.

The Class A title game (2 p.m., Morton Field in Augusta) between Bangor and Falmouth is the lone rematch. Adding to its historical significance, Bangor (15-4) is hoping to become the first Class A team to win four consecutive state titles since it accomplished the feat 1994-97.

Falmouth (18-1) hopes to avenge last year’s 5-0 loss to the Rams, and set itself up to take its best shot by limiting ace Cam Guarino’s pitch count in Wednesday’s A South championship game so that he would be available for Saturday. Bangor let its ace, go the distance in its 3-0 A North final win over Mt. Ararat, but the Rams still have Nick Cowperthwaite, who shut out Oxford Hills, 7-0, in the semifinals. 

The Class B championship (4:30 p.m., St. Joseph’s College) isn’t a rematch, but it does have a strikingly similar matchup. Defending champion Old Town (16-3) once again hopes to end the Cinderella run of the challenger from B South. 

Last year, it was Freeport, which pulled off several upsets as a No. 7 seed before the clock struck midnight against Old Town, 12-2. This year, Yarmouth (14-5) came out of the ninth seed to shock southern Maine. The Clippers are playing for their first Class B title and first state championship since winning Class C in 1995.

The Class D title game (1 p.m., St. Joseph’s College) between Bangor Christian (14-5) and Searsport (16-3) is actually the third meeting between the two teams this season. Searsport hosted a doubleheader on May 8 and swept the Patriots, 2-0 and 7-4.

With a win on Saturday, the Vikings would collect their third consecutive Class D championship, matching a feat Bangor Christian accomplished in the three years prior to Searsport’s first title.


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