The Mid-Coast Babe Ruth League is ready to see who will be the cream of the crop next Tuesday, July 23 when No. 5 Rockland Cafe and No. 2 Waldo County matched up for the winner take all league championship game.

Both teams won their semifinal game Tuesday with Rockland Cafe coming from behind to take an 8-6 win while Waldo County defeated Swan Lake Grocery 5-2 to advance.

Rockland Cafe 8, Waldoboro 6… Trailing 4-3 heading into the bottom of the fifth, Rockland scored two runs in the firth and three more in the sixth  while holding Waldoboro to just one more run in the sixth and seventh for the 8-6 win.

Rockland used four pitchers to get the job done. Jacob Bartlett started and went 2 1/3 innings allowing four runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out one. Zack Peaco went 2 2/3 innings allowing one hit and five walks while striking out five. Logan Sheridan got the win pitching one inning allowing two runs on three hits and three walks. Nick Mazurek came in to close out the game for the save striking out the side to give Rockland Cafe the win.

Moore pitched for Waldoboro going the distance allowing eight runs, seven earned on 10 hits and six walks while striking out seven in the loss. (No first names provided for Waldoboro players).

Hitting for Rockland Cafe were, Sheridan (2 singles, double, 4 RBIs), Mazurek (2 singles, 2 RBIs, 3 runs), Peaco (2 singles, RBI, 2 runs), Jacob Bartlett (single, 2 runs), Zac Roman (single, run) and Matt Waldron (single).

For Waldoboro, Nick DePatsy (2 doubles, 2 RBIs), Ollie Brown (2 singles, double, RBI, 2 runs), Moore (2 singles, RBI), Eutsler (2 singles, run), Collamore (double, run), Robinson (single, run) and Eutsler (single, RBI).

Rockland Cafe had a big sixth inning plating three runs and taking the lead for good. Bartlett reached on an error and went to second on a throwing error. Roman singled sending Bartlett to third. Roman stole second and Bartlett scored on a passed ball that allowed Roman to take third base. Mazurek singled and scored Roman. After Mazurek stole second and went to third on a ground out to third base. Peaco finished the scoring with a sacrifice fly that scored Mazurek to make it an 8-5 game.

Waldoboro came to bat with a mission in the top of the seventh. Brown doubled to center field to start the inning. DePatsy followed with a double scoring Brown to make it an 8-6 game. After Gilbert walked Rockland Cafe brought in Mazurek to pitch and he threw two balls to Collamore before throwing nine straight strikes to fan the side and give Rockland Cafe the win.

Waldoboro   121 001 1 - 6  12  3
Rockland     201 023 X - 8  10  1

Here is the link to a photo gallery from this game.

Waldo County 5, Belfast 2… The Battle of Waldo County for a trip to the Mid-Coast Babe Ruth League championship went through Searsport Tuesday night with Waldo County defeating Swan Lake Grocery of Belfast 5-2.

Mikey Hustus pitched a complete game for Waldo County allowing two unearned runs on three hits and one walk while fanning eight.

Emery Dinsmore and Lucien Gordley-Smith pitched for Swan Lake allowing five runs on six hits and four walks while striking out seven.

Hitting for Waldo County were, Colby Trask (3 singles, 4 RBIs, SB), Barrett Grant (single, 2 runs, 2 SB), Jake Powell (single, run, SB), Troy Reynolds (single), Emmett Shell (run, 2 SB), Brandon Smith (SB) and Mikey Hustus (run).

For Belfast, Garrett Hamlin(double), Alex Flagg (single, run, SB), Zach Dyer (single) and Emery Dinsmore (run, SB).

Waldo County took the lead in the first inning and never gave it up. Shell reached on an error and Hustus walked to put runners on first and second.  Trask singled scoring Shell and moving Hustus to third. Trask stole second and Hustus raced home with the second run for the 2-0 lead.

Swan Lake got one back in the top of the third when Flagg singled, stole second and scored on a fielding error to make it 2-1.

Waldo scored one in the bottom of the third and two more in the bottom of the fifth to take a 5-1 lead. Swan Lake got one back in the top of the sixth, but that was as close as they would get.

Belfast    001 001 0 - 2  3  2
Waldo     201 020 X -5  6  5


Ron Hawkes can be reached at sports@penbaypilot.com