This one really lived up to the tradition, a great baseball game between two longtime rivals pitted against one another in the quarterfinal round of the Mountain Valley Conference playoffs. When the dust settled after close to two hours of play, it was Hall-Dale that came away the victor, 8-7, over Wiscasset.

The weather was perfect for the June 8 game played at Farmingdale, 70 degrees under sunny skies with a light breeze blowing from left to right. A good crowd was on hand to take in the game.

The two ball clubs met earlier this season at Wiscasset, with the Bulldogs winning 12-1 in six innings. The Wolverines had greatly improved since that initial meeting, winning three of their last four games of the regular season.

The Wolverines threatened early after Grant Hefler led off the game with a double off of Hall-Dale’s starting pitcher, Quinn Stebbins. Stebbins gave up six hits before he was lifted in the fifth inning with his team on top 8-4.

Wiscasset then rallied for three runs in the sixth off reliever Ryan Sinclair. Logan Orr and Hefler led off the inning with back-to-back walks. Daren Wood followed with a double to deep center field, driving in Orr and Hefler. Conlon Ranta then grounded out but advanced Wood to third. Wood stole home after Tyler Bailey squared to bunt and the ball got by the catcher. Just like that, it was an 8-7 ballgame.

Cole Lockhart was brought in to pitch the final inning for Hall-Dale. Once again the Wolverines got the lead-off batter on base, with Brandon Sprague singling up the middle. Chayse Reed then reached on a fielder’s choice, a ground ball to the pitcher that Lockhart alertly threw to the second baseman to get Sprague. The next Wiscasset batters struck out and popped up and the game was over.

It was the final high school game for Wood, a graduating senior. He started on the mound and scattered six hits over five innings. He struck out three and walked two. Tyler Bailey worked the final inning in relief, setting the Bulldog battery down in order.

Hall-Dale scored three runs in the first, one in the third and three in the fourth inning. The eventual game-winning run came in the fifth, when Tylor Dubois led off with a double and advanced to third on a ground out. He scored on Dean Jackman’s squeeze bunt.

Wiscasset scored three other runs in the second. Jake Traylor led off with a base hit and was moved along to third on a bunt single down the third base line by Brycson Grover. Sprague drove in Traylor with a RBI single. Brycson later scored on a throwing error and Wood drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. The Wolverines’ other run came in the fourth inning, an RBI groundout by Conlon Ranta.

Coach Gregg Wood and the Wolverines finished the season with an 8-9 record.