It had been nearly two years since the Presque Isle varsity baseball team had stepped onto the James E. Dyer Memorial Field in uniform when they did so on Wednesday night, facing off against a Class C opponent in the Warriors of Fort Kent. 

The game got off to a sloppy start for the Wildcats, who allowed two runs in the top of the first inning, but it was smooth sailing from there on out. 

Freshman Evan Chapman led off for the home squad, reaching base on a ground ball to third before stealing both second and third on a past ball and then subsequently being driven home on a knock from junior Quinn Demerchant that stayed in the infield. 

Several batters later it would be Demerchant scoring, this time on a single from sophomore Michael Langley to knot the contest at two apiece. 

RBI’s from Langley and senior Ben Graham in the third put their team on top by two and freshman Cooper Boinske would bring home a run in the fifth before a six hit, five run explosion from the Wildcats’ offense to close out the sixth inning put the game out of reach, as Presque Isle earns their first win of the season in blowout fashion with a 10-2 thrashing of Fort Kent. 

Senior Chance Bragan, the team’s only true veteran, pitched the first three frames, striking out eight, including a 13 pitch inning in the second where he struck out the side and only threw a single ball. 

“I was proud of my team to finally get that first win,” Bragan said postgame. “It’s a young team, but this should give them some confidence getting ready for next game.”

Junior Jackson Maynard stepped on the mound to start the fourth in relief, allowing zero runs and striking out six to solidify the Wildcats’ defensive effort. 

They’ll hit the road for the second straight weekend this Saturday, heading south to meet Foxcroft Academy in an afternoon doubleheader.