GRAY — Co-Captain Justin McKenna belted out three hits, drove in two runs and stole five bases to lead Gray-New Gloucester to a 5-1 victory over Waynflete in a season opening KVAC baseball tilt Thursday.

After two scoreless frames, the Patriots (1-0) put three runs on the board in the third, sparked by an RBI double from McKenna. Thomas Wood also had two hits for Gray-New Gloucester, while JT Magno was credited with a double.

Tyler St. Pierre struck out 10, walked two and gave up just one hit to notch the mound win.  

Softball

Buckfield 14, Old Orchard Beach 7

OLD ORCHARD BEACH —  Amber Arsenault scattered four hits and received ample run support as Buckfield kicked off its 2014 campaign with a 14-7 win over Old Orchard Beach.

Hannah Gallant led the Bucks (1-0) with three hits and three RBI, while Alyssa Therriault chipped in with two hits and two RBIs. Kaylee Litchfield also contributed with three hits and one RBI in a well-balanced attack.

College Softball

Bates sweeps UMF

LEWISTON — Junior Kira Shaikh went 3-for-4 with two home runs and five RBI as Bates swept its home-opening softball doubleheader against UMaine-Farmington, 9-3 and 5-3, at Lafayette Street Field on Thursday evening.

The Bobcats (5-12) jumped out to a 5-0 lead after the first inning in Game 1, but did not take the lead for good over the Beavers (4-4) in Game 2 until the fifth inning.

Shaikh launched a home run down the left field line as part of a five-run first inning for Bates as the hosts triumphed over UMF in the first contest, 9-3.

Shaikh hit her second two-run home run in as many games, and Bates plated the go-ahead run in the fifth inning in a 5-3 win in the nightcap.

Junior pitcher Kelsey Freedman garnered the win, tossing the full seven innings and striking out four. 

CMCC, SMCC split

Central Maine Community College doubled up its rival Southern Maine Community College in the first game of a doubleheader Thursday, but the Seawolves retaliated with a win in the nightcap, splitting the two-game set with the Mustangs.

Entering the seventh inning of Game 1 with the score knotted at 8-8, the Mustangs poured on the offense, racking up nine hits and putting eight runs on the scoreboard, overcoming the Seawolves 16-8. Freshman rightfielder Brittany Carver went 3-for-4 at the plate with one stolen base and two runs.

In Game 2, the teams pounded out five hard-fought innings. With two runners on base and one out in the bottom of the fifth, Seawolves second baseman Taylor Clapp hit a two-run double. Clapp proceeded to steal third and then got hit home by an RBI double from Allard. As Trafton stepped up to the plate the umps called the game due to darkness.

Ethan