At Saint Joseph’s College, Standish Mt. Ararat (16-3) vs. Biddeford (15-4), 1 p.m. One team will snap a long title drought. Mt. Ararat has never won a state baseball title. This is the Eagles’ first trip to the championship since the Mark Rogers-led team lost back-to-back finals to Deering in 2003 and 2004. Biddeford’s one Class A title in the MPA-tournament era (since 1970) came in 1984. The Tigers lost to Oxford Hills, 1-0, in 2010 when current head coach Keith Leblanc was the JV coach. … There are other striking similarities between the teams. Both are senior-dominated clubs who were not tabbed to be a top contender in the preseason. They emphasize pitching and defense, and winning close games. All three of top-seeded Mt. Ararat’s playoff wins have been by one run. Biddeford, the fourth seed in the South, beat No. 1 Marshwood, 4-3, in 10 innings in the semifinals and No. 3 Thornton Academy, 2-1, scoring the winning run in the seventh inning in the regional final. … Mt. Ararat has most of its pitching staff available. Look for Kaleb Hussey (5-0, 0.83 ERA) or Eli Imrie (2-0, 1.26) to get the start with Andrew Clemons (2-1, 1.64) and Colby MacFawn ready in the bullpen. Ethan Berry is an all-KVAC shortstop. He, center fielder Luke McLaughlin, Hussey and Stan Spooner — who started on the mound in the regional final win against Bangor — lead a deep lineup without a slugging star. … Biddeford will counter with sophomore Ernie Dore (4-0, 1.28 ERA) who has used command and off-speed pitches to befuddle hitters, giving up 24 hits in 49 1/3 innings, including six hits over 9 1/3 innings in the Marshwood win. Dom Smith has saved the past two games for the Tigers. Smith and Gavin Haggett (headed to Stonehill College as a pitcher) have been the top bats the past two games. Travis Edgerton at short and Ben Descoteaux at third have shined in the field. Edgerton and second baseman Landon Sirois were among the Tigers’ top hitters during the season, both hitting over .370, and are due for a breakout game. At University of Maine, Orono Ellsworth (14-5) vs. Greely (16-3), 1 p.m. Two of the premier Class B programs in Maine with successful, veteran coaches. Dan Curtis’ Eagles won state championships in 2019 and 2022, while Derek Soule’s Greely Rangers took back-to-back crowns in 2014 and 2015. Greely beat Fryeburg Academy in walk-off fashion in the South final, with sophomore Kyle Soule (Derek’s nephew) raking a long double to score Wes Piper who had singled, to end a four-game regional final losing streak. … Ellsworth has a trio of strong pitchers to choose from to make Saturday’s start in Dawson Curtis, Brayden King and Jackson Barry. The Eagles have produced their own playoff dramatics with an explosive offense. Down 2-0, Ellsworth scored 11 runs in the sixth inning in its semifinal against Old Town. In the regional final against Hermon, it trailed 5-0, then scored eight unanswered runs highlighted by a three-run inside-the-park homer by Kyle Kenny. Barry got the win in relief with four innings of scoreless work. Greely will need to keep the Eagles off the bases to limit an offense that features lots of bunting and base stealing. … Rangers’ ace Keeler Vogt is not available after reaching his 110-pitch maximum against Fryeburg. But Gehrig Donnelly (3-0, 1.27 ERA) and Sylas Almy (4-1, 1.83) are two effective pitchers. Soule (.460), a sophomore shortstop, is the big thumper with a school-record 33 RBI and 23 runs. First baseman Ben Kyles (.444, 14 RBI, 20 runs), clean-up hitter Wes Piper (.380, 14 RBI, 25 runs), designated hitter Vogt (.360, 17 RBI), second baseman Owen Piesik (.355), Luke Piper (.341) and senior catcher Wyatt Soucie (.300, 20 runs) create a deep batting order. At Saint Joseph’s College, Standish Washington Academy (17-2) vs. Monmouth (15-4), 4:30 p.m. The youthful Mustangs are looking for their second state title in three seasons after playing in their eighth consecutive regional final, a 6-4 win against South top-seed Mt. Abram. While they are young (three freshmen, three sophomores in regional final starting lineup) they are also multi-sport playoff winners. Juniors Rory Foyt (first base) and Tyler Johnson have played in eight straight regional finals in soccer (past two years), basketball (three) and baseball (three). “It’s quite a streak and it says a lot about the kids and the programs. It’s not just one program,” said Monmouth coach Eric Palleschi. Kyle LePage will likely draw the start. Sophomore center fielder Jake Harmon is a strong, speedy and fluid player who has been red-hot, hitting .562 in June — .750 with runners in scoring position. Harmon has a 0.47 ERA in 15 innings of relief work and earned the save for winning pitcher Levi Laverdiere (8-0, 0.45 ERA, four walks). Laverdiere, another sophomore who plays short when not pitching, has been an offensive spark with a .408 on-base percentage. … Washington Academy has put up huge offensive numbers, individually and as a team, while winning its first regional title since 2014 when it beat Sacopee Valley in the state championship. Sophomore James Welch is hitting .516 with 22 RBI and 36 steals. Power bat Colby Moholland hit .357 with 21 RBI. Daniel Gardner leads the team with 25 RBI with 22 steals and hit .451. Trevor Shimabukuro (.463, 21 RBI) and catcher Jayden Mahar (20 RBI) also produce for a team that has drawn 119 walks (6.3 per game) and stolen 137 bases (7.2 per game). Both Welch and Parker Cates are available starters. At University of Maine, Orono St. Dominic Academy (13-6) vs. Bangor Christian (18-1) This is in all likelihood the final athletic contest for St. Dom’s, the Auburn-based Catholic school that is officially closing after 84 years because it no longer has financial support from the Diocese and held its last day of classes June 6. St. Dom’s is the three-time defending Class D champion, including a championship win against Bangor Christian in 2023, and won four Class C titles between 2007-2015. The second-seeded Saints showed in an 11-inning regional final win against No. 1 Richmond they are not going quietly and have won 11 straight games since a 2-6 start. Curtis Wheeler had four hits against Richmond and Ben Dumais had three with a double and earned the win with 4 2/3 innings of relief. … Bangor Christian is looking for its first state title since its own three-peat from 2012-2014. Cole Payne, a finalist for the Dr. John Winkin Mr. Baseball award, is their top player. Bangor Christian, the third seed in the North, advanced with a pair of one-run wins against Woodland (8-7) in the quarterfinal and No. 3 Machias (5-4) in the regional final, the latter in walk-off fashion with a three-run seventh inning, highlighted by a two-run error and the game-winning single by Jake Kowalski.