Royalettes remarkable in title run

That Jonesport-Beals made it to the 1992 Eastern Maine softball tournament was a major accomplishment, to say nothing of winning a state Class D title with an undefeated, 17-0 record.

Remarkable, indeed, is this group of young ladies.

Consider this: 14-year head coach Diane Clark welcomed back just three starters – senior shortstop Lynnette Beal, senior third baseman Susie Stevens, and sophomore pitcher Sandi Carver.

The remaining starters included two juniors, two sophomores and three freshmen: catcher Bev Smith and second baseman Stacey Lakeman; first baseman Jen Carver and center fielder Sarah Presley; and outfielder Heidi Stanhope; outfielder Susie Wyatt, and designated hitter Nicole Carver.

The reserves were junior Myra Merritt, sophomores Sarah Beal and Jen Farnsworth; and freshmen Crystal Alley, Heather Beal, Laureen Barnes, Michelle Mills, Heather Francis and Farrah Emerson.

Although it was a young team, Clark thought her team had a chance with Carver in the circle. Clark was eager to return to the regional championship, where her teams had twice finished as Class D runnerup.

“We knew we had a chance,” she said, “but we also knew we had to figure out where to put everyone.” That accomplished, last-minute changes were still being made – even on the day of the EM final.

How did this young team get so good so fast? For one thing, Jonesport and Beals each sponsors Little League-type summer softball programs that pits future teammates against each other.

“That helps,” Clark said, “plus the schools have good elementary programs and we have a junior high and JV program.”

But there is an intangible element Clark said made this team successful. “These girls worked very hard because they were new to their positions,” she said. “They knew they had to work hard, because there was always a lot of competition for those positions.”

Lynnette Beal, who is headed for Beal College in Bangor, is the only four-year starter. She’s very solid at shortstop, even though she didn’t have a lot of action on that side of the field. “She was ready when they went there.” She hit .686 in the tournament and finished the season at .333 overall.

Stevens was a three-year starter at third. She had one of the team’s best arms and was second in on-base percentage at .712. Stevens will attend the University of Maine-Machias in the fall.

Carver finished with 185 strikeouts, 21 walks, 15 hits and allowed just one earned run. She tied her batterymate, catcher Bev Smith, for total hits with 18.

Smith deserves a lot of credit. Sandi Carver throws so hard that a special glove was ordered for Smith, who wasn’t even catching two weeks before opening day.

“It takes a lot of guts to play that position,” Clark said of Smith, the team’s top hitter at .500 for the season (.375 in the postseason). “Bev was a good leadoff batter with a good eye for the ball. She got on with a walk or a hit.”

Jen Carver was the rookie first baseman who ended up leading the team in on-base percentage at .750. A sub at third last year, she had a strong defensive season.

The “rah-rah” player was second baseman Stacey Lakeman, who led the team with 24 runs batted in. She hit .429 for the tournament and was particularly solid in those three games.

Then there’s Heidi Stanhope, who played left field until the EM championship. “Heidi was having problems with ground balls,” Clark said. “I felt if she learned to field them, I’d put her in right because she is quick, and she finally got it. In right, she fielded two balls in the Eastern Maine final that could have been hits, but she got the runners at first.”

Stanhope shone at her new position and came through with a .625 batting average after hitting .179 for the season.

Wyatt, who started in right and finished in left, was the unsung batter. “She was really sneaky about getting hits,” Clark joked, “because she wasn’t hitting any long balls. When I added the stats, she surprised me with a .441.”

Presley, who has a good, strong arm, transferred in from Ohio and played center field while Nicole Carver served as the designated hitter. The DH had some big hits along the way.

Cheering their teammates on, and getting playing time of their own, were the supportive subs. “They knew what their role was,” Clark said, “and, when they were needed, they were ready.”

Saturday, with horns blaring, family and friends greeted the champions where Route 187 meets Route 1. When the team arrived at the edge of Jonesport, it was met by a police and fire truck escort. “The kids loved that,” Clark said. The caravan made its way over to Beals Island and back to the high school in Jonesport where the victors were greeted in person.

Then, they all turned around and did it over again, this time for the baseball team.

In a few days, the new Class D softball state champs will gather at Sandi Carver’s home for a postseason celebration. There, Coach Clark will have an opportunity to tell the girls what a pleasure they were to coach, congratulate them on their season, and thank the loyal parents and fans of the Jonesport-Beals area for their support and encouragement.