BREWER – The score spoke of a blowout with Brewer beating up Caribou 15-3 and 14-3 in Saturday’s schoolgirl softball doubleheader.

But when the Witches’ sweep was complete, the story told of a win-win situation, especially in the second game.

Obviously, Brewer won. But the Witches’ 16-hit barrage off Vikings sophomore pitcher Kathy Laraia was more a giant step forward for Brewer than a walk-through.

Brewer has struggled hitting and some in the field. Saturday the Witches said they showed new life finding holes, moving runners and not letting themselves get behind when Laraia’s changeup and curveball proved effective. And they committed just one error.

“We’ve been struggling with errors and hitting. This builds up our confidence,” said Kristen Frey, who paced the Witches, going 4-for-4 in the second game with a solo homer and four runs scored.

“Losing to Old Town 6-0 [Friday] hurt. We’re focused on Bangor and this helps. We’re focused because they’re rivals and we lost twice. We need to focus. Our heads were more into the game,” Frey added.

What’s more, three Witches who moved up from the junior varsity two weeks ago were among the leading hitters on the team, showing hope for the 8-5 Witches, who finished last season 16-2.

Hannah Barnes led the newcomers, coming in to play left field in the fourth and going 1-for-2 with two RBIs. Also new to the varsity, second basemen Alison Strange at the bottom of the lineup went 1-for-3 with two RBIs.

“We didn’t have so many errors. That was good. We didn’t struggle at the plate,” Brewer coach Kelly Cookson said.

In the second game, Brewer started slow, but with power as Frey opened the first with her solo shot to deep right field. The Witches took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second scoring a run on three hits. Then they blew it open in the third.

After Frey and Emily Sevigny walked, Kristy Pluard drove them both home on a triple then later scored on a fielder’s choice. Mandy Brigalli singled, advanced on an error, and later scored on a fielder’s choice to make it 5-0.

The Witches racked up three runs in the fourth off three hits and four in the fifth on five hits to make it 13-1. And the potential for more was there. In the end, the Witches left 10 runners on base.

Frey gave up three earned runs to earn the win, but held the Vikings scoreless until the sixth. In Caribou’s later rally they scored three runs on four hits with singles from seniors Lara Hauser, Kim Landeen, sophomore Billie Jo Martin and freshman Tiffany Miller.

For the young Caribou team, the game looked better than the score as the Vikings got nine hits off Frey.

“The bulk of our team is five sophomores,” Caribou coach Sue White said. “We started flat. We were hitting better later. Frey is a good pitcher, we made a lot of contact. We were just hoping to go out and have a good showing. We’re young and weak.”

Laraia gave up 10 earned runs and walked six, but was also at the front end of two double plays.

Landeen went 1-for-3 with a run scored while sophomore Meghan Scott went 2-for-4 with a runs scored and RBI. Landeen also paced the Vikings in the first game going 2-for-3 with a double and a triple.

Pluard, a sophomore, led Brewer in the first game with a home run, a triple, double and four RBIs.

Witches 14, Vikings 3

(Second Game)

Caribou (3-11) Brewer (8-5)

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

Landeen, ss 3 1 1 0 Corey, cf 5 2 3 1

Martin, cf 4 1 2 1 Frey, p 4 4 4 0

M. Scott, lf 4 0 2 1 Sevigny, 3b 2 3 1 2

K. Scott, rf 4 0 1 0 Lachance, 3b 1 0 0 0

Nason, 2b 1 0 1 0 Pluard, 1b 3 1 1 2

a-Best 1 0 0 0 Hawkes, 1b 1 0 0 1

Miller, c 3 0 1 1 Dufour, 2b 5 0 1 1

Laraia, p 3 0 0 0 Brigalli, c 4 3 3 2

Holmquist, 1b 3 0 0 0 Robichaud, lf 1 0 0 0

Hauser, dh 3 1 1 0 Barnes, lf 2 0 1 2

Gahagan, 3b 0 0 0 0 Strang, 2b 3 1 1 2

Trott, ss 4 0 1 0

Totals 29 3 9 3 Totals 35 14 16 13

a-struck out for Nason in sixth

Caribou 000 003 0 – 3

Brewer 114 341 x – 14

E – Landeen, Holmquist, Gahagan 2; Trott 2B – Nason; Trott 3B – Sevigny, Pluard HR – Frey LOB – Caribou 5; Brewer 10 DP – Laraia to Nason to Gahagan; Laraia to Holmquist SB – Landeen, Martin; Frey 2, Sevigny S – Nason; Robichaud

PITCHER IP H R ER BB SO

Caribou

Laraia (L,1-5) 6 16 14 10 6 0

Brewer

Frey (W,7-5) 7 9 3 3 0 2

PB – Miller; Brigalli TIME -1:40 ATTENDANCE – 52

Witches 15, Vikings 3

(First Game) Caribou (3-10) 102 000 0 – 3 4 3 Brewer (8-5) 106 072 x – 15 11 2

Lombard, Laraia (6) and Martin; Corey and Brigalli, McEwen (7)