December 23, 2024
HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL

Witches rally, tip archrival Rams Three runs in 7th give Brewer second victory of season over Bangor

BANGOR – After playing two games Saturday with just one day of rest in between, the Brewer High softball team didn’t have a chance to let down against its opponent Monday.

That’s because the opponent was rival Bangor.

The Witches certainly didn’t look tired, even down by five runs. Brewer rallied in the top of the seventh and held on to an 8-6 win, their second of the season over the Rams.

Brewer’s rally didn’t seem to surprise anyone, least of all Bangor coach Nancy Snowdeal.

“[Brewer coach Kelly Cookson] expects them to come back and they do, and I expect them to come back and they do,” Snowdeal said. “I certainly didn’t think we could sit on a 5-0 lead knowing what they have in the batting order.”

The Rams scored five runs in the third, but the Witches chipped away, eventually tying the game with three runs in the sixth and earning the win with another three in the top of the seventh.

“We just did our best,” said Brewer’s Anna Corey, who had three RBIs. “It was a good fight to the end. … We came today ready to play.”

Bangor ace Kelly White pitched well early, allowing one hit in the first four innings. But she began to struggle in the fifth, giving up a leadoff double to Vanessa Michaud, who later scored on a Kim Foster single. Katie Quimby reached on a fielder’s choice and scored later in the inning to cut Bangor’s lead to 5-2.

White gave up a leadoff walk to Sarah DeFilipp in the top of the sixth. An Amy Freeman double put DeFilipp at third. DeFilipp scored on a Corey fielder’s choice, and Freeman came home on an error. Corey would later score on a Michaud groundout, tying the game.

Snowdeal said White was struggling with her outside pitches.

“That was uncharacteristic, and I think she was frustrated,” Snowdeal said. “That may have contributed to it.”

The Brewer bats heated up with seven hits over the final three innings.

“[White] did a good job keeping us off [balance], but we made the adjustments we needed to,” Brewer’s Kate Hanlon said. “She was doing her part and we were doing ours.”

Quimby got the Witches started again in the seventh when she led off with a double to right field. After a strikeout, Quimby moved to third on a single by No. 9 hitter Hanlon, and after DeFilipp walked, Freeman hit her second double of the day to drive in Quimby with the winning run.

Corey smacked a two-run single to plate DeFilipp and Freeman.

Brewer almost needed the insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh. After Erin Gray reached on a fielder’s choice and the Witches recorded their second out of the inning, Emily Heath doubled on a fly ball to center field. Gray scored and Heath tried for third, but Brewer center fielder Corey threw to third baseman Thoms, who tagged Heath to end the game.

“I wanted to take advantage of Emily Heath’s speed,” Snowdeal said. “It was a coaching mistake, sending her to third. But you’ve got to score some runs.”

White had a two-run double in the third for Bangor. Heath and Steph Chase each had an RBI single and the final run of the inning scored on an error.

WITCHES 8, RAMS 6

Brewer (9-1) Bangor (6-2)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

DeFilipp, p 2 2 0 0 Tweedie, lf 3 1 0

Freeman, ss 4 2 2 1 Webb, lf 1 0 0

Corey, cf 4 1 1 3 Heath, ss 4 1 1

Thoms, 3b 4 0 1 0 White, p 3 1 2

Michaud, lf 4 1 2 1 Chase, rf 3 0 1

McLain, rf 2 0 0 0 Kowalski, 3b 3 0 0

Quimby, 2b 3 2 1 0 Turner, 1b 3 0 0

Foster, dh 3 0 1 1 Porter, c 3 1 0

Bennoch, c 0 0 0 0 Wright, 2b 3 1 0

O’Connell, pr 0 0 0 0 Gray, cf 3 0

Hanlon, 1b 3 0 1 0

Totals 29 8 9 6 Totals 29 6 7 4

Brewer 000 023 3 ? 8

Bangor 005 000 1 ? 6

E?Quimby 2, DeFilipp; Turner, Porter; LOB?Brewer 3, Bangor 2; 2B?Freeman 2, Michaud, Quimby; White, Heath; DP?Brewer; Bangor 2; SB?Hanlon

Brewer IP H R ER BB SO

DeFilipp (W, 5-1) 7 7 6 2 0 3

Bangor IP H R ER BB SO

White (L, 6-2) 6 2/3 9 8 6 2 4

MacDonald 1/3 0 0 0 0 0

HBP?McLain by White; WP?White; PB?Bennoch; T?1:33; ATT?75 (est.)


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