Brewer rallies by Rams in 7th for 14th victory

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BREWER – As the Bangor softball team has come to realize this season, no lead is safe when Brewer’s in the opposing dugout.

The Rams posted the first run of a scoreless game Thursday night in the top of the seventh inning. But the Witches came alive in the bottom of the seventh, rallying for two runs and a 2-1 victory at Coffin Field.

Brewer, now 14-2, was third in the most recent Heal Point standings but could move up to first when the final standings are released this morning. Bangor goes to 12-4 and should remain in fourth.

The Rams have found no lead to be safe against the Witches this year. Brewer has scored a total of seven runs in the seventh innings of three games against the Rams this year – all come-from-behind wins.

“They’re good hitters,” Bangor coach Nancy Snowdeal said of the Witches. “This has happened against every team they’ve played. They’re not going to just roll over and take it. They’re gonna come back and work hard every time.”

And Brewer did. But first it had to get through the top of the inning.

Bangor’s Jessica Tweedie got things started with a one-out triple to left-center. After Brewer’s Jordan McLain recorded her fifth strikeout, Tweedie scampered home on a wild pitch to Jamie Kowalski.

Kowalski reached on an error and moved to second on a passed ball, but McLain induced a groundout to end the seventh.

That put the pressure on the Witches. But it wasn’t a problem, because they’ve rallied against the Rams all year.

After a leadoff groundout, Anna Corey reached on an error. Christine Thoms, the No. 4 batter who had flied out twice earlier, hit a line-drive single to right, which put Corey at second.

McLain followed with a double to left-center and Corey scored the tying run. Thoms got to third, where Brewer coach Kelly Cookson inserted pinch runner Jessica O’Connell.

Two pitches later, O’Connell crossed the plate when Vanessa Michaud drove another single into right field.

“We knew we had to [start to hit]. It was time,” Michaud said. “We were getting ready for the right moment, and it should have come sooner, but we did it when we had to.”

McLain outdueled White, but barely. Each pitcher allowed just four hits. McLain struck out five and walked one; White fanned four, and retired 18 straight at one point.

“Most everything was working,” McLain said. “I was just adjusting.”

WITCHES 2, RAMS 1

Bangor (12-4) Brewer (14-2)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Heath, ss 3 0 0 0 Freeman, ss 3 0 0

Gray, cf 3 0 0 0 DeFilipp, rf 3 0 0

White, p 3 0 1 0 Corey, cf 3 1 0

Chase, lf 3 0 1 0 Thoms, 3b 3 0 0

Turner, 1b 3 0 1 0 O’Connell, pr 0 1 0

Tweedie, rf 3 1 1 0 McLain, p 3 0 0

Porter, c 3 0 0 0 Michaud, lf 3 0 0

Angst, 3b 1 0 0 0 York, lf 0 0 0

Kowalski, 3b 2 0 0 0 Foster, dh 2 0 0

Wright, 2b 2 0 0 0 Bennoch, c 0 0 0

Quimby, 2b 2 0 0 0

Hanlon, 1b 2 0 0 0

Totals 26 1 4 0 Totals 24 2 4 2

Bangor 000 000 1 ? 1

Brewer 000 000 2 ? 2

E?White; Hanlon; LOB?Bangor 5, Brewer 3; 2B?White; McLain; 3B?Tweedie

Bangor IP H R ER BB SO

White (L, 11-4) 6 1/3* 4 2 1 0 3

Brewer IP H R ER BB SO

McLain (W, 5-1) 7 4 1 0 1 5

WP?McLain; PB?Bennoch; T?1:24; ATT?150 (est.)

*faced five batters in the bottom of the 7th