GORHAM – Michelle Libby walked out to the circle for the start of Saturday morning’s Class C state championship game and stopped suddenly.

“I forgot the game ball,” the Sacopee Valley pitcher said with a sheepish smile.

Libby trotted back to the third base dugout at Gorham High’s Robie Field and fetched the ball.

Her jitters would continue into the first inning when she allowed a walk, a hit and hit a batter. But she didn’t allow a run in the inning and from there she was perfect.

Libby retired 19 straight Houlton batters to help the Hawks of Hiram earn a 5-0 win over the Eastern Maine champion Shiretowners for their second straight Class C crown.

“This means a lot to us,” Libby said. “We’ve kind of dedicated it to our seniors because it’s their second in a row.”

One of those seniors is Shaila Delea, who went into the season thinking she would be the starting pitcher because Libby is coming off knee surgery.

Delea pitched in a few games this year, but she found other ways to contribute this season. The same was true Saturday.

Delea sparked the Hawks in the bottom of the third. She drew a one-out walk, stole second and third during Felicia Libby’s at-bat, and beat a tag at home plate when Felicia Libby hit a weak grounder.

“We’re always really aggressive and try to capitalize on everything,” Delea said.

Two more runs scored, thanks to an Elyse White single and an error in the Houlton outfield.

Delea ran the bases well again in the fifth. She led off with a bunt single, stole second, advanced on a Felicia Libby sacrifice bunt and scored on White’s second single of the game.

“We haven’t had a catcher throw her out this year,” Sacopee coach Tim Vacchiano said of Delea, who stole almost 30 bases this year. “She’s phenomenal. … My attitude is, with our pitcher once we have a lead we’re coming at you [on the bases]. You have to make great plays to throw us out.”

Michelle Libby wasn’t dominating – she’s had plenty of double-digit strikeout efforts this year but she struck out just five Saturday – but her fastball and smooth delivery were enough to keep a strong-hitting Houlton team off-balance.

After the first inning, that is.

Libby wasn’t sure what led to her early struggles. She got two quick outs to open the game but then gave up a groundball single to Anna Lenentine, hit Houlton pitcher Natasha Ritchie on the left elbow and walked Michelle Ives to load the bases.

“I knew it was only the first inning so we could come back later,” Michelle Libby said. “I’ve hit people before and you just have to shake it off.”

The threat didn’t last long – a groundout in the infield ended the inning and started the string of putouts.

“We were hitting it but we were hitting it right to the players,” said Ritchie, who bats cleanup. “It was hard. She’s the fastest pitcher we’ve faced.”

Ritchie is a righty, so being hit on the left arm didn’t bother her after the initial sting (although the mark left by softball’s stitches was still visible after the game). She pitched well in the loss, giving up four hits and two earned runs. She walked four and struck out seven.

HAWKS 5, SHIRETOWNERS 0

Houlton (15-3) Sacopee Valley (16-2)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Bissonette, 2b 3 0 0 0 Delea, ss 3 0

R. Lenentine, rf 3 0 0 0 F. Libby, 1b 3 1

A. Lenentine, c 3 0 1 0 White, 3b 3 1

Ritchie, p 2 0 0 0 M. Libby, p 2 0 0

Hovey, pr-lf 0 0 0 0 Murch, pr 0 0 0

Ives, ss 2 0 0 0 Pike, c 3 0 1 1

Foster, 1b 3 0 0 0 Day, 2b 2 0 0 0

Thompson, cf 2 0 0 0 Verrill, cf 2 0 0

Varney, 3b 2 0 0 0 Barrows, lf 3 0 0

Harbison, 3b 0 0 0 0 Donovan, rf 2 0 0

Guy, lf 2 0 0 0

Totals 22 0 1 0 Totals 23 5 4 3

Houlton 000 000 0 ? 0

Sacopee 003 020 x ? 5

E?Guy 2, Bissonette, Ritchie; LOB?Houlton 3, Sacopee 6; S?F. Libby, Donovan; SB?Delea 3, Pike 2

Houlton IP H R ER BB SO

Ritchie (L,11-3) 6 4 5 2 4 7

Sacopee IP H R ER BB SO

M. Libby (W,12-2) 7 1 0 0 1 5

HBP?Ritchie by Libby; PB?A. Lenentine; T?1:22; ATT?200 (est.)