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STANDISH – For the better part of six innings in Saturday’s Class B state championship softball game, Gorham pitcher Tammy Arsenault kept the Winslow softball team off-balance. But for the second time this school year, the Black Raiders were not to be denied in a state title matchup.
Ali Kriegel, the Raiders’ No. 8 hitter, singled to drive in the eventual game-winner, breaking a scoreless tie with two outs in the top of the seventh inning, followed by pinch hitter Krystal Lacombe’s insurance RBI single, for a 4-0 triumph over the Western Maine champion Rams on Ward Field at Saint Joseph’s College.
The softball title follows a year in which the Raiders (17-3) also won Class B state basketball and Eastern Maine Class B soccer crowns. The one constant on all three teams was senior Brittany Morin – not that she was willing to take any of the credit.
“We have such great coaches at Winslow,” said Morin, the starting softball catcher, basketball point guard and soccer striker who will play all three sports at Thomas College in Waterville next year.
One of those coaches is Terry Parlin, who is in his first year at Winslow but coached the Messalonskee of Oakland softball team to four Class A state game appearances in 10 years. Saturday was his first state championship.
Janelle Sylvester earned her 10th win of the year with a stellar four-hit, three-strikeout effort as the Black Raiders used a late rally to win for the second game in a row. Winslow had scored three runs in the top of the 11th to beat Bucksport Thursday in the Eastern Maine final.
Saturday’s game didn’t go into extra innings, but the scoreless tie in the top of the seventh made for just as much drama.
Brynne Davis stepped in and hit a leadoff single to left field. Rachel Boutin grounded out, but Davis advanced to second and then took third when Liz Cheesman flared a single to left-center. After a flyout, Kriegel hit a line drive to center, allowing Davis to score easily from third for a 1-0 lead.
“I knew we needed to rally and get some hits, so I focused and beared down, and let it rip,” Kriegel said. “I knew it was my pitch so I had to go after it.”
Lacomb hit a flare to right to bring in Cheesman for the insurance run and Morin followed with a double to left, plating Kriegel and pinch runner Alisha Albert.
Morin was 3-for-4 with singles in the first and third. Kriegel also singled in the fifth.
Sylvester finally allowed herself a smile in the bottom of the seventh with a runner on second, two outs and a 2-2 count on Anna Willis. Sylvester tossed in a changeup to catch Willis swinging for the final out of the game.
“I was just trying to get them on their front foot, throw a lot of fastballs,” Sylvester said. “She got behind and I wanted to throw her off-balance and it worked. I just had to keep them off-balance.”
Sylvester also had a key strikeout early when she fanned Melissa Sanborn for the second out in the first inning. The Rams loaded the bases after the strikeout but Sylvester induced a flyout to end the inning.
“That was huge. If you can score in the first inning [you can] put the pressure on the other team … we didn’t get that initial run,” Gorham coach Walter Walker said. “So we played even ball through the seventh. We couldn’t get that lead runner on to play small ball, which is how we win games. We bunt and run, bunt and run.”
Gorham (15-5) managed just two baserunners after the first inning. After a Rams single in the third, Sylvester retired 12 batters in a row until Arsenault singled with one out in the seventh.
Arsenault also pitched a fine game, allowing just three hits through six innings and striking out four with no walks.
Neither team had an error.
“Defense always holds for us and then the offense comes through,” Morin said.
BLACK RAIDERS 4, RAMS 0
Winslow (17-3) Gorham (15-5)
Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI
Morin, c 4 0 3 2 Wood, cf 3 0 0
Sirois, lf 3 0 0 0 Martin, 2b 2 0 0
Smith, cf 3 0 0 0 Sanborn, c 3 0 0
Turner, ph 1 0 0 0 Towle, 1b 2 0 0
Davis, ss 3 1 1 0 Pickrell, lf 3 0 0
Boutin, 3b 3 0 0 0 Arsenault, p 3 0 0
Cheesman, rf 3 1 1 0 Fiebel, pr 0 0 0
Caron, dh 3 0 0 0 Lapierre, 3b 3 0 0
Kriegel, 2b 3 1 2 1 Willis, rf 3 0 0
Albert, 1b 1 1 0 0 Butterfield, ss 2 0 0
Lacombe, ph 1 0 1 1
Totals 28 4 8 4 Totals 24 0 4 0
Winslow 000 000 4 – 4
Gorham 000 000 0 – 0
E-none; LOB-Winslow 5, Gorham 5; S-Martin; SB-Sirois
Winslow IP H R ER BB SO
Sylvester (W,10-2) 7 4 0 0 1 3
Gorham IP H R ER BB SO
Arsenault (L,13-3) 7 8 4 4 1 4
WP-Arsenault; T-1:16; ATT-250 (est.)
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