Eagles rally by Brewer in 7th

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BREWER – Leo Bouchard doesn’t like it, but the Messalonskee softball coach will deal with the way his team tends to win its games.

After all, the defending Class A state champ Eagles of Oakland haven’t lost this season.

Their final win of the regular season came in regular fashion – a late-inning rally for the victory. In the case of Tuesday evening’s matchup against Brewer, a three-run rally in the seventh inning was enough for a 5-3 win and a 16-0 record.

“I hate waiting until the top of the seventh to win games,” Bouchard said, shaking his head. “We were down, but we weren’t out.”

Messalonskee’s Stacey Stuart rapped a two-run double to erase a one-run deficit in the seventh, and Chelsea Boulette added an RBI double two batters later to seal the win.

It was a vastly different game from the teams’ first meeting. The May 8 game also ended in Messalonskee’s favor, but it took eight innings and a no-hitter by ace Barker for a 1-0 victory.

“We never get down because this is always what happens,” Stuart said. “We always come back in the end.”

Bouchard sensed Tuesday’s rematch would be an intense affair.

“I told the girls that Brewer would be ready to play and they were,” he said. “They put everything on the table today.”

For a while it seemed the Witches, who wrap up the regular season at 11-5, just might knock off the Eagles.

With the game tied at 2-2 in the fifth, Amanda Barker had two outs on the Witches when she hit Christine Thoms in the helmet – Thoms was fine but was replaced by pinch runner Leah Jackson – and Jordan McLain followed with a ground-ball triple that rolled deep into right-center, scoring Jackson and giving Brewer a 3-2 lead.

But the Witches left McLain at third and Barker retired the final seven Brewer batters in a row, setting up Messalonskee’s rally.

The Eagles had the top of the order up in the seventh. McLain induced a groundout to start the inning, but Barker’s twin sister Chelsea Barker singled and advanced to second on a Ciara Corbett single. That put runners at first and second for Stuart’s double.

“We were used to [McLain’s] pitching towards the end so we were just waiting for the one down the middle,” Stuart said. “She’s a really good pitcher. Throughout the game I was really nervous and I was just thinking, get my hands through the ball. That’s what I did.”

Brewer coach Skip Estes said the intense atmosphere will help prepare the young Witches, who have lost three straight, for the postseason.

“It was like a playoff game here and that’s what we needed,” Estes said. “We’ve played better than we did in the last couple of games.”

Amanda Barker was pleased to record a win despite six hits allowed, two hit batters, a walk and just one strikeout.

“I think it was just last-game jitters,” she said. “I have faith in my defense.”

Thoms hit an RBI double and Meghan McLain, Jordan McLain’s sister, had an RBI single in a two-run first.

EAGLES 5, WITCHES 3

Messalonskee (16-0) Brewer (11-5)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Blake, 2b 3 1 1 1 Risser, c 4 1 0

C. Barker, 1b 4 1 3 0 Lorenz, rf 2 0

Corbett, cf 4 1 1 0 Thoms, 3b 2 1 1

Stuart, ss 3 1 1 2 Jackson, pr 0 1 0

Suttie, lf 4 0 0 1 J. McLain, p 2 0 1

Boulette, dh 4 1 1 1 M. McLain, ss 2 0 1

Perry, 3b 0 0 0 0 Quimby, 2b 2 0 0

Currier, c 4 0 1 0 Estes, 1b 3 0 0

A. Barker, p 3 0 0 0 DeFilipp, dh 3 0 0

Ray, rf 3 0 0 0 Hawkins-Kimbll,lf 0 0

Gomm, cf 3 0 0 0

Totals 32 5 8 5 Totals 23 3 6 3

Messalonskee 100 100 3 – 5

Brewer 200 010 0 – 3

E-Stuart, Suttie; J. McLain 2, M. McLain 2, Hawkins-Kimball; LOB-Messalonskee 8, Brewer 5; 2B-Stuart, Boulette; Thoms; 3B-J. McLain; DP-C. Barker-Blake-Perry-Stuart, C. Barker-Blake-Stuart; S-Lorenz, Quimby; SF-Blake; SB-C. Barker, A. Barker

Messalonskee IP H R ER BB SO

A. Barker (W,16-0) 7 6 3 3 1 2

Brewer IP H R ER BB SO

J. McLain (L,10-5) 7 8 5 4 2 1

HBP-J. McLain, Thoms (by A. Barker); WP-A. Barker; T-1:38; ATT-150 (est.)