BREWER – For the first time in at least four years, the Bangor softball team left Brewer High’s Coffin Field chanting and singing cheers in a school bus.

It’s been at least that long since the Rams beat the rival Witches, let alone one at Brewer’s home field. The win couldn’t have come in a better spot as Bangor earned a 4-3 victory Tuesday night in an Eastern Maine Class A preliminary.

It was also an upset in the standings, with the No. 12 Rams advancing to the quarterfinals instead of the No. 5 Witches.

“Brewer is always such an amazing team,” said Bangor senior shortstop-pitcher Kelly White. “As they say, beat ’em when it counts, and it feels so good to play alongside [my teammates] and beat Brewer when it counts.”

Bangor will face No. 4 Brunswick Thursday.

The Rams (8-9) got contributions from just about everywhere in the lineup and field.

Sophomore Sam Besse earned the win, allowing just two hits while striking out three. She didn’t walk anybody, and all three Brewer runs were unearned. Besse also hit a two-run double in the first inning and drove in the game-winning run in the fourth.

White singled and scored on Besse’s fielder’s choice in the fourth. She earned a save with a one-hit, two-strikeout effort in the seventh inning.

Junior Amy Hackett hit three singles and scored twice.

The Rams haven’t had much luck over the years against Brewer pitcher Jordan McLain, but Bangor took a 2-0 lead in the first thanks to Besse’s double. Hackett singled and scored on a wild pitch in the top of the third to make it 3-0.

“We just came in and jumped on everything,” Hackett said. “We knew [McLain] was going to throw strikes and we knew she was going to come hard. We haven’t been a team to score in the first inning, but that got our heads into it.”

McLain was expecting Bangor to have a better offensive attack than the teams’ two previous matchups, in which the Rams had a combined four hits.

“Ever since I was a freshman they’ve seen me,” McLain said. “I knew they were going to hit me. … We played well. You can’t win ’em all.”

Brewer (11-6) rallied with two outs in the bottom of the third, taking advantage of three errors to tie the game at 3-3.

Utilizing just a fastball and changeup, Besse allowed just a single and a walk from there.

“I was very nervous, being just a sophomore and knowing that if we lost we’d be eliminated,” she said. “I just throw it and let my team help out. I had confidence in my team.”

Bangor coach Don Stanhope moved White from shortstop to the mound to close it out.

“Our decision was, Kelly really wanted this,” he said. “Sam was doing great but we’d been through the order three times and we thought we’d give them a different look.”

Besse admitted she wanted to close the game but conceded to White, a former Bangor ace who has primarily played shortstop for the past 11/2 seasons.

White got two quick outs before giving up a single to pinch-hitter Leah Jackson. She advanced to third on a throwing error that allowed Christine Thoms to reach but struck out McLain to end the game.

“It meant a lot to be able to finish it off,” said White, who made her fifth appearance.

Thoms and Sarah Estes also singled for Brewer.

RAMS 4, WITCHES 3

Bangor (8-9) Brewer (11-6)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

C. Stevenson, lf 4 0 0 0 Risser, c 4 0

White, ss-p 4 1 1 0 Lorenz, rf 3 1 0

Hackett, 3b-ss 4 2 3 0 Jackson, ph 1 0

Godinez, cf 3 1 2 0 Thoms, 3b 3 1 0

Besse, p 2 0 2 3 J. McLain, p 3 1 0

L. Stevenson, 3b 0 0 0 0 M. McLain, ss 3 0

Angst, 1b 4 0 1 0 Quimby, 2b 3 0 0

Heath, 2b 4 0 0 0 Estes, 1b 3 0 0

Deane, dh 3 0 0 0 Smith, pr 0 0 0

Fahey, c 0 0 0 0 DeFillip, lf 3 0 0

Eremita, rf 2 0 1 0 Gomm, cf 3 0 0

Tweedie, pr 0 0 0 0

Totals 30 4 10 3 Totals 29 3 3 0

Bangor 201 010 0 – 4

Brewer 003 000 0 – 3

E-Angst 3, L. Stevenson; LOB-Bangor 9, Brewer 5; 2B-Besse; DP-Gomm-Estes; SB-Hackett 2, Angst, Besse

Bangor IP H R ER BB SO

Besse (W, 6-4) 6 2 3 0 0 3

White (S, 2) 1 1 0 0 0 2

Brewer IP H R ER BB SO

J. McLain (L, 11-6) 7 10 4 4 3 2

HBP-J. McLain (by Besse); WP-J. McLain; PB-Risser; T-1:49; ATT-200 (est.)