CORINTH – It’s been at least since last year that Central senior Alyssa Libby wasn’t in the batting order for a softball game.

Libby might not have been able to hit for the Red Devils in their Eastern Maine Class C quarterfinal against No. 7 Houlton, but she sure pitched for them.

Despite dealing with a bruised right foot that she suffered in a scrimmage against Class B Ellsworth Tuesday, Libby scattered four hits and struck out 11 to lift defending state champ Central to a 6-1 victory over the Shiretowners at the high school field.

No matter the pain – and she admitted to plenty of discomfort in Wednesday’s game – Libby will be back in the circle for Saturday’s semifinal. The Devils, now 16-1, will face the winner of this afternoon’s quarterfinal between No. 6 Dexter and No. 3 Washington Academy of East Machias.

Houlton wraps up its season with an 8-8 record.

Libby, who was hit in the foot by a ball Tuesday, looked to be in pain at times but didn’t pitch that way. She walked just one, struck out five looking, and had full counts on just three Houlton batters.

“It hurt a lot, but my arm felt really good,” Libby said. “We went out to try it and make sure I could pitch. We warmed up, my arm felt good and I pitched pretty well. I don’t know, maybe it’s good to play through the pain.”

The Red Devils scored all of their runs in the first two innings.

Hilary Haney hit a leadoff single to shallow center field and eventually scored on a Chantel Randall line-drive single.

In the second, Central took advantage of two Houlton errors and got three hits, including Randall’s two-run groundball single. Traci Underhill also drew a bases-loaded walk and Kara Voisine recorded an RBI on a groundout.

Central tried to pick up the slack without Libby’s bat.

“I think we all came together tonight,” said Randall, who is Libby’s catcher. “We’ve been having some trouble with that and I think we stepped it up. Everyone contributed.”

Although the Devils got the win with just six hits, coach Durice Washburn would have liked to see a little more consistent offense through the game.

“We hit well enough to get it done but I think we’re lacking that killer instinct,” she said. “It’s something that we’ve been talking about. That’s got to come around.”

Houlton pitcher Nikki Eastman allowed four baserunners from the third inning on.

The Shiretowners had leadoff baserunners in the third and sixth innings but were unable to push a run across. They did get a two-out triple in the fifth from No. 8 hitter Kristen Graham, who then scored on a double by Erika Lackey, the No. 9 hitter.

The first four batters in Houlton’s lineup combined to go 1-for-12 with six strikeouts.

“[Libby is] probably the best [pitcher] we’ve seen this year,” said Shires coach Bruce Nason. “… She threw very well today. She was going inside-outside. She did her job.”

RED DEVILS 6, SHIRETOWNERS 1

Houlton (8-8) Central (16-1)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Eastman, p 3 0 0 0 Haney, lf 4 2 0

L. Herring, lf 3 0 1 0 Underhill, ss 3 1

Harbison, c 3 0 0 0 Randall, c 4 0 3

Haney, 1b 3 0 0 0 Voisine, 3b 3 0 1

A. Herring, rf 1 0 0 0 Collins, 1b 2 0

Prosser, cf 3 0 0 0 Brownell, cf 3 1 0

Faulkingham, ss 3 0 0 0 Washburn, 2b 2 0

Graham, 2b 3 1 2 0 Trafton, 2b 1 0 0

Lackey, 3b 3 0 1 1 Morin, rf-dh 2 1 0

Blackwell, ph 1 0 0 0

Speed, dh-rf 2 1 1 0

Shina, ph 0 0 0 0

Totals 25 1 4 1 Totals 27 6 6 5

Houlton 000 010 0 – 1

Central 150 000 x – 6

E-Harbison, Prosser, Graham; LOB-Houlton 5, Central 6; 2B-Lackey; 3B-Graham; SB-Brownell, Collins

Houlton IP H R ER BB SO

Eastman (L,8-8) 6 6 6 2 2 3

Central IP H R ER BB SO

Libby (W,15-1) 7 4 1 1 1 11

HBP-A. Herring (by Libby); WP-Eastman 3; Libby; PB-Harbison 2; T-1:25; ATT-50 (est.)