Toomey homer powers Crusaders Offense pivotal in win over MDI

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BAR HARBOR – Sheila Toomey has been seeing the ball well in the past two games. That carried over to the rest of her teammates Thursday afternoon as the John Bapst of Bangor softball team faced Mount Desert Island.

Toomey hit a home run in her second straight game to spark the Crusaders to a 12-4 victory over the Trojans.

All nine spots in Bapst’s lineup contributed with either a hit, run or RBI. The 2-2 Crusaders had 11 hits, including five for extra bases.

“Definitely, our confidence as a team is up,” said John Bapst’s Kaci Harvey, who tripled, singled and recorded two RBIs. “[Toomey’s] as well. Our skills are coming together and we’re working well.”

Toomey, who hit her first homer of the season off Bucksport standout Terren Hall, smacked Thursday’s in the second inning off MDI starter Allison Johnson with Bapst’s Danielle Richard at third. Richard had tripled to drive in Hillary Laferriere, who led off with a single.

The three runs made it a 5-1 score. Toomey had walked and scored in the second on an Ellen Umphrey double.

Both of Toomey’s homers this week went over the left-field fences. MDI’s field is 200 feet at that spot, while Bucksport’s is about 197.

“I feel like this year I’m more relaxed at the plate,” she said. “I can see the ball well enough to go to it and not just swing aimlessly.”

The Crusaders added two more runs in the fifth as MDI reliever Tia Parady gave up two walks and an RBI single to Harvey. Bapst scored four more in the seventh thanks to a Harvey RBI triple, a run-scoring single by Laferriere and a Trojan error.

Bapst’s leadoff batter Whitney Sinclair singled and scored twice. Marion Lawrence recorded a fielder’s choice RBI.

John Bapst also recorded four stolen bases – with two other baserunners caught stealing – and a sacrifice bunt.

“That’s kind of the way we play, a little scrappy,” Bapst coach Bill Baker said. “That’s the way we’re going to look this year and that’s how we looked today. It worked out nicely.”

MDI (1-6) also pounded out 11 hits and really heated up late in the game. The Trojans scored three runs and recorded six hits in the final two innings.

“They are hitting. We’ve been working on it,” MDI coach Dennis Meehan said. “I’ve been pitching to them from about 25 feet away, and we like to bring out the pitching machine and set it fast. So we’re starting to hit. It’s a good sign.”

Eliza Worrick led MDI with three singles, while Katie Dubois tripled and singled. Miranda McIntire and Emma Damon had RBIs in the seventh.

Richard struck out three for the win. She didn’t give up any walks.

“Dani pitched well but she wasn’t dominating,” Baker said. “… Quite honestly, [MDI] surprised me. They put the bat on the ball, from the very first girl. But we made a lot of nice plays defensively.”

CRUSADERS 12, TROJANS 4

John Bapst (2-2) MDI (1-6)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Sinclair, 2b 4 2 1 0 Bothen, 3b 4 1 0

Ka. Harvey, ss 5 1 2 2 Worrick, 2b 4 0

Laferriere, 1b 5 2 2 1 McIntire, 1b 4 1

Richard, p 5 2 2 1 Damon, c 4 0 1

Toomey, 3b 3 2 2 2 Tinker, rf 4 0 0

Perkins, c 2 1 0 0 Murphy, dh 1 0 0

Umphrey, cf 3 1 1 1 Vaux, dh 2 0 0

Ogden, cf 1 0 0 0 Allen, cf 3 0 0

Kevit, cf 0 0 0 0 Dubois, lf 4 1 0

Lawrence, lf 4 0 0 1 Staples, ss 1 0 0

Harvey, rf 1 1 0 0 Winchenbach, ss 2 1 0

Horne, ph 1 0 1 0

Totals 34 12 11 8 Totals 33 4 11 2

John Bapst 023 120 4 – 12

MDI 001 001 2 – 4

E-Perkins, Toomey; Worrick, Tinker, Staples, Winchenbach; LOB-John Bapst 9, MDI 7; 2B-Sinclair, Umphrey; 3B-Ka. Harvey, Richard; Dubois; HR-Toomey (2); DP-Ka. Harvey-Toomey; S-Perkins; SB-Sinclair, Lawrence, Richard, Perkins

John Bapst IP H R ER BB SO

Richard (W, 2-2) 7 11 4 3 0 3

MDI IP H R ER BB SO

Johnson (L, 1-3) 3 5 5 4 3 0

Parady 4 6 7 5 1 2

WP-Richard; Parady; PB-Perkins; Damon 2; T-1:34; ATT-50 (est.)