Rams hold off rally by Witches Bangor pitchers stifle Brewer bats

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BANGOR – Friday’s Class A softball showdown between Brewer and Bangor had everything you’d expect to see when two top-notch programs clash.

A well-played pitchers’ duel. Timely hitting. Aggressive baserunning. One team capitalizing on another’s mistakes.

The Rams took advantage of two Witches errors and a passed ball to score four runs in the bottom of the third and staved off a late Brewer rally for a 4-2 victory at the Bangor High field.

“It certainly had all the elements in softball that you want to see, a lot of short game, good pitching and good hitting by both teams,” said Bangor coach Don Stanhope, whose club improved to 5-1.

Rams pitchers Amy Wadleigh and Sam Bedore put the clamps on Brewer’s attack, scattering two runs on four hits while combining on seven strikeouts and three walks.

“If I didn’t have this amazing team behind me, we wouldn’t be going anywhere,” said Wadleigh, who went the first four innings in picking up the victory.

After the Rams loaded the bases and came away empty in the bottom of the first, they took advantage of Brewer’s fielding miscues in the third.

Erin Dean started things with a one-out single and scored on a throwing error after Eliza Estabrook bunted her to second.

Mariah Cassum then reached second on a dropped fly ball, moved to third on Nicole Stairs’ single and, after Stairs stole second, Cassum scored on a passed ball after Erica Tweedie drew a walk.

Stairs advanced to third on the play and scampered home as Brewer catcher Leah Jackson tried to nail Tweedie at second base.

Tweedie came around on a throwing error on Kara Freudenberger’s fielder’s choice, giving the hosts a 4-0 advantage.

“We’ve just got to keep putting it to ’em and eventually they’ll make mistakes,” said Wadleigh.

“We had one bad inning in which we caused ourselves a lot of mistakes,” Brewer coach Harry “Skip” Estes said.

“We had four errors in our first five games, and [today] had three in one inning and it killed us,” Estes added.

The Witches (5-1) had a chance to tie and take the lead in the top of the seventh. Allie DeFilipp reached on an error, then singles by Melanie Judkins and Maria Liberatore loaded the bases for Jaimee Knowles. She singled home pinch runner Amy Adams and DeFilipp to cut the deficit in half.

Bangor’s Bedore kept her composure after that, getting Sarah Risser and Dominique DeFilipp to ground out to end it.

“We knew they were a good team, and that it was going to be a tough one,” said Rams third baseman Lindsey Stevenson. “They fought hard in the top of the seventh.”

Estes added, “What I liked about it was the girls just didn’t pack it in.”

Wadleigh and Bedore did a formidable job of throwing strikes and keeping the ball in the infield. Only three balls left the infield all day, and the Rams’ infielders recorded 11 putouts, including an unassisted double play at first by Estabrook.

“We had two great performances tonight. Amy Wadleigh really stepped up and showed us what she’s made of, and Bedore came in and really hit the strike zone,” Stanhope said.

The Witches got a quality start out of Mel Judkins, making her first start of the spring after injuring her leg in a preseason game.

Judkins allowed no earned runs while scattering three hits, striking out nine and walking only two.

“She pitched very, very well. We’re happy she’s back,” Estes said.

Cassum had a bunt single for the Rams in the first, while Meghan McLain singled for Brewer.

rmclaughlin@bangordailynews.net

990-8193

WITCHES 7, RAMS 5

Brewer (6-0) Bangor (5-1)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

White, lf 2 2 0 0 Vanidestine, cf 4 1 1

Daniels, dh-p 4 1 2 2 Larochelle, rf 2 0

O’Connell, 2b 0 0 0 0 Walton, 3b 3 0

Swett, 1b 2 1 1 0 Edwards, p-1b 4 1 1

Higgins, p 3 0 0 0 Cox, ss 4 0 1 2

Hutchins, 2b 0 0 0 0 Clarke, dh 3 1 0

Thoms, c 4 0 0 0 Templeton, 1b 0 0 0

Smith, ss 3 0 0 0 Gray, p 0 0 0 0

Kotredes, 3b 1 2 0 0 Savage, lf 4 0 0

Bissell, rf 3 0 0 0 McDade, c 4 0 0

Sasaki, cf 3 1 1 1 Burns, pr 0 1 0

Warren, pr 0 0 0 0

Kelley, 2b 2 0 1 1

Totals 25 7 4 3 Totals 30 5 10 5

Brewer 300 020 2 – 7

Bangor 201 100 1 – 5

E-Swett 2, Bissell, Kotredes; Edwards, Cox, Templeton; LOB-Brewer 4, Bangor 11; HR-Edwards; S-Kelley; SB-White, Daniels, Swett, Kotredes, Sasaki; Vanidestine, Warren, Kelley

Brewer IP H R ER BB SO

Higgins (W, 2-0) 5 2/3 8 4 2 4 3

Daniels (S, 1) 1 1/3 2 1 1 0 1

Bangor IP H R ER BB SO

Edwards (L, 1-1) 6 1 6 3 7 5

Gray 1 3 1 1 1 0

HBP-Clarke (by Daniels); WP-Edwards; PB-McDade 2; T-2:17; ATT-300 (est.)