Clutch Witches top Rams in battle of ‘A’ powers

loading...

BREWER – Tuesday night’s Class A softball showdown between archrivals Bangor and Brewer had more subplots, twists and drama than a Broadway play.

When the final curtain fell, the Witches came up with more clutch hits, riding an 11-hit onslaught to a 7-5 victory on “Senior Night” at Coffin Field.

Brewer, 13-1 after avenging its only loss of the spring, erupted for seven runs and 10 hits off Bangor sophomore righthander Sam Bedore, including four runs in the third.

As it turned out, the Witches needed all the runs they could muster because the Rams refused to quit.

“Hitting was the difference tonight. Both teams played tight,” Brewer coach Harry “Skip” Estes said. “That’s what I’ve said all season long is, my girls can hit.”

The Witches struck in the second, as Mel Judkins plated a run with a single, then the bats went to work in the third.

After a strikeout to start the frame, Sarah Risser laced an opposite-field triple to the rightfield fence and scored on Dominique DeFilipp’s single. Meghan McLain cranked a double to the right-center field fence, scoring DeFilipp, and eventually scored on a passed ball for a 4-0 lead.

After a strikeout, Dominique’s sister Allie DeFilipp tripled and scored on Maria Liberatore’s single to cap the rally.

The Rams struck back for three in the top of the fourth, but Risser knocked in a run with a single and scored on Dominique DeFilipp’s RBI sacrifice for a 7-3 lead.

“We just kind of kept hitting. We knew if we were just on top of our offense we’d eventually get the runs back,” said Dominique DeFilipp, a senior outfielder.

Bangor scored single runs in the fifth and seventh to close to within two again, and had runners on second and third with one down.

Sophomore righty Judkins got the final two batters to strike out and ground out, respectively, to perhaps solidify the Witches’ place atop the Class A ranks heading into postseason play.

“Bangor and [us] right now are fighting it out for that No. 1 spot so this is a big win,” said Estes.

Things were different this time around than in the first meeting, where Bedore and Amy Wadleigh, who allowed one hit over two innings in relief, shut down Brewer’s bats.

“We were just more fired up, we were more ready to go,” said Witches senior first baseman Jaimee Knowles.

Brewer’s offense was well-balanced, as eight of nine batters collected at least one hit and all nine reached base at least once.

The Rams threatened a number of times despite getting only five hits off Judkins, but Brewer catcher Leah Jackson did a solid job behind the plate of thwarting several sacrifice bunt opportunities.

“[Leah Jackson] made some key outs on bunt popups when they tried to move the runners,” Estes said.

Coach Don Stanhope’s club did a sound job on the basepaths, stealing six bases, including a steal of home by Kim Jordan.

“We did an exceptional job tonight of moving runners with very few hits,” said Stanhope, who added he was impressed with the way his club kept battling against one of Eastern Maine’s top pitchers.

“Mel’s a good pitcher, she’s not one you usually come back and score runs on. Being a young group of kids, they don’t have any fear,” he said.

Jeri Cosgrove singled in a run for the 12-2 Rams while Eliza Estabrook drove in another with a single.

rmclaughlin@bangordailynews.net

990-8193

WITCHES 7, RAMS 5

Bangor (12-2) Brewer (13-1)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Jordan, cf-2b 2 2 0 0 Risser, 2b 4 1

Dean, c 3 0 2 0 D. DeFilipp, lf 4 1 2

Hackett, ss 3 1 0 0 McLain, ss 3 1 1

Estabrook, 2b-1b 4 0 1 1 Jackson, c 3 0

Stairs, lf 4 1 1 0 A. DeFilipp, 3b 3 2 0

Cosgrove, dh 3 0 1 1 Liberatore, dh 3 0 1

Redman, pr 0 1 0 0 Judkins, p 3 0 1

Wadleigh, 1b-p 2 0 0 0 Adams, pr 0 0

Tweedie, rf 2 0 0 0 Knowles, 1b 3 0 0

Freudenberger,ph 1 0 0 0 Fraser, cf 3 0

Stevenson, 3b 3 0 0 0 Kenney, rf 0 0

Bedore, p 0 0 0 0

Doucette, cf 0 0 0 0

Totals 27 5 5 2 Totals 29 7 11 6

Bangor 000 310 1 – 5

Brewer 014 200 x – 7

E-Estabrook; Jackson, Risser; LOB-Bangor 7, Brewer 4; 2B-McLain; 3B-Risser, A. DeFilipp; DP-Bangor 1; S-Estabrook; D. DeFilipp, Fraser, Liberatore; SB-Jordan 3, Dean, Stairs, Redman; Risser, McLain

Bangor IP H R ER BB SO

Bedore (L, 6-2) 4 10 7 6 0 6

Wadleigh 2 1 0 0 0 1

Brewer IP H R ER BB SO

Judkins (W, 6-1) 7 5 5 4 4 7

HBP-Jordan (by Judkins); WP-Judkins 2; PB-Dean 2; T-1:56; ATT-125 (est.)