EAST SULLIVAN – It’s not easy to beat a defending regional titlist twice in one season, let alone a solid all-around team like Sumner High School’s softball team.

Washington Academy of East Machias team got one-hit pitching from Kayla Wood and scored five unanswered runs to rally for a 6-3 triumph over the defending Eastern Maine Class C champion Tigers from East Sullivan Wednesday afternoon.

This game was a lot different than the first matchup between these teams, won 8-7 by the Raiders, as two of the region’s finest pitchers, Wood and Tashia Daley, were both strong in the circle.

But it was Wood who kept the hard-hitting Tigers silent, as her knee-high changeup produced nine ground-ball outs while she struck out six and walked three.

“The changeup helps with that, it keeps then off-balance so when they hit the changeup they usually hit ground balls,” said Wood, whose Raiders improved to 12-4 and head into postseason play with some needed momentum.

“We couldn’t have asked for anything better for the last game of the season,” WA coach Gary Wood said. “It’s hard to say what’s going to happen with Heal points. Hopefully this’ll jump us up around the 4-5 slot. We’ll see.”

The Raiders trailed the 13-3 Tigers 3-1 heading into the top of the fifth, but two singles, two walks and a passed ball helped the visitors tie the game.

Leading off the seventh with the game still tied, Carilla Fritz singled and came around to score the eventual winning run as Bre Nicely bunted and reached on an error.

Andi Flannery delivered some insurance two batters later with an RBI triple down the leftfield line and she scored the game’s final run on a wild pitch.

“I knew with the top of the order coming up, we had a chance,” said Gary Wood.

With their second victory over the Tigers this spring, coupled with a Memorial Day triumph over Calais, the Raiders should be in prime position to possibly earn a preliminary-round bye.

“This was definitely our biggest win because its going to give us a huge jump in Heal points hopefully,” said Kayla Wood.

As good as Daley was – she struck out 12 while giving up three earned runs on five hits – the Tigers couldn’t string together any big innings off Wood.

“It was just one of those games. We just didn’t hit the ball tonight,” said Sumner coach Elwood “Bimbo” Pinkham.

Lona Sargent’s RBI double in the fourth was the Tigers’ lone hit while Daley walked and scored on a passed ball in the first and Higgins was hit by a pitch and scored on an error in the same inning.

WA’s Nicely drew two walks and scored three runs while Fritz finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Flannery was credited with an RBI in the third as she was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

rmclaughlin@bangordailynews.net

990-8193

RAIDERS 6, TIGERS 3

Washington Acad. (12-4) Sumner (13-3)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Fritz, cf 4 2 2 0 Daley, p 2 1 0

Nicely, 2b 2 3 0 0 Sargent, ss 4 0 1

Wood, p 3 0 2 0 Higgins, c 3 1 0

Corey, 3b 2 0 0 1 Leach, 3b 3 0 0

Flannery, ss 2 1 1 2 Traxler, 1b 2 0 0

Garland, rf 4 0 0 0 Lockhart, pr 0 0 0

Look, 1b 3 0 0 0 Pennartz, 2b 2 0 0

Espling, c 3 0 0 0 Alexander, cr 3 0 0

Davis, lf 3 0 0 0 Tucker, dh 3 0 0

Whitten, lf 3 1 0 0

Totals 26 6 5 3 Totals 25 3 1 1

Washington Academy 001 020 3 – 6

Sumner 200 100 0 – 3

E-Flannery; Leach; LOB-Washington Acad. 7, Sumner 6; 2B-Sargent; 3B-Flannery; DP-Sumner 1; S-Look; SB-Nicely, Flannery

Washington Acad. IP H R ER BB SO

Wood (W, 12-4) 7 1 3 1 3 6

Sumner IP H R ER BB SO

Daley (L, 7-3) 7 5 6 3 6 12

HBP-Flannery by Daley; Daley by Wood, Higgins by Wood; WP-Wood; Daley; PB-Espling 5; Higgins; T-1:36; ATT-75 (est.)