BREWER – Sometimes, all it takes is one play to change the momentum of a softball game.

That adage proved correct eight pitches into Thursday’s Eastern Maine Class A quarterfinal between top-ranked Brewer and No. 8 Oxford Hills of South Paris at Coffin Field.

The Vikings seemed poised to strike first after a leadoff single, but the Witches turned a double play and sophomore righthander Melanie Judkins went to work from there, giving up two hits the rest of the way while tying a school record with 17 strikeouts as Brewer advanced with a 7-1 victory.

“She’s only a sophomore and she’s maturing every game. She just gets better and better,” said coach Harry “Skip” Estes, whose Witches won their 11th straight (16-1) and will take on fourth-ranked Skowhegan here Saturday.

Oxford Hills finishes up 10-8.

Judkins, who was given a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, struck out nine straight.

“I felt I had their batters off balance and they weren’t really hitting much so I just threw the fastball a lot,” said Judkins, who walked only one and didn’t give up an earned run.

Judkins was in firm control, throwing 70 of her 101 pitches for strikes.

“Me and Meghan [McLain] have this saying to start ahead of the count, that’s what I tried to do the whole game,” Judkins said.

Sarah Risser got the Witches going in the first, lining a single into center, stealing two bases and scoring on an error while McLain’s sharp double down the leftfield line brought home Dominique DeFilipp, who had walked.

Brewer scored twice more in the third on a wild pitch and an RBI groundout by Jaimee Knowles while they tacked on three more in the sixth on RBI singles by Katie Kenney and Amanda Ryan and a throwing error.

The Witches would take advantage of four Oxford Hills errors and six walks, while the first-inning double play Brewer turned proved huge.

“We made some physical mistakes that obviously allowed them to score some runs,” Oxford Hills coach Cindy Goddard said.

Caitlin Hanley led off the first with a hit to shallow left for the Vikes, and Teira Durgin tried to bunt her to second, but after Durgin was thrown out at first Hanley strayed too far off the second base bag.

“After that the girls were relaxed and it took the wind out of any momentum Oxford Hills could have,” Estes said.

Not only was Judkins pitching like it was a 1-0 ballgame throughout the afternoon, her poise was unbreakable.

“I try to think of it as a regular game so I didn’t get myself to worried about it,” said Judkins, who credited battery mate Leah Jackson for calling a strong game behind the plate.

“She does awesome out there.”

Risser finished 2-for-4 with three stolen bases and a run scored.

The Vikings scored their only run in the seventh, as Megan Gauger walked and scored on a passed ball.

Gauger’s single in the fourth and Emmy Lou Blake’s single in the seventh were Oxford Hills’ only other hits.

rmclaughlin@bangordailynews.net

990-8193

WITCHES 7, VIKINGS 1

Oxford Hills (10-8) Brewer (16-1)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Hanley, ss 3 0 1 0 Risser, 2b 4 1 0

Durgin, c 3 0 0 0 D. DeFilipp, lf 2 1 0

Gauger, 2b 2 1 1 0 McLain, ss 2 1 1

Rubb, 1b 2 0 0 0 Jackson, c 4 0 0

Shultz, lf 1 0 0 0 A. DeFilipp, 3b 1 2 0

Blake, lf-1b 3 0 1 0 Liberatore, dh 3 1 0

Wheeler, cf 3 0 0 0 Kenney, rf 1 1 1

Springer, rf 2 0 0 0 Judkins, p 2 0 0

Washer, rf 1 0 0 0 Simpson, pr 0 0 0

Rice, 3b 2 0 0 0 Ryan, ph 1 0 1

Ladd, dh 2 0 0 0 Knowles, 1b 3 0 0

Surczak, p 0 0 0 0 Alekiewicz, ph 1 0 0

Fraser, cf 3 0 0 0

Totals 24 1 3 0 Totals 27 7 7 3

Oxford Hills 000 000 1 – 1

Brewer 202 003 x – 7

E-Durgin, Rubb, Rice, Wheeler; Kenney; LOB-Oxford Hills 3, Brewer 9; 2B-McLain; DP-Oxford Hills 1, Brewer 1; S-Springer; SB-Risser 3, A. DeFilipp

Oxford Hills IP H R ER BB SO

Surczak (L) 6 7 7 3 7 5

Brewer IP H R ER BB SO

Judkins (W) 7 3 1 0 1 17

WP-Surczak 2; Judkins; PB-Jackson; T-1:42; ATT-100 (est.)