The Biddeford Tigers lost two competitive regular-season games to Scarborough this spring, but won the game that counted most, Tuesday’s Western Maine Class A softball final.

Coach Leon Paquin’s club ended the Red Storm’s 42-game winning streak and earned a date with Eastern Maine champ Brewer in Saturday’s 4 p.m. state championship game at Saint Joseph’s College in Standish.

The 17-2 Tigers feature a solid pitcher in junior Savannah Brownell, who compiled an 8-2 regular-season record with a 0.90 earned run average, 65 strikeouts and 12 walks in 70 innings pitched.

She shut down the Red Storm in the WM regional, retiring the first 16 batters she faced and allowed just one run – on a sacrifice fly – and one hit.

“She’s not overpowering; [she] tries to mix it up, relies on her defense,” said Paquin.

Biddeford’s offensive catalyst has been outfielder Nicole Kimborowicz, who sports a .412 batting average with a home run, six doubles and two triples out of the No. 2 slot in the lineup.

In order to be successful against the Witches and fireballing righty Melanie Judkins, the Tigers will likely have to manufacture runs whenever possible.

“We try to move the runners along. We’ll do a lot of sacrificing,” Paquin said.

The Tigers certainly aren’t inexperienced on this level, as they won the state championship in 2006, defeating Cony of Augusta.

Like the Witches, the Tigers have a solid blend of underclassmen and veterans.

In Class C, Georges Valley of Thomaston is eyeing back-to-back state titles.

Danielle Frye has been strong in the circle this postseason for the Buccaneers, allowing just two runs in three postseason games.

Frye shut out Telstar of Bethel in the regional final and spun a two-hitter while striking out eight against Madison in the quarterfinals.

Offensive leaders Brittany Worcester, Ashley Geel and Nicole Poland will look to string together some timely hits off Calais righty Tessa Clark.

In Class D, Buckfield has been synonymous with state- championship success this decade, as the Bucks have won three state titles since the 2002 season, including a 3-0 shutout of Lee Academy in last year’s championship game.

The 12-3 Bucks had to scratch and claw their way to get to Coffin Field in Brewer for Saturday’s 11 a.m. state final against Bangor Christian as a stubborn Richmond ballclub took coach Ken Farrington’s team to extra innings.

The Bucks pulled out a 6-4 victory in the eighth inning.

Buckfield has a solid pitcher in Kasey Farrington, who will face a standout opponent, Bangor Christian ace Jillian French, who threw a one-hitter against Ashland in the Eastern Maine final.

Farrington also packs a punch at the plate, as she delivered the game-winning run in the West regional, and then struck out the side in the last inning to punch the Bucks’ ticket to Brewer.

In Class B, Fryeburg Academy has the formidable challenge of trying to shut down a hot-hitting Medomak Valley of Waldoboro team, but the 18-1 Raiders boast the Maine Player of the Year in junior pitcher Hannah Hill, who has not allowed a run in postseason play.

The Raiders have never played in a state championship game, and neither team in this contest has won a state crown.

Hill not only struck out 13 in a one-hit effort against defending state champion Cape Elizabeth in the West Regional final, she drove in the game’s only run.

Hill is a hard thrower, with a fastball in the mid-60’s [mph].

The Raiders have the pitching to put the clamps on a Panthers team that scored 11 runs on 12 hits in the Eastern Maine final, but they’ll need Hill to be on her “A” game if they want to take home the gold.

rmclaughlin@bangordailynews.net

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