September 21, 2024
HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL

McLain lifts Brewer by rival Rams Quimby, Thoms provide clutch hits for Witches

BANGOR – Christine Thoms was due for a big hit. The rest of the Brewer softball team was due for a big win in a close game.

Thoms got her hit – a three-run double to back up Katie Quimby’s game-winning two-run single – and the Witches got a 5-1 victory over rival Bangor Tuesday afternoon at the high school field.

Brewer also got a three-hitter from Jordan McLain as the Witches rebounded for the win after dropping two of their last three games, including Monday’s 1-0 extra-innings loss to Messalonskee of Oakland.

Brewer goes to 7-2 while Bangor, also coming off a loss Monday to Nokomis of Newport, falls to 3-6.

“It’s good to have a win coming off a loss,” McLain said. “Bangor’s coming off a loss, too, so it was good for us to get the win. It gives us a little more energy.”

It was Brewer’s second win over Bangor this season. The Witches won a 1-0 game last month, so Rams coach Don Stanhope was hoping for more offense Tuesday.

“We didn’t want another 1-0 game,” he said. “We talked coming in today that we were going to have to put up some big numbers.”

The Rams took an early lead but Quimby’s two-out single to right in the fourth plated Thoms, who reached on a fielder’s choice, and McLain, who singled.

Bangor pitcher Amy Wadleigh was able to hold the Witches until the top of the seventh, when she walked three to load the bases. That set things up for slugger Thoms, who blasted a 1-2 pitch to center field.

It was the second time in the game Thoms got to the plate with the bases loaded. The first time, in the fifth inning, she flied out to end the frame.

“I’ve been struggling in recent games, so it was about time that I came through with a nice hit,” she said. “It’s been a struggle.”

Among those who scored for Brewer was Julie Lorenz, who didn’t record an at-bat but reached base four times on three walks and a hit-by-pitch.

McLain, meanwhile, picked up her seventh win of the year with six strikeouts and just one walk. She sat down 12 of the last 13 batters, with Ilyse Angst reaching on a two-out error in the bottom of the seventh.

“A lot of my breaking pitches were working so that helped a lot today,” McLain said.

The Rams scored their run in the third as Amy Hackett hit a two-out single, advanced on two wild pitches, and scored on a Tawyna Godinez single.

Wadleigh finished with five walks and three strikeouts. She did keep the Witches from hitting consistently and retired eight straight at one point.

Stanhope said Wadleigh is working her way back from a 11/2-week break after she was bothered by a sore rotator cuff. Wadleigh pitched part of Monday’s game.

“I thought she did a terrific job,” he said. “She got a lot of balls down. There were really only two hits that hurt us, and they were good hits.”

WITCHES 5, RAMS 1

Brewer (7-2) Bangor (3-6)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Risser, c 4 0 1 0 Hackett, 3b 3 1 0

Jackson, pr 0 0 0 0 Heath, 2b 2 0 0

Lorenz, rf 0 1 0 0 Godinez, cf 3 0 1

Thoms, 3b 4 1 1 3 White, ss 3 0 0

J. McLain, p 4 1 1 0 Wadleigh, p 2 0 0

M. McLain, ss 3 0 0 0 Besse, ph 1 0

Quimby, 2b 3 0 1 2 C. Stevenson, lf 2 0

Estes, 1b 3 0 0 0 Angst, 1b 3 0 0

Knowles, cf 2 0 1 0 Fahey, c 3 0 0

DeFilipp, pr 0 1 0 0 MacDonald, dh 2 0 0

Hawkins-Kmbll, lf 2 0 0 0 Eremita, rf 0 0

Smith, ph 0 1 0 0

Totals 25 5 5 5 Totals 24 1 3 1

Brewer 000 200 3 – 5

Bangor 001 000 0 – 1

E-Estes; LOB-Brewer 5, Bangor 3; 2B-Thoms; S-C. Stevenson; SB-Heath

Brewer IP H R ER BB SO

J. McLain (W,7-2) 7 3 1 1 1 6

Bangor IP H R ER BB SO

Wadleigh (L,1-1) 7 5 5 5 5 3

HBP-Lorenz (by Wadleigh); WP-J. McLain 2; PB-Risser; Fahey 2; T-1:40; ATT-100 (est.)


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