BREWER – After five innings of lackluster play, Brewer softball coach Harry “Skip” Estes stood off Coffin Field and finally enjoyed a moment of relief on a special occasion Friday night.

Not only was it Senior Day for the Witches, but it was also Estes’ 47th birthday.

“I never had gray hair until I started coaching,” Estes joked.

Brewer likely gave Estes a few more in a matchup against Hampden Academy. The Witches’ seniors, however, had more than enough motivation on their special day, too.

Seniors Jordan McLain and Stacey Gomm each had clutch RBIs in the bottom of the seventh inning, with Gomm’s tying the game and McLain’s plating the winning run, to help Brewer come from behind for a 4-3 victory over the Broncos.

“We had a rough start but we’ve had a couple of rough starts in some of our games,” McLain said. “We all know that even if we get down we’re going to come back. We have that kind of a team.”

It was the fourth win this week for the Witches, who are now 13-2, but didn’t fare well early Friday.

Standout pitcher McLain walked the first batter of the game, Mikki Libbey, who eventually scored on a Michelle Wells single. The traditionally strong Brewer offense couldn’t get anything going and sputtered with seven strikeouts through five innings by Broncos starter Lacey Littlefield.

And the Witches had a three-error fifth inning in which Hampden (11-4) capitalized with a two-run single by Kate Peverada.

Eventually, the Witches manufactured two runs in the sixth to get back into it -Meghan McLain, Jordan’s sister, recorded an RBI single in the inning – and got off to a good start in the seventh when Hailey Smith tripled off Hampden reliever Wells.

Gomm then hit a line-drive fielder’s choice ball to shortstop Peverada which allowed Smith to score.

“I just wanted to hit the ball,” Gomm said. “[Estes] just said, ‘Crush it, girl.'”

Gomm advanced to second on a single by Sarah Risser but after a strikeout, Gomm was forced out at third on a Meghan McLain fielder’s choice.

The fielder’s choice put allow Risser to advance to second, setting up Jordan McLain’s rope single to left field. Risser scooted around third and charged home, slapping the plate with her hand before the tag.

“She’s one of my speedsters so I knew she was going to get around,” Estes said.

Jordan McLain struck out eight and walked one for her ninth win. Just one of Hampden’s runs was earned.

Meghan McLain finished with two singles.

Littlefield pitched well in the loss, striking out eight and walking two in 6 2/3 innings.

“Lacey did a really good job pitching,” said Hampden senior Nellie Wood, who singled in the first inning. “She was really on all game. We got it done with the bats, we had some good bunts. They got some good hits in the end, so it was hard.”

Hampden had one error but played stellar defense otherwise, snagging two sharply hit line drives and tagging out a Brewer runner at home plate.

WITCHES 4, BRONCOS 3

Hampden (11-4) Brewer (13-2)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Libbey, lf-ss 2 2 0 0 Risser, c 3 0

Wood, rf 4 0 1 0 D. Defilipp, lf 3 0 0

Wells, 2b-p 4 1 1 1 Kenney, rf 1 0 0

Gott, c 3 0 0 0 M. McLain, 3b 3 1 1

Peverada, ss-2b 3 0 1 2 J. McLain, p 3 1

Shannon, cf 3 0 1 0 Jackson, ss 3 0 0

Belcher, 1b 3 0 0 0 Lorenz, 2b 3 0 0

Plowman, 3b 3 0 0 0 Estes, 1b 2 0 0

Littlefield, p-lf 3 0 1 0 Frazier, ph 1 0

Utecht, lf 0 0 0 0 Smith, rf-lf 3 1 0

Gomm, cf 2 0 0 1

A. Defilipp, ph 1 0 0 0

Totals 28 3 5 3 Totals 28 4 7 3

Hampden 100 020 0 – 3

Brewer 000 002 2 – 4

E-Peverada; M. McLain 3, Lorenz; LOB-Hampden 6, Brewer 6; 3B-Smith; S-Libbey; SB-Wells; J. McLain, D. Defilipp

Hampden IP H R ER BB SO

Littlefield (L, 8-4) 6 1/3 6 3 1 2 8

Wells* 2/3 1 1 1 0 0

Brewer IP H R ER BB SO

J. McLain (W, 9-2) 7 5 3 1 1 8

PB-Risser; T-1:45; ATT-100 (est.)

*faced one batter in the seventh