The Lisbon softball team has made quite a turnaround this season.
The Greyhounds (7-6) were ranked seventh in the latest Western Class C standings. Just 2-12 last year, the Greyhounds could produce their highest ranking since finishing fourth in Class B with a 10-4 mark in 1997.
“I’m pleased with the way the season has gone,” said first-year coach Mike Fortier. “Obviously, we’d like to end it stronger. We’d like to finish up on a strong note and get into the playoffs.”
The Greyhounds have three senior starters – Dominique Mathieu, Andrea Piela and Krystal Doughty. Much of the club is made up of juniors, including starters Nicky Strople, Gabrielle Mathieu, Nicole Porter, Jen Hogan and Kelley and Kim Campbell. Starting catcher Soleil Mathieu is a sophomore.
Facing Georges Valley at home Friday, the Greyhounds have a prime opportunity to bolster their standing. The Bucs have just one loss and were ranked fourth. Lisbon has played competitively against other Western C favorites like Telstar and Jay and are anxious to see what it can do Friday.
“That will be a very big game – one of those point-worthy games,” said Fortier. “We’ll be going up against one of the better teams in our league and in Western Maine. We’ll see how we can stack up and compete and try to make something happen.”
Running it out
By season’s end the Jay coaching staff may be in pretty good shape. It has been common practice for Robin Roberts and Clint Brooks to take a couple of sprints in the outfield.
“They made a deal during the season that if we lose, we have to run and if we win, they have to run,” said freshman second baseman Kaylie DeMillo.
With an 11-1 record, guess who’s doing the running?
Originally, the sprints were consequences for mental mistakes during games.
“Halfway through the season, we made a little deal,” said Roberts. “From here on out, if we win, Clint and I will run. If we lose, they’re going to run. They love to do that actually. If we don’t they get upset.”
Wait and see
KVAC teams finish up the regular season Friday. That leaves some with an extended wait until the tournament begins. Lewiston finished its regular schedule Thursday and now awaits its final seeding and playoff pairing.
The Blue Devils have a couple of scrimmages scheduled. So they hope to take advantage of the long layoff.
“Either way,” said Lewiston coach Fred Royer. “It works out well as long as I get my scrimmages in. We’re not going to stay idle.”
Four KVAC clubs will see action in the KVAC Class A playoffs – No. 4 Leavitt (10-4) at No. 1 Brunswick (13-1) and No. 3 Messalonskee (11-5) at No. 2 Cony (13-1) on Tuesday, May 25th. The championship game will be Thursday at the higher seed. The pairings were based on the first 14 games of the season after all KVAC squads had played each other once.
Not Short on effort
EL’s pitcher Brittany Short finished up the year with a 2-10 record, but it wasn’t indicative of her efforts this season. Short was the workhorse on the mound for the Red Eddies and kept EL in most ballgames. She didn’t get a lot of support in the field or on offense but often gave her club a chance to win.
“She’s a tough luck loser,” said EL coach Gene Keene. “She lost four or five close games. She hasn’t pitched bad. She’s pitched well most of the way. She had three pretty good years pitching.”
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