LEWISTON – When a runner was left at second in the first and another was stranded on third base the following inning, it looked simply like a pair of lost opportunities the Lewiston softball team could make up later on Wednesday.
Little did the Blue Devils know those two runners would represent the only chances they had all day. Medomak Valley’s Allie Ludwig no-hit Lewiston in a 2-0 victory for the Panthers.
“I thought if we had capitalized early in the game in the first two innings, it might have been different” said Lewiston coach Fred Royer. “We had a runner on second base early with some good sticks up. We had a runner on third. We just needed to make some contact. That hurt us early in the ballgame.”
Ludwig struck out seven batters and walked none. The only Lewiston baserunners came when Allie Morin reached on an error in the first, and Ashleigh Morgan got on thanks to another Panther miscue.
“I just tried to change things up and move the ball around,” said Ludwig.
“Last time, we lost to them, so we just wanted to make up for that.”
Lewiston was ranked 13th in the latest Eastern A standings. The top 13 teams make the playoffs. Though a win over Waterville Monday should bolster the Blue Devils playoff hopes, a victory over the ninth-ranked Panthers could have provided more breathing room.
“I haven’t figured it all out,” said Royer. “Beating Waterville Monday, we’re 8-8, and it’s going to be close. It looked like there was a little space between us and whoever was next.”
Lewiston’s Amanda Michaud kept the Panthers hitless through the first five innings. In the top of the sixth, April Baker led off the inning with a single.
“That first hit by April definitely helped get things started,” said Ludwig.
After she was moved along by sacrifices, Jamie O’Jala delivered a two-out single to right for the first run. In the seventh, Medomak (9-7) added to the lead. Ludwig singled with one out. She went to third on a fielder’s choice and scored on a Baker single.
“Lewiston had beat us (7-1)” said Medomak coach Glenn Barbour. “I knew we could come back. Our bats weren’t going at all, and we’ve been working on that.”
In the first, Morin reached on an error with one out, but was stranded at second when Ludwig struck out the next two batters.
In the second, Morgan reached on an error and stole second and third, but Ludwig struck out one batter and got a ground out to end the inning.
“She pitched a nice game,” said Barbour. “That was an awesome game, and our girls came up with the bats.”
Ludwig was aided by some solid defense in the field. Ludwig made a nice grab on a hard hit ball by Danielle Willey and second baseman Kayla Winchenbach made a fine backhander on a Michaud grounder.
“We’ve always said that the first run in any ballgame is a catalyst,” said Royer. “It was a good ballgame. Both teams played well defensively.”
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