LEWISTON – Another day. Another comeback.
Early deficits don’t seem to phase the Edward Little softball team these days. They may spot a team a few runs in the first few innings, but the Red Eddies fully expect to make some noise before the game is over.
EL faced a five-run deficit Tuesday but turned the tide in the fifth in a 10-9 win over Lewiston.
“We’ve made a lot of comebacks the last couple of games,” said EL catcher Kennedy Hubbard. “We always try to stay positive and sometimes we didn’t, but we brought it all together and did what we needed to do.”
The Red Eddies (4-2) trailed 6-1 and 9-8 before rallying to take the lead three different times. EL then held off the Blue Devils in the final inning. Lewiston had the tying run tagged out at the plate in the bottom of the seventh.
“It was a great game,” said Lewiston coach Fred Royer. “It was a see-saw battle by two teams that played very well today. Both squads had great innings. We had a chance to tie it in the end and came up just short. Overall, it was a great battle between two rivals.”
Hubbard and Melissa Paione each had two hits and drove in two runs. Ashlee Arnold also plated a pair with a hit. Miranda Martin and Danielle Rock also had RBI.
“The last three innings, that’s the team we expected from the beginning,” said EL coach Elaine Derosby. “It’s not just the team that had the greatest batters or the greatest fielders or greatest pitcher. It also is the team that has the leadership, communication and the heart. They brought that today.”
Lewiston (2-4) got three hits and an RBI from Kati Dumais while Kourtney Bartlett also had three hits. Tamara Roy drove in two with a pair of hits, and Shyan Baillargeon, Chloe Miller and Maegan Mathon each drove in runs.
“Sometimes it’s a game of inches,” said Royer. “I thought Kati Dumais pitched a heck of a game. Offensively, we hit the ball well enough to win the game. Hats off to EL for doing their job.”
EL had just one hit through the first four innings and got an early run on a Paione fielder’s choice following a walk and error in the first.
In the fifth, the Red Eddies came to life, producing four runs on three hits and three Lewiston errors. Arnold drove in two with a double while Paione and Martin plated runs.
“When one person hits, we all get going and go up to the plate ready to hit,” said Hubbard. “We build our confidence off each other.”
EL had the momentum and took the lead in the sixth. Hubbard doubled in two runs and scored on an error to make it 8-6. Lewiston battled right back in the bottom of the inning to take a 9-8 lead. Heather Michaud scored on a single and error off the bat of Baillargeon. Then Roy doubled in two to put the Blue Devils ahead.
EL answered in the seventh. A fielder’s choice off a Rock grounder tied the game. Then Kristen Whittacker scored the game-winner on a wild pitch.
“We got the big hits,” said Derosby. “We got the big plays but today, we made the emotional and the mental pieces. That’s how we were going to win this game.”
Lewiston nearly tied it in the seventh. With one out, Dumais hit one to right. She had a sure triple but tried to stretch it into the tying run. EL relayed the ball back to the infield nicely. When Rock had the ball at third, she dropped it for a moment but didn’t give up on the play. She got the throw off to Hubbard, who had the plate blocked.
“I was scared,” said Hubbard. “I saw her coming around the bases. Dani, I knew she could make the play. She bobbled it, but I still knew she could make the play. We always talk about blocking the plate and making sure they can’t get to the plate. All the cuts, everyone made the plays they were supposed to.”
Lewiston built the 6-1 lead with three runs in the second. Eldridge singled in two and Dumais plated another. then in the fourth, Mathon and Miller singled in runs and Michaud scored on an error.
“We made some huge plays in that last inning and those are teh plays we are capable of making,” said Derosby. “We have the skills to do that, but we also had the communication, heart and leadership from different people on the field. Today, we needed that.”
kmills@sunjournal.com
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- Lewiston’s Heather Michaud makes the throw to 1st base on a double play attempt in softball game at Lewiston on Tuesday; base runner for Edward Little is Emily Johnson.
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- Edward Little’s Kory Norcross collides with catcher Kennedy Hubbard left, on a pop up fly in the infield in softball game with Lewiston on Tuesday in Lewiston.
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- Edward Little’s Ashlee Arnold makes the tag on Lewiston’s Kourtney Bartlette on a steal attempt at 2nd base in softball game at Lewiston on Tuesday.
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- Edward Little’s pitcher Miranda Martin fires her pitch at Lewiston batter in softball game with Lewiston on Tuesday in Lewiston.
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- Lewiston pitcher Katie Dumais fires her pitch at Edward Little batter in softball game played at Lewiston on Tuesday.
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