BETHEL — There are times that Kayla Merrill can’t believe it herself.

A 50-2 career record, three regional championships, two state titles — and those are just the highlights of an impressive resume that the Telstar senior has built.

“It’s crazy,” Merrill admits. “I was looking at the stats the other day. I just looked at it and said, ‘Wow, I did all that?’ It was unbelievable.”

Merrill has accomplished what no other Telstar pitcher, or many other Maine softball players, have been able to do.

“She’s had a marvelous career for us,” said Telstar coach Jim Lunney. “She’s a great girl.”

For the second year in a row, Merrill is the Sun Journal All-Region Softball Player of the Year. That is in addition to many other honors she’s received as a four-year starter with the Rebels. She’s a four-time MVC All-Star and twice was named MVC Player of the Year. She’s also a finalist for Miss Maine Softball, which will be announced Monday night.

“One of those losses is in the MVC game,” Lunney said of Merrill’s 50-2 career record. “Nobody likes to count that but we lost it and we count it. We win it, we count it. It was a game that we played.”

Merrill had an impressive season a year ago, leading Telstar to the regional crown and state title. She was 17-1 with a 0.607 ERA and 153 strikeouts. Her goal this season to not rest on those laurels.

“I wanted to do better than I did last year,” she said. “I didn’t want to go out the same way. I wanted to go out better. So that’s what I tried to do all year.”

Merrill did just that. She went 19-1 with a 0.163 ERA. She struck out 179 and only walked 10. She allowed three earned runs in 129 innings and hurled 13 shutouts. She was also one of Telstar’s top hitters. She batted .426 and drove in 15 runs. She scored 31 runs in 68 at-bats.

“She worked hard,” said Lunney. “The pitches she threw, she has better control. The curveball, the riseball, those are the pitches that get her out of situations. She hits the corners real well.”

Merrill wanted to work on her curveball and be able to build her repertoire. She was able to do that and build confidence in her pitches.

“I tried to improve on a lot of pitches,” she said. “I tried to throw the inside strike more, which I did. I felt stronger when I was throwing the inside pitch. When my curveball was working, I could throw to either side of the plate.”

She also had to adjust to a new catcher. Longtime backstop Sam Largess graduated. Telstar had to fill that void. Lyndsay Merrill, Kayla’s younger sister, was forced into the job in the preseason because of an injury to Rachel Wheeler. That battery of the Merrill’s proved to be a good pairing and a unique opportunity for the sisters. Her last pitch for Telstar was a strikeout pitch to her sister to win the Class C state title.

“I definitely missed Sam this year,” said Merrill, who will attend Husson next year and study nursing. “My sister knows me too. They’re both like my siblings. I’ve grown up with Sam. It was an easy change for me. (Lyndsay) knows what’s working and what’s not working. Having her behind the plate made it that much easier to pitcher better.”

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Sun Journal All-Region Softball Team 2011

First Team

P – Kayla Merrill, Telstar, Sr.

P – Lauren Hall, Oak Hill, Sr.

P – Reen Kahl, Monmouth, Jr.

C – Lyndsay Merrill, Telstar, Jr.

1b – Nicena Walker, Telstar Sr.

2b – Lexi Deering, Jay, Jr.

ss – Brittany DiPompo, Jay, Sr.

3b – Kelsie Hilton, Monmouth Sr.

OF – Alannah White, Jay, Sr.

OF- Beth Moore, Jay, Sr.

OF – Hannah Morin, Telstar, Sr.

UT – Kristi Hilton, Monmouth, Sr.

UT – Hannah Allen, Mt. Blue, Sr.

UT – Ashlee Arnold, Edward Little, Soph.

Second Team

P – Heather Verrier, Oxford Hills, Jr.

P – Miranda Martin, Edward Little, Sr.

P – Heather Clavet, Buckfield, Sr.

C – Dayna Schultz, Oxford Hills, Sr.

1b – Alicia Valente, Gray-New Gloucester, Sr.

2b – Anna McGinness, Mt. Abram, Sr.

ss- Breanna Martin, Oxford Hills, Jr.

3b – Shauna Riordan, Lisbon, Sr.

OF – Courtney Carson, Mountain Valley, Sr.

OF – Alexa Harmon, Lisbon, Jr.

OF – Maegan Mathon, Lewiston, Fr.

UT – Brooke Lawrence, Lisbon, Jr.

UT – Kellie Sanborn, Gray-New Gloucester, Sr.

UT – Mary Caron, St. Dom’s, Jr.