H.S. softball: Poland knocks out Leavitt in B South prelim

Poland’s Morgan Brousseau claps as she crosses home plate while Leavitt catcher Mackenzie Treadwell watches the play unfold in the field during the Knights’ Class B South preliminary round win in Poland on Tuesday. (Wil Kramlich/Sun Journal)

POLAND — Patience paid off for No. 7 Poland in Tuesday’s Class B South softball prelim against No. 10 Leavitt.

The Knights loaded the bases in the second with three walks — two coming with full counts — before No. 9 batter Kailyn Eskuri smacked an 0-2 pitch into the outfield for a bases-clearing double. Poland scored five runs in the frame, then five more in the third thanks in part to two more walks, en route to a 14-1 win in five innings.

“We knew that there was some chance that we would see some wild pitches, so we talked to the girls about being smart, knowing that if the ball was there to be aggressive, but if it was in the dirt or above their head they needed to kind of watch it and take the walk,” Poland co-coach Kayla Vannah said.

The Knights’ (10-7) patience started showing up in the bottom of the first. Ally Gagne drew a full count with two outs before striking out against Hornets (7-10) starter Emily Swan.

Morgan Brousseau led off the second with another 3-2 count, but watched ball four go by and headed down the line to first. Kaylin O’Leary did the same two batters later. Danielle Carr also walked, loading the bases.

“I think it showed that we were poised, in that we knew what our job was,” Brousseau, Poland’s lone senior and captain, said. “Getting into the box, and even in those 3-2 counts having the confidence to be ready for the next pitch, and be ready to bring your teammates in. So yeah, a lot of poise and confidence, definitely.”

Swan started Karley O’Leary off 3-0 before rallying back for a strikeout, but Eskuri showed confidence down 0-2 by dropping a double into right-center. Chloe Tufts tripled O’Leary in, then came home on a wild pitch to make it 5-0.

Gagne walked on a 3-2 count to open up the third, then a Brousseau single and Shelby Lafrinea two-run double followed. Kaylin O’Leary walked with a full count and Carr singled to load the bases, then Karley O’Leary lofted a 1-2 pitch into left to score two more.

An error reloaded the bases, but the Hornets got two quick outs when Hannah DeBlois caught a liner off third and fired to Kassie Murch at the bag for a double play. Amanda Gagne singled to right before Ally Gagne grounded out for the third out. Knights’ lead was up to 10-0.

“We knew they were a good hitting club. We knew that,” Leavitt coach Kevin Leonard said. “We knew we’d have to bring our A-game, and unfortunately we didn’t bring it.

“(Emily) normally has a lot of ball movement. It was just flat. Just flat. And obviously we lost our composure. Right from the second inning on, we just struggled.”

Eskuri drove in Poland’s 11th run with a bases-loaded infield single in the fourth. The Hornets got one run back in the top of the fifth on Swan’s RBI single to center. Swan had two of Leavitt’s three hits against Ally Gagne.

“She was right around the plate, and it’s kind of, honestly, that’s the way our last six or eight games have gone. We’ve really had a hard time hitting the ball, and it just continued through tonight,” Leonard said.

Poland put the game away early in the bottom of the frame. Amanda Gagne led off with a single, then after Ally Gagne lined out to second baseman Hannah Chouinard — her second caught liner of the game — Brousseau, Lafrinea and Kaylin O’Leary all singled, with the latter two hits driving in a combined three runs to end the game via the 12-run mercy rule.

“Every time up to bat they walked in with confidence,” Poland co-coach Kat Seeley said. “We teach them to go up to bat knowing they’re going to get a hit, so I think that really helped today.”

Every Knights hitter reached base, with eight different batters collecting hits. Swan surrendered seven hit in three innings before Leah Maheux came on in the fourth and was greeted with six more.

wkramlich@sunjournal.com

Poland coach Kayla Vannah congratulates Chloe Tufts, while Leavitt’s Hannah DeBlois looks on, after Tufts’ RBI triple in the Knights’ Class B South preliminary round win in Poland on Tuesday. (Wil Kramlich/Sun Journal)Leavitt’s Emily Swan connects for a single during the Hornets’ loss to Poland in a Class B South preliminary round game in Poland on Tuesday. (Wil Kramlich/Sun Journal)Poland pitcher Ally Gagne releases a delivery during the Knights’ Class B South preliminary round win over Leavitt in Poland on Tuesday. (Wil Kramlich/Sun Journal)Leavitt pitcher Emily Swan unwinds a delivery during the Hornets’ loss to Poland in a Class B South preliminary round game in Poland on Tuesday. (Wil Kramlich/Sun Journal)

Poland’s Morgan Brousseau connects for a single during the Knights’ Class B South preliminary round win over Leavitt in Poland on Tuesday. (Wil Kramlich/Sun Journal)