BREWER — As she watched Winslow pitcher Emma Michaud throw her warmup pitches before the first inning, Cape Elizabeth leadoff hitter Dana Schwartz danced. “Let’s Get It Started” by the Black Eyed Peas played over the Coffin Field PA system, and Schwartz couldn’t help herself.
“It’s all about trying to get relaxed. I’ve been dancing before the game all year, trying to keep the whole team involved, trying to keep the sport super fun, happy and energetic. We play better when we’re relaxed that way,” Schwartz said.
Once the game began, it was obvious Schwartz and her Cape Elizabeth teammates couldn’t have been more relaxed at the beach. Despite the game beginning 91 minutes after its scheduled start time due to lighting in the area, despite spending the hour-long lighting delay cooped up on the school bus after the two and a half hour drive to Brewer from Cape Elizabeth, the Capers were relaxed. Cape Elizabeth pounded out 19 hits, winning the game 19-4 in five innings.
The win gave the Capers their first softball state championship since 2007, and capped a 21-0 season. Winslow, which reached the state game as the No. 8 seed in the North, ended the season at 8-12.
Cape Elizabeth led 9-4 after four innings, and blew the game open with a 10-run outburst in the top of the fifth. The Capers sent 15 hitters to the plate in the fifth inning, cracking eight of their 19 hits and capitalizing on three of Winslow’s seven errors. Schwartz hit the second of her two triples in the fifth, and drove in three of her four runs.
“We’ve always been the type of team, when we pound, we pound hard,” Schwartz said. “At the beginning of the season, I didn’t know if it was going to be me or Esme Song leading off. When it turned out to be me, OK, I have a role and I always know the people behind me are going to pick me up no matter what.”
Winslow’s Lacey Sillinpaa (11) tries to snag a fly ball in shallow left field against Cape Elizabeth in the Class B state championship game Saturday at Coffin Field in Brewer. Michael G. Seamans
Every player in Cape Elizabeth’s starting lineup had at least one hit.
“Every single one of them can hit, and every single one of them can hit the ball hard. We gave it a great run, and they gave it their very best, but we’re not equipped to deal with a team that can hit nine deep,” Winslow coach Kasey Larsen said.
The Black Raiders did their best to hang with the Capers over the first four innings, scoring one run in each of the first four. The second inning was extended for the Black Raiders when Leah Knight was awarded a walk on an illegal pitch, and Karlie Ramsdell followed with an RBI single. Knight scored a pair of runs, and Emma Michaud and Harley Pomerleau each hit an RBI double for Winslow.
While the Black Raiders had nine hits, it wasn’t enough to keep up with Cape Elizabeth’s potent lineup.
“Even when we’re down six runs, it doesn’t feel like we’re down six runs. We were still chugging along and going strong, then all it took was a couple (Cape Elizabeth hits). We couldn’t find the right adjustments to get to where the ball was and they were just hitting around us,” Larsen said.
Schwartz and Julia Torre each scored three runs for the Capers. Anna Carroll pitched all five innings for Cape Elizabeth to get the win, striking out five and walking one.
Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242
tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com
Twitter: @TLazarczykMTM
Copy the Story LinkComments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
