Softball: Leavitt holds off Medomak Valley in season opener

TURNER — Leavitt’s bats came through at the right time in its season-opening 4-3 victory over Medomak Valley on Friday.

The Hornets belted nine hits in the game, including two doubles by Maddy Dutil and one apiece by Hailey Cyr and Sam DeBlois.

“It was a good game for both teams,” Leavitt coach Kevin Leonard said. “They are well-coached, and we knew we would have a handful, with it being our first game of the year. Hats off to the kids, they played really well — they gutted it out.”

The Panthers (0-1) started the game aggressively on the base paths. Leadoff hitter Haley Puchalski singled to center field, and after moving to second on a wild pitch and stealing third base, she stole home, giving Medomak a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

“That’s how we play; we play very aggressively (on the bases),” Medomak Valley coach Richard Vannah said. “I got four or five girls that I call green-light girls. They can go and do about anything they want on the bases.”

Leavitt (1-0) tied the game in the bottom of the second when Hailey Turcotte walked and moved to second on a Sam Withee single to right field. The Hornets’ No. 9 hitter, Logan Arsenault, battled in her at-bat and won the matchup with Medomak starter Madi Boynton by hitting a single to center that scored Turcotte.

“She’s one of our seniors, so she knows what she has to do when she gets up there,” Leonard said of Arsenault.

After retiring the Panthers in order in the top of the second, Leavitt starter Abby Albert ran into trouble in the top of the third. Boynton started the inning with a single and then Arianna Sproul walked. Puchalski drove in Boynton with a double to give Medomak Valley a 2-1 lead. Albert then shut down the threat by getting Sara Nadeau to ground out and striking out Kytana Williamson to end the inning.

In Leavitt’s half of the third, Boynton gave up a one-out single to Sam DeBlois and walked Nola Boutaugh. Albert reached base on an error to load the bases. Turcotte single brought home DeBlois and the Hornets tied the game once again. Boynton got the next two batters out to keep the score at 2-2.

Hailey Cyr relieved Albert in the circle in the top of the fourth, and the freshman sat down six straight batters.

“Her ball moves a lot with her ball movement,” Leonard said of Cyr. “It’s going to be an interesting year when the weather gets warmer.”

Leavitt took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth. Dutil notched a double and then scored on a double by DeBlois.

“She threw strikes,” DeBlois said of Boynton. “Honestly, you just have to jump on them when the pitcher is throwing strikes — you have to be ready. That’s exactly what I did. First-strike approach, and I went with (the pitch).”

Cyr helped her cause by leading off the bottom of the fifth with a double. She later scored on Withee’s sacrifice ground out, giving Leavitt a 4-2 lead.

Medomak wasn’t finished. Puchalski started the sixth by reaching on an error, then Sara Nadeau reached on a bunt. Puchalski was thrown out trying to score when Williamson hit into a fielder’s choice, but Nadeau moved to third on the play.

During Addison McCormick’s at-bat, Nadeau got caught in a run-down between third base and home. After a few back-and-forth throws, Leavitt threw home, but the ball deflected off of Nadeau’s helmet, allowing her to score and cutting the deficit to 4-3. Williamson moved to third on the play, but the Panthers left her there.

“We didn’t get the break we needed, or a key hit, or something like that,” Vannah said. “They made some good plays, too. Leavitt, give them some kudos.”

Dutil blasted another double in the bottom of the sixth, but she was stranded at third base.

Medomak threatened in the seventh after Kendall Simmons and Sproul singled, but Cyr struck out Puchalski to end the game.

“We got a few singles; the kids were playing well,” Vannah said. “That’s two of my four freshmen that got base hits. That was key for me, and I was pretty happy with the way everybody played.”

Cyr earned the win by striking out three, allowing three hits, and giving up one unearned run in four innings in the circle.