Edward Little softball downs undefeated Lewiston in rivalry showdown

Edward Little softball players Allison Michaud, front, and Chloe LeBlanc celebrate a teammate’s hit during Wednesday’s game at Lewiston. (Russ Dillingham/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image

LEWISTON — The tying run was in scoring position and the go-ahead run at the plate. Emily Poulin just wanted to remain calm.

The Edward Little sophomore pitcher had already struck out seven and the Red Eddies were on the cusp of beating an undefeated Lewiston team, but the Blue Devils were just one hit from tying a game they once trailed by three runs.

“Stay composed and just not let anything fluster me or anything,” said Poulin.

Poulin got the batter to pop out to end the game, and Edward Little knocked off rival Lewiston 3-2 on Wednesday.

“(Poulin) was our starting third baseman through the state game last year, so she’s played in some big moments,” Red Eddies coach Elaine Derosby said. “She continues to work on her pitching. So those two pieces and the mentality that she had, just bearing down, getting us some strikes that we could make plays on. And she did that all day today.”

How it happened

• Edward Little (3-1) and Lewiston (3-1) combined for six errors. The Red Eddies went up 1-0 early as a result of one of those errors, when junior left fielder Allison Michaud scored from second base. Otherwise, it was mostly a pitching dual between Poulin and Lewiston sophomore Harlee Gasser (14 strikeouts).

• Both offenses came alive in the sixth inning. Sophomore Elizabeth Galway and freshman center fielder Vayda Jenkins both drove in runs to extend the Red Eddies’ lead to 3-0. In the bottom half of the inning, Gasser hit a two-run single that brought Lewiston within 3-2.

The Blue Devils, ranked sixth in the Varsity Maine poll, had a runner at third base with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Poulin squelched the comeback attempt.

“We knew coming in (Lewiston was) tough, them adding some really quality players to their program that just added to their depth …” Derosby said. “I think our league is pretty flexible … all the way around, and so we know every day is going to be a battle.”