By Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter
LIMESTONE — It wasn’t an easy road, but the Limestone-MSSM Eagles are playing for an Eastern Maine softball championship Thursday.
The Eagles needed two late-game comebacks to have the opportunity to play Penobscot Valley High School of Howland for the Class D crown at 3 p.m. in Brewer.
The title game was supposed to be played Tuesday, but was pushed back two days due to the inclement weather experienced throughout the state.
Pioneer Times photograph/Gloria Austin
SAFE — Katahdin’s Megan Merry slides safely into home plate during last Wednesday’s Eastern Maine Class D quarterfinal game against Fort Fairfield in Stacyville. Fort Fairfield’s catcher Emily Blaisdell awaits the throw from the field.
Limestone-MSSM scored twice in the bottom of the seventh inning Monday to defeat Katahdin the the semifinals, 7-6.
It was the team’s baserunning that paved the way to the comeback victory.
Trailing by a run, Ellyzabeth Bencivenga led off with a single down the right field line and Chelsea Pelkey followed with a bunt toward third base. An errant throw allowed her to reach and Bencivenga moved to third. Pelkey stole second before Kelsee Albert hit a line drive back up the middle which glanced off pitcher Ashley Randall’s glove and behind the mound. Randall recovered to throw out Albert, but Bencivenga scored the tying run and Pelkey moved to third.
Pioneer Times photograph/Gloria Austin
CELEBRATE — A happy group of Katahdin girls softball players celebrate at the end of their 3-2 win over visiting Fort Fairfield during the Class D girls quarterfinal game held in Stacyville last Wednesday. The Lady Cougars fell to Limestone/MSSM, 7-6, in the semifinals.
After Melissa Cantafio was intentionally walked, she continued to second base and was tagged out, but on the throw Pelkey scored the game-winner.
“We’ve run the bases aggressively and have been quite smart about it most of the year,” said Eagle coach Ryan O’Neal. “That’s a play we have on a lot with less than two outs and it worked out.”
Limestone-MSSM pulled out the win even with Cantafio struggling with her control on the mound for most of the game.
She walked 12 batters and hit three others, yet surrendered just two hits the entire game. Pitching with the bases loaded on several occasions, Cantafio was often able to get out of jams as Katahdin stranded 13 baserunners in the contest.
Pioneer Times photographs
/Gloria Austin
OUTS — Katahdin’s Sophie Vetter throws out a Fort Fairfield runner from third base, as pitcher Ashley Randall ducks out of the way.
Katahdin held a lead of 3-1 in the third and grabbed a 6-5 edge in the top of the seventh after Cantafio walked a batter, hit two in a row and walked another to bring in a run, but the Eagles then came through with their own heroics.
On Thursday, the Katahdin girls held on for a 3-2 win over visiting Fort Fairfield in their Class D quarterfinal matchup.
Morgan Livezey singled twice, while Megan Merry doubled.
Makayla Patterson, Michelle Birmingham and Maryssa McDonald all singled in the win.
Katahdin led 3-1 after three before Fort Fairfield scored in the top of the fourth to make it a one-run game.
SACS girls eliminated
The Southern Aroostook Warriors fell to the Penobscot Valley Howlers 13-1 in the Eastern Maine Class D quarterfinal.
Kayla Dube of Howland closed out the game with a one-hitter. Jess Nye gave the Warriors their only hit of the night with a single.
Dube struck out 16 and walked two to defeat the Warriors while Arianna McKinnon led the Howler’s offense with a triple, single, and two RBIs. Catcher Jenna Hope of PVHS also added two singles and an RBI.
Morgan Livezey hauls in a fly ball.
