The South Portland High softball team reached the Western Maine Class A regional final for the third straight season thanks to Saturday’s 13-0 victory over Kennebunk. Third-seeded South Portland was scheduled to face top-seeded Scarborough for the regional crown at St. Joseph’s College in Standish on Wednesday, June 13. The winner will play for the state championship on Saturday at Cony High School in Augusta at 2 p.m. The Storm own a 1-0 regular season victory over the Riots from way back on April 23.
The surprising Rams began the tourney as the No. 10 seed, but they knocked off No. 7 Thornton in the prelim round and then de-railed the defending state champs from Biddeford in the quarterfinals before meeting their match in the Red Riots.
On Saturday, starting pitcher Julie DiMatteo shut down the Kennebunk bats and the Riots blistered the Rams with 12 hits of their own. South Portland scored all the runs they’d need when they plated 11 runners in the third inning.
Jackie Rice led the Riots’ attack with four hits, while Jamie Harmon and Kayla Ferrera both contributed two hits each.
South Portland coach Jim Hartman credits his players’ experience and competitiveness for reaching another regional final. Four-year starters include Jamie Harmon and Jackie Rice and three-year starters include Christina Aceto, Kelsey Flaherty, Julie DiMatteo, and Kristina Aceto.
Cape makes another West B final
The defending Western Maine Class B regional champions earned another trip to the West B final on Saturday. Third-seeded Cape Elizabeth knocked off second-seeded Lake Region with a convincing 10-2 rout in a regional semifinal in Naples last weekend. The Capers were scheduled to face sixth-seeded Greely for the West B title on Tuesday, June 12, at St. Joseph’s College in Standish. The winner of that game will play for the Class B state crown at 11 a.m. on Saturday in Standish.
Cape pitcher Tricia Thibodeau limited the Lakers to just four hits and she did plenty of damage at the plate where she added two hits and two RBI. Teammate Emily Richardson had four of Cape’s 10 hits on the day and the Capers’ pitching-hitting combination proved too good to overcome for the host Lakers.
Cape scored a 4-1 win over Poland in a regional quarterfinal on Thursday, June 7. Thibodeau earned the win on the mound in that contest as well, allowing just two hits with eight strikeouts.
Brennan Balfour knocked in two of Cape’s runs.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
