The Scarborough High softball team is taking no prisoners on its quest for a Class A West title.
The No. 1 Red Storm (17-1) outscored its opponents 18-0 in its first two playoff wins. After toppling No. 9 Noble 12-0 in the quarterfinals, Scarborough breezed past No. 4 Bonny Eagle 6-0 in Saturday’s semifinal at Scarborough High School.
Scarborough was scheduled to play No. 3 South Portland (15-3) on Wednesday night (after this edition’s deadline) at St. Joe’s College in Standish for the regional title and a spot in the state championship game, slated for Saturday at noon at Cony High School in Augusta. Last season, the Storm suffered its only loss of the season in the regional title game.
Freshman Mo Hannan pitched a five-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts against Bonny Eagle, Reegan Brackett scored three times and Catie Funk rapped a two-run homer to lead the Storm over the Scots (13-5).
Scarborough took the lead early, as Brackett reached on a fielder’s choice in the first inning and later scored on a single by Jenn Colpitts. The Storm tacked on three more runs in the third as Brackett and Funk walked and Colpitts reached on a bunt single. Brackett scored on an error and Hannan knocked in Funk and Colpitts with a two-out double to make it 4-0.
Funk, who walked in her first two at-bats, knocked a two-run homerun over the left field fence and into the road beyond in the fifth inning that scored Brackett, who reached on a walk, to complete the scoring.
“The key was Reegan Brackett,” said Scarborough coach Tom Griffin. “She got on base three times and scored three runs. She got on base in front of Catie Funk. They decided not to pitch to Catie a couple times. They walked her to put runners in scoring position, then Colpitts put down a nice bunt and Hannan had a nice hit. We capitalized on that. Then they ended up pitching to her later in the game and Catie just cranked one out of here.”
Scarborough had five hits in the game and didn’t commit an error. Bonny Eagle also had five hits. The Scots made two errors. LaShawna Jackson and Whitney Porter had two hits apiece for the Scots. Hannah Goodale pitched a complete game for Bonny Eagle, striking out four.
South Portland advanced to the West final with a 9-0 semifinal win over No. 10 Thornton Academy, which knocked off No. 2 Biddeford, the defending regional champion. The Red Riots outlasted No. 6 Gorham 3-2 in extra innings in their quarterfinal game.
Scarborough edged South Portland 2-0 in nine innings when the teams met three weeks ago during the regular season.
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