STANDISH — Biddeford’s softball team has suffered several close losses in big games the last couple years.
The Tigers obviously learned some valuable lessons in those games.
Biddeford used two six-run innings to defeat Skowhegan 12-7 Saturday afternoon for the Class A state championship at Bailey Field at St. Joseph’s College. But it wasn’t easy, as the Tigers had to turn back a couple Skowhegan rallies in the late innings.
“It couldn’t have been easy,” said Biddeford Coach Ray Magnant. “It hasn’t been that type of year.”
But that made the victory – giving Biddeford its second softball state championship – even sweeter. When shortstop Grace Martin made the throw to first baseman Alex Chase for the final out, pitcher Kirsten Lebreux jumped into the arms of catcher Brook Davis as their teammates swarmed them.
“It’s an amazing feeling, just awesome,” said Chase. “We’ve been waiting for this since last year. Well, forever, actually.”
The Tigers (16-4), whose only other state championship was in 2006, lost in last year’s regional semifinals by one run to Scarborough. Then they had to get through Scarborough again this year in the regional final, a game in which the Red Storm tied the game with five runs in the bottom of the sixth, only to have the Tigers win it with two runs in the seventh.
So when Skowhegan (12-8) carved a five-run deficit to one with four runs in the top of the fifth – a two-run single by Eliza Bedard and a two-run triple by Wylie Bedard – the Tigers didn’t panic. Instead, they scored six runs in the bottom of the inning to regain control.
“Like we’ve done all year, we stayed together and we fight, fight, fight,” said Magnant. “They don’t put their heads down.”
“They’re a very good hitting team,” said Lebreux. “So I think we just tried to stay calm and not let the pressure affect us.”
Skowhegan made two of its four errors in that fifth inning and the Tigers, who sent 11 batters to the plate, were helped by a two walks and a hit batter. They loaded the bases with no outs before Skowhegan Coach Lee Johnson replaced starter Sydney Ames with Ashley Alward.
Alward got the first out, but then Chase slapped a single to right field and two runs scored. Aibhlin O’Connor knocked in a run with a fielder’s choice and another run scored on a throwing error on the play. Erin Martin then hit an RBI triple. She scored two batters later on the Indians’ second error of the inning.
“We needed to come in and shut them down that next inning,” said Johnson. “And that’s not what we did. And that changed the game around the other way. But as I told my kids, we’re a young group, and the way they fought and the character they showed today, they should be proud.”
The Indians loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth. One run came in on a fielder’s choice. After a lineout to Erin Martin at third, Sydney Reed walked to force in another run and make it 12-7, with the bases still loaded.
But Lebreux got the next out on a liner to center fielder Jocelyn Moody. Then she ended the threat with a strikeout.
Skowhegan got a runner on with one out in the seventh, but Lebreux recorded her ninth strikeout for the second out and then ended the game with a groundout.
“We’ve been thinking about this since we were nine years old, and to have it actually happen to us is the most uplifting thing,” said Chase. “I’m so proud of this team. We’ve come such a long way. It’s amazing.”
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