Scarborough 2
Skowhegan 0
Back on April 21, the Scarborough softball team started a winning streak with an 11-0 win over Cheverus. On Saturday, the Red Storm defeated Skowhegan 2-0 to extend the streak to 20 straight wins. And while they were at it, the Storm also claimed the team’s first-ever Class A state championship.
“It means a lot to be state champions,” said pitcher Kelsey Griffin, who finished the game with 17 strikeouts. “This is what we’ve been working for every time we came out here. It’s a good end to a really good season.”
On the path to the title, the Red Storm fired on all cylinders, a well-oiled machine that couldn’t be stopped.
The team’s success started with the pitching staff. In the very first game of the year, Griffin and Caitlin LeBorgne combined for a no-hitter. While Griffin grabbed all the attention for being virtually unhittable, LeBorgne quietly finished the season with a 6-0 record. Griffin, of course, sliced through opposing lineups with ease, averaging 12 strikeouts per game.
Not only did the Storm have pitching, they had a great catcher too. Senior Meaghan Myers spent the season behind the plate with a front-row seat to the perfect season. She provided some pop with her bat as well, getting the only run in a pitchers’ duel with South Portland.
Speaking of bats, the Scarborough hitters were capable of scoring almost at will. They scored more than 10 runs in a game four times, winning 19 of their 20 games by more than a run.
“All the pieces were there this year,” said Scarborough coach Tom Griffin. “We had some great teams over the years. I loved those teams, but all the pieces were together on this team. We had the pitcher, the catcher, experienced seniors, we had the speed and every position we felt we were strong defensively. We had kids off the bench we could count on.”
All those pieces took the field together for the last time against Skowhegan. Skowhegan pitcher Katlyn Steward was strong at the start, getting two strikeouts in the top of the first inning. But Griffin was just as strong, striking out the side in the first. It was clear by the third inning that a pitchers’ duel was underway as both teams had put up nothing but goose eggs on the scoreboard.
Then in the fourth, after having been through the lineup once, the Red Storm bats came to life. Kira Gordon reached on an error to get things started. Myers laid down a sac bunt to move Gordon to third, setting up Catie Funk, who slapped a hard grounder past the shortstop to the wall scoring Gordon easily with Funk winding up at second. LeBorgne bunted to move Funk to third and Sarah Bonenfant hit a towering shot off the base of the wall in centerfield to score Funk and give Scarborough a 2-0 lead.
With Griffin dominating on the mound, that was more than enough.
She fanned two more in the bottom of the fourth to get number eight and nine on the day. Griffin struck out the side four times. Of the 21 outs her team recorded, only four of them were on balls that were put in play.
“(Griffin) couldn’t have done better,” said Myers. “She was right on. Everything that she was throwing was breaking when it needed to. She did a great job.”
In the bottom of the seventh, needing just one more out for the state championship, Griffin reached back and struck out Skowhegan’s Samantha Gray to end the game and start the celebration.
“It was kind of surreal, I didn’t know if it was really happening,” Griffin said of the game-ending strikeout.
It did happen. This team finished a perfect season.
“It’s a dream come true,” said the coach. “It was a dream season. It’s hard to believe we will look back and it won’t hit us until later what we’ve accomplished because we have been so focused on going out game after game. 20-0 and we gave up two or three earned runs all season in the 20 games. It’s just a very special team and all the pieces fell together. All the frustration of the last few years is forgotten.”
The last few years have been tough for the Red Storm to be so good but to fall short every time. This time the team was perfect.
“I think every person on this team gives something to the team,” said Myers, “whether it’s batting or fielding. We can stick anyone out there and they will do a great job. We really don’t have weak links on this team. It means everything to me. Since my freshman year this is what we have been shooting for. We’ve never quite gotten there. This is a great way to end my senior year. I couldn’t ask for more.”
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