Sanford rallies to beat Massabesic in preliminary game

SANFORD — One thing’s for certain for the Sanford softball team.

The Redskins are already a game better than they were last season.

Sanford, down 1-0 until the fifth inning, rallied to beat Massabesic 3-1 in the preliminary game of the Western Maine Class A playoffs on Tuesday.

The Redskins (10-7), the No. 8 seed in the playoffs, won the right to face No. 1 South Portland on Thursday in the quarterfinal round. They will move a game beyond last season, when they lost a preliminary round game to Bonny Eagle.

“It feels so good,” said Sanford pitcher Sam Adams said. “We haven’t done it in so long, it’s just good to get this program back in the playoffs.”

Sanford head coach Kristi Cochin said she was pleased with the play of her team, and proud they have moved a step further from last season.

“With the goal of winning a playoff game and advancing our season as far as they could, they executed that goal today,” Cochin said. “It’s kind of a tough thing, because you aren’t guaranteed to be that next spot but you should be in that next spot, and it can be tough, because we haven’t played in a week. I was pleased with the way they came out and stayed focused despite that huge layover. I think that gives us experience coming into Thursday.”

Sanford had five hits heading into the fifth inning, but could not get a run across the plate until Adams smacked a Dani Egan pitch deep into right field, plating Allison Legere on an RBI triple to tie the score at 1-1. Adams scored from third moments later on a wild pitch.

“I haven’t been hitting that well,” Adams said. “So I was just thinking ”˜hit the ball to right field,’ because I always pull the ball and hit it in the trees. I was just thinking, get a good hit, hit it hard and run.”

Heather LeBlanc scored an insurance run for Sanford in the sixth inning, scoring from third on a wild pitch.

Adams put together an impressive performance on the mound as well, striking out 10 batters while allowing four hits to pick up the victory.

“That’s the kind of player that she is,” Cochin said. “I have the utmost confidence in Samantha, because she’s such a gutsy kid. She wants the ball in her hand, the bat in her hand, she wants the ball to come to her. She wants to be right in the mix of things.”

Massabesic scored its lone run in the second inning, when Amber Libby scored from third on a wild pitch.

Though she took the loss, Egan had a successful effort for the Mustangs, as she struck out seven batters in the contest. The Mustangs (6-11), who sneaked into the playoffs in the final week of the season, also displayed strong defense behind Egan, committing only one error.

“I’m proud of them,” Massabesic head coach Bruce Norton said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve been here. To have the season that we’ve had, we’ve done very well.”

Sanford played against South Portland in its first game of the season on April 22 and lost 11-0.

Adams said the Redskins look forward to the possibility of gaining redemption against the Red Riots.

“We’re very excited,” Adams said. “Revenge, that’s what we want, right? It should be a good game.”

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