ELLSWORTH, Maine — The No. 3 and No. 4 hitters in your lineup are usually your run-producers and two of your best hitters.
That is exactly what Ellsworth High School softball juniors Sophie Lynch and Jayden Sullivan were on Tuesday afternoon after they combined to go 6-for-7 with a homer, four doubles, four runs-batted-in and four runs scored to lead the Eagles to a come-from-behind 5-4 win over previously unbeaten Hermon in a thrilling matchup of Class B North title contenders.
Ellsworth is now 3-2 while Hermon is 4-1.
Catcher Lynch, the No. 3 hitter, belted three doubles and scored three times and first baseman Sullivan, the cleanup hitter, drove in four runs and scored once courtesy of a game-tying two-run homer, double and a single.
The only time they were retired was when Lynch scorched a line drive at Hermon shortstop Norra Idano in the sixth inning.
“They killed it. I’m so proud of them,” said junior pitcher Anna Stevens, who went the distance for the win, overcoming a three-run third inning to shut down the Hawks the rest of the way on just one hit. She retired the last 10 batters she faced.
Sullivan said they received a boost of confidence from an 8-0 win over John Bapst of Bangor on Monday night “and it carried into today in being able to make contact like we did.”
“That energy carried into today,” agreed Lynch. “It was a real good team effort. Everyone did their part. We were seeing the ball well out of the pitcher’s hand.”
“Their three and four hitters were tough,” said Hermon coach Steph Biberstein. “We tried to mix it up when they were coming around for the third time in the lineup.
“Their team hit the ball really well today. Actually both teams did,” said Biberstein. “It was a good game.”
The Eagles trailed 4-1 at one point but scored a run in the third on Lynch’s double and Sullivan’s RBI single off starter Braelynn Wilcox and they tied it in the fifth off lefthanded reliever Mikelle Verrill on Lynch’s long double down the left field line and Sullivan’s homer to center field, her second of the season and fourth of her career.
Ellsworth won it in the bottom of the sixth with an unearned run off Wilcox.
Brooklyn Carter poked a single into left field and junior shortstop Natalie Jagels hit a sinking line drive single to left field that skipped past the left fielder for an error and scored the fleet-footed Carter from first.
“It felt really good,” said Jagels about her hit.
Hermon took a 1-0 lead in the first on singles by Wilcox, Addy Waning and Verrill (RBI).
Back-to-back doubles by Lynch and Sullivan tied it in the bottom of the first.
The Hawks took a 4-1 lead in the third on two-out, run-scoring hits by Verrill, Sophie Peterson and Becca Balmas.
Verrill had a single while Peterson and Balmas each doubled.
The Hawks threatened in the fourth when Wilcox drew a two-out walk and Molly Simcox lined a single through the infield to left.
But Ellsworth left fielder Lizzie Boles reached high to rob Waning of a potential run-producing extra-base hit.
In addition to Sullivan and Lynch, Jagels and Carter were also repeat hitters in Ellsworth’s 13-hit attack with two singles apiece.
Wilcox and Verrill each had two singles for Hermon and Verrill had two RBIs.
Righthander Stevens allowed eight hits and four runs, all earned, with six strikeouts and two walks. She threw 97 pitches, 62 for strikes.
Stevens said after Hermon’s three-run third inning rally, “I kept my head. I thought there was nothing to lose at this point so I went with the flow, trusted my teammates and went from there.
“I tend to lock in a little bit when I’m in stressful situations,” Stevens added. “My spots are automatic in my head.”
“She started finding the (strike) zone a little bit better and getting into a groove,” said Lynch. “Toward the end, we called a different mix of pitches and that really helped.
“Their early-in-the-game hits were off high inside fastballs so we started moving away from those and getting some more outside,” said Lynch.
“She buckled down, hit her spots and showed her leadership out there today,” said Ellsworth coach Brandi Ensworth who called it a “huge win.
“Hermon is a fantastic team. They are well-coached. They can all hit,” said Ensworth.
Hermon will entertain John Bapst on Wednesday at 4:30 while Ellsworth won’t play again until Friday when the Eagles visit Class A Bangor at 4:30.
