Freshman pitching sensation Addison DeRoche turned in another dominating performance in the circle and her Cheverus teammates did just enough at the plate to lead the Stags to a 3-1 victory over Oxford Hills of South Paris in the Class A state championship softball game at Central Maine Community College in Auburn on Saturday.
It was Cheverus of Portland’s first ever state championship in softball. The South champion Stags finished with a 19-1 record.
North champion Oxford Hills finished with a 17-3 record.
DeRoche allowed 2 hits and struck out 21 over 7 innings to keep Oxford Hills hitters at bay. Haley Lamontagne led the Stags’ plate attack with three hits, scoring twice and driving in a run.
The Stags took a 2-0 lead early, scoring single runs in the first and third innings against Vikings pitcher Kyeria Morse, who gave up 6 hits, walked 4 and struck out 7 in a strong performance.
Oxford Hills cut the lead in half in the bottom of the fourth when Gigi DeVivo ripped a hit, advanced to second, stole third and scored when the catcher’s throw eluded the third baseman.
Cheverus scored in the top of the fifth when Kelsey Cassidy walked, advanced to second and scored on a Lamontagne single.
DeRoche worked out of a jam in the bottom of the seventh after allowing two Oxford Hills players to reach base. But she struck out Vikings catcher Samantha McPhail on three pitches to end the game.
