ELLSWORTH, Maine — The Ellsworth High School softball team went 14-5 a year ago and reached the Class B North semifinals, where it lost to Hermon 4-3.
The Eagles expect to contend again and their season got off to a good start on Friday afternoon as senior righthander Hannah Wagstaff tossed a three-hitter and that was supported by an 11-hit attack in a season-opening 10-0 win over Foxcroft Academy from Dover-Foxcroft.
The game was called in the bottom of the fifth due to the 10-run rule.
Wagstaff struck out eight and walked two, both in the first inning, and she threw 50 strikes among her 78 pitches.
“She was very, very good,” said Foxcroft Academy coach Mike Cabral. “She did an excellent job hitting corners. I was impressed with her.”
Wagstaff felt good about her season debut.
“All of my pitches were working pretty well,” Wagstaff said. “They were all doing what they should. My curve was working really well. I got a lot of swings and misses off it.”
Junior second baseman Reece Hellum was one of four Eagles with two hits as she had a pair of singles and drove in three runs.
“I was just trying my best to make contact,” Hellum said. “This was a good start to our season. It will give us confidence.”
Senior first baseman Morgan Duhaime tripled and singled, while sophomore catcher Sophie Lynch doubled and singled, and sophomore right fielder Jayden Sullivan singled twice.
“The last few practices, we have really focused on our swings,” said Ellsworth coach Brandi Ensworth. “I was very happy with the way they performed today. They put all the pieces together.”
The Eagles jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
Aaliyah Manning hit a one-out single and continued to second on an outfield error.
Sullivan blooped a single into right center and Manning scored on a pair of ensuing throwing errors with Sullivan winding up at third.
Wagstaff plated Sullivan with a groundout before Duhaime tripled to center and Hellum delivered her with a sharp base hit to center.
The Eagles broke the game open with six runs in the third inning.
Sullivan, Wagstaff, Duhaime and Hellum opened the inning with singles and Hellum knocked in a pair with her base hit.
An infield error and an outfield error on Anna Stevens’ sacrifice fly resulted in Cabral replacing Brooke Weston with Olivia Hill in the circle.
Lizzie Boles singled in a run and a pair of wild pitches delivered the final two runs.
Lynch singled and eventually scored the game-ending run in the fifth.
Leah Hill doubled for Foxcroft Academy and Addie Menz and Alexis Burdin had singles.
Foxcroft finished 4-13 last season.
“They’re well-coached,” Cabral said of the Ellsworth squad. “We are a very young and very inexperienced team. We are in a rebuilding program. But I was happy that we made some good plays today.”
Foxcroft will entertain Central High of Corinth at 4:30 p.m. on Monday while Ellsworth will travel to take on Class A Brewer on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.
