Previews 2018:

[Tom Nolette]

SJ: Class B South goes through WMC

The South has been dominated by the West ever since the state’s regional alignment moved to North-South. That is, the Class B South softball title has routinely been teams from the Western Maine Conference.

That might not change this year, with defending regional champ Fryeburg and last year’s regional top seed Wells having something to say about it. Gray-New Gloucester coach Amanda Harmon says those two conference rivals of her Patriots will be among the teams to beat again this season.

For the Warriors, that will mean replacing a hefty number of seniors, though Kevin Fox’s club seems to rebuild on the fly every year despite roster turnover. And while the Raiders didn’t lose as many players, coach Fred Apt will have new captains to lean on to try and repeat as regional champs.

http://www.sunjournal.com/class-b-south ... rough-wmc/

[Tom Nolette]

Is this the year a team takes D South region from Richmond?

...For eight seasons that hasn’t mattered for the Bobcats, who have won regional softball championships each of those years.

Yet maybe this is the year someone else in Class D South gets a turn. Buckfield coach Sandy Albert sure hopes so.

“It will be us and Richmond in the hunt,” Albert said.


Albert noted that the Bobcats lost a big crop of players, including pitcher Meranda Martin. They still have slugging catcher Sydney Underhill-Tilton, as well as the experience in the program of playing in the state final every year.

http://www.sunjournal.com/is-this-the-y ... -richmond/

[Tom Nolette]

Starting pitcher and catcher return for Central Aroostook girls

...Senior Caitlyn Harris returns on the mound and sophomore Breann Bradbury is back behind the plate for the Panthers, who went 7-7 during the regular season a year ago before losing to Ashland in the preliminary round of the playoffs.

Harris will be the No. 1 pitcher but also is capable of playing any position on the field. Freshman Maci Beals, who started at third base as an eighth-grader, and classmate Libby Grass are other quality pitching prospects. Jackins said Beals is another player who has the ability to play multiple positions.

“Our pitching is strong and that should help us to be solid defensively,” Jackins said.

Other returnees for Central Aroostook are Isabelle Wright, Annika Nicholas, Sydney Garrison, Macie Coffin, Madison Coffin, Oreo Cutting and Mersaydez Johnston.

Sara Stitham, Lauren Shulbelka, Mikayla Blanchard and Emma Patterson round out the Panthers’ roster as first-year players. Jordan DeLong is the team’s manager.

http://thecounty.me/2018/04/12/sports/s ... ook-girls/

[Tom Nolette]

Washburn Beaver softball team undeterred by heavy roster turnover

WASHBURN, Maine — Most Class D schools losing 10 softball players from the previous year would not be able to field a team.
That’s not the case in Washburn. Even though three players graduated, five moved out of the area or transferred to a neighboring school and two opted instead to join the school’s track and field team, the Beavers are enjoying good numbers once again.

Most of that is due to a freshman class of seven players who experienced success as part of an undefeated middle school team last spring.

http://thecounty.me/2018/04/16/sports/b ... -turnover/

[Tom Nolette]

Veteran lineup in place for Presque Isle ’Cat softball squad

... Seven of the nine starters on last year’s team are back, while Presque Isle also regains the services of a player who had transferred away but returned to the area this spring.

“We return a solid nucleus from last year,” Cummings said, “and we have the potential to be very good.”

Last year’s team ended up 6-10 but qualified for the postseason, losing to Winslow in a road prelim game. Faith Leavitt, who was the primary pitcher, and Amy Seeley, who started in left field, both turned in excellent seasons before graduating.

Junior Sydney Thompson, who was the primary pitcher as a freshman before giving way to Leavitt last year, returns to the circle but can also play any position in the infield. Thompson hit .340 in 2017 with a team-high five triples along with 11 RBIs. The Wildcats boast an all-Penobscot Valley Conference catcher in junior Savannah Rodriguez, who excels both defensively and offensively. She led PI in batting average (.441), runs (20) and RBIs (16) and tied for the team lead in steals (19).

http://thecounty.me/2018/04/16/sports/v ... all-squad/

[Tom Nolette]

Katahdin Cougars have new coach, new outlook

...Entering his first year coaching varsity sports, Stevens has a couple of veterans on his squad this spring who he can lean on early to provide key leadership on the diamond.

“We have a fairly young team with only two seniors returning but we have a good group of girls with a lot of talent coming up,” he said.

The Cougars include seniors Hannah Drew (first base) and Leanne Fitzpatrick (centerfield); juniors Lindsay Drew (shortstop), Erin Lake (third base), Josie Brownlee (outfield), Sierra Jamieson (outfield), and Hannah Kyllonen (outfield); sophomores Lily Cullen (pitching), Shelby Lewis (outfield), Jordyn Gardner (outfield) and Lexi Glidden (outfield); and freshmen Emma McNally (second base), Staci-Lea Anderson (infield) and Danielle Libby (catching).

http://thecounty.me/2018/04/16/sports/k ... w-outlook/

[Tom Nolette]

Dynamic pitching duo makes Old Town favorite for 3rd straight softball title

... Last year, junior McKenna Smith was in the circle for the Coyotes during the playoffs and tossed four consecutive shutouts to lead them to another Class B state title. She allowed just eight hits in those four playoff wins and struck out 54. She struck out 19 and tossed a three-hitter in the state title game win over Fryeburg Academy, 2-0.

Old Town head coach Jenn Plourde certainly has a nice dilemma on her hands as both are ready to go in the Coyotes’ quest to claim a third straight state championship and a fourth in seven years.

And whoever isn’t pitching will be the starting shortstop.

Old Town will open the season against arch-rival Orono on Wednesday at 1:30 at the University of Maine’s Kessock Field in Orono.

http://bangordailynews.com/2018/04/17/s ... all-title/

[Tom Nolette]

Brewer softball team making debut in Class B this season

...But the Witches find themselves in uncharted waters this season as they are making their maiden voyage in Class B after dropping from Class A.

“The girls are pretty excited about it and about not playing the same teams over and over again,” said 13th-year head coach Skip Estes.

The Witches will also find themselves with a much easier travel schedule as trips in excess of 100 miles one way to places like Auburn, Lewiston and South Paris, will be replaced by trips to destinations like Belfast, Newport, Hermon and Winslow, all within 60 miles.

Brewer will still play Class A neighbors and rivals Bangor and Hampden Academy twice apiece

http://bangordailynews.com/2018/04/18/s ... is-season/

[Tom Nolette]

Bangor softball team expects to be competitive in Class A North

... But two of them have made the move from the outfield to the left side of the infield to fill the void left by the departure of talented shortstop Emma Payne and third baseman Megan Conner, who graduated.

Junior Madi Drake, the starting center fielder a year ago, is now the third baseman and sophomore Rowan Andrews, who was the left fielder, is the shortstop.

“Madi looks like she has been a third baseman since T-ball and Rowan has been very smooth at shortstop,” said 13-year head coach Don Stanhope.

The Rams also have a new second baseman in John Bapst High of Bangor transfer Gabby Gonzales, who is also a pitcher.

http://bangordailynews.com/2018/04/18/s ... s-a-north/

[Tom Nolette]

Experienced Knights will challenge in Class A softball

... The Knights won’t be surprising anyone this year. They will, like it or not, be cast as one of the contenders in Class A.

“People know we’re going to be good,” said Rick Melanson, now in his 25th season as Noble’s head coach. “People know we have that quality pitcher.”

That quality pitcher is sophomore Raegan Kelly, who was named 2017 Southwestern Maine Activities Association (SMAA) Pitcher of the Year as a freshman.

Kelly and senior catcher Mackenzie Aleva make up one of the more formidable batteries in the state.

http://www.fosters.com/sports/20180417/ ... s-softball