By Dave Dyer

Staff Writer

It may have taken three cancellations, but the end result worked in favor of the Scarborough High School softball team.

The Red Storm beat the Skowhegan Indians 3-1 to capture the Maine Class A state championship June 24 in Brewer. Scarborough has now won two state titles in the past three seasons.

The game was originally scheduled to be played June 20, but had to be rescheduled three separate times because of bad weather. 

Scarborough was led by the pitching of freshman Maureen “Mo” Hannan, who struck out nine batters and pitched a complete game.

Skowhegan took the early lead in the bottom of the first inning, when catcher Sam Gray hit a line drive over the head of right fielder Jordan Finley, scoring designated player Anna Lorette for a 1-0 lead.

The Red Storm had a chance to tie the game in the top of the second inning. With two outs, shortstop Brianna Mancuso hit a triple to left field off pitcher Rebecca McCarty. As the ball was being relayed into the infield, Mancuso tried to stretch the triple into a inside-the-park home run, however, the relay throw to Gray beat Mancuso by several feet, and she was tagged out to end the inning.

After a scoreless third inning, the Red Storm tied the game in the top of the fourth. Hannan singled to center field to start the inning before stealing second base. First baseman Abbey Pelletier followed with a double to score Hannan and tie the game 1-1. Hannan was almost tagged out at home by Gray, but was able to avoid the tag and dived into home plate. Skowhegan head coach Lee Johnson disputed that Hannan ran outside the baseline, but umpires ruled that she stayed within the baseline, letting the run count.

“Abbey Pelletier will hurt you one out of three times,” Scarborough head coach Tom Griffin said. “I just told her to swing the bat.”

Skowhegan hurt themselves with errors in the top of the fifth inning. Scarborough catcher Heather Carrier hit an easy pop fly in the infield toward Indians second baseman Mikayla Hancock. However, Hancock misplayed the ball, as it landed in front of her and her glove, allowing Carrier to reach first base.

Red Storm second baseman Reegan Brackett followed by laying down a sacrifice bunt, but Gray threw the ball over the head of the first baseman into the outfield. Carrier was able to slide under Gray’s tag attempt on the relay throw to give Scarborough a 2-1 lead, and Brackett was able to reach third base. Brackett quickly scored on a fielder’s choice from third baseman Catie Funk to give the Red Storm their third and final run.

A brief stoppage in play occurred in the bottom of the fifth, as Johnson asked that first base be replaced with a drier base, as he said the base was too slippery to run on.

Brackett later explained that the field, which was still wet from previous rain, was a factor.

[The bases] were kind of like ice rinks,” Brackett said. “It’s something you can’t do anything about.”

From that point on, it was all pitching and defense for the Red Storm. Hannan continued to strike out hitters, and fielders were making spectacular plays. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Mancuso was able to field a ball up the middle that was almost a sure hit to throw out Skowhegan centerfielder Amanda Johnson. Funk followed with an equally impressive play in the bottom of the sixth inning, making a diving stop on a ground ball off of Gray to end the inning.

“I was so pumped up and ready for the ball,” Funk said. “I trusted my instincts.”

The Red Storm finished off the Indians with a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the seventh inning to clinch the title. The team stormed the field from the dugout after the final out and met with family members before receiving their championship trophy, which resembles a bronze softball glove.

“I’ve never felt anything like it, it’s pretty sweet,” Hannan said.

Funk said the team used the canceled games to practice and continue to prepare for the championship game.

“I think we practiced for so long,” Funk said. “We practiced every day. We’ve been preparing ourselves all year for this.”

Griffin said he was proud of how his team performed all season.

“They deserved it,” Griffin said. “They are the nicest group. It’s well deserved.”

Six seniors played their final game in the state title game, and Griffin said he will have to replace his entire infield next season.

“We could focus on offense this year because our infield was set,” Griffin said. “But I’ve got kids ready to step in.”

The Red Storm finish their season with a 19-1 record.

Staff writer Dave Dyer can be reached at 282-4337 ext. 219