HERMON, Maine — Two legitimate Class B North softball contenders squared off on a cold, blustery Tuesday afternoon when Hermon entertained rival Old Town and the day belonged to Hermon junior righthander Braelynn Wilcox.
Wilcox allowed three hits and one unearned run over six innings and aided her own cause with a couple of singles to lead Hermon to an 8-1 victory over Old Town.
It was a 3-1 game through five and a half innings but the Hawks erupted for five runs in the sixth to break the game open.
Hermon, which went 15-4 a year ago and lost to Nokomis of Newport 6-2 in the B North championship game, improved to 2-0.
It was the opener for Old Town, which was 13-5 last spring and lost to Nokomis in the semifinals 2-1.
The hard-throwing Wilcox allowed three singles while striking out 10 and walking four. She threw 112 pitches, 67 for strikes.
“My fastball worked really well along with my change-up a few times in the right situations,” said Wilcox. “And my screwball was a really good pitch for any batter.
“I also used my riseball, especially to the bunters because they have a very speedy lineup that we had to contain and it really worked in those situations,” added Wilcox.
Old Town’s Arabel Milligan and Haley Sirois pitched well over five innings, surrendering just three hits and three runs but, in the sixth, the Hawks were able to parlay four singles, two errors and a walk into five runs off Sirois. Four of the runs were scored after two outs.
“We came out with a lot of energy,” said Hermon coach Steph Biberstein. “Brae Wilcox did a phenomenal job in the circle. (Catcher) Molly Simcox always commands the plate.
“This was probably the best team effort. Everybody on our team contributed. Becca Balmas in right field made some phenomenal catches,” Biberstein added. “Ava Dean came up with a big bases-loaded hit.”
Biberstein called Old Town a “great team” and said it was a terrific win for her team.
Hermon took a 1-0 lead in the first on a walk to Mackenzie Gallant, a stolen base, a groundout and a wild pitch.
The Coyotes tied it in the second when Emily Wheeler singled, stole second and third and scored on an infield error.
Hermon took the lead for good in the third on a walk, Gallant’s ground ball single to center, a groundout to second and Addy Waning’s sacrifice fly to center.
Old Town put the first two hitters on base in the fourth on Lexi Degrasse’s base hit and a walk but Degrasse was tagged out in a rundown between second and third after trying to advance on a swinging strike three and Wilcox struck out the next hitter.
Hermon tacked on another run in the bottom of the fourth when Wilcox singled sharply to center with one out, stole second, went to third on a groundout and, after Sirois replaced Milligan in the circle, she raced home on a wild pitch.
Old Town loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth as two walks sandwiched Natalie Fournier’s single but Wilcox got out of the jam with a strikeout.
Waning ripped a line drive single to center to trigger the sixth-inning rally and pinch-runner Elena Walker scored from first on a throwing error to third as she sprinted from first to third on Sophie Peterson’s sacrifice bunt.
After a fly ball resulted in the second out, Wilcox and Mikelle Verrill each singled and Balmas drew a walk to load the bases.
Dean then grounded a two-run single to right and the final two runs scored on a wild pitch and an ensuing throwing error..
Wilcox was the game’s only repeat hitter and there were no extra-base hits.
Hermon will host Mount Desert Island on Thursday at 4:30 while Old Town will entertain Ellsworth on Friday at 4:30.
Old Town beat Ellsworth 5-4 in the quarterfinals last spring.
