ORONO, Maine — The third time was a charm for the Hermon High School softball seniors.
The Hawks, who had lost in the Class B North championship games in 2022 and ’23, built a 6-1 lead and withstood a three-run rally in the seventh inning by rival Old Town to beat the Coyotes 6-4 and claim their first B North title since 2015 at the Pierre and Catherine Labat Softball Complex at the University of Maine in Orono.
Appropriately, it was a pair of seniors who sparked the win.
Braelyn Wilcox tossed a three-hit complete game and belted a two-run triple during a four-run third-inning rally that gave the Hawks a 4-1 lead. Senior third baseman Addy Waning had given the Hawks the lead earlier in the inning with a two-run double.
“This was our third trip. It feels good to finally pull it off,” said Wilcox.
Hermon, now 17-2, will take on 16-3 Medomak Valley of Waldoboro in Saturday’s state championship game in Orono. Medomak upset defending two-time B South champ York 5-0.
Old Town wound up 16-4.
Trailing 1-0 entering the third, Kenzie Gallant drew a lead-off walk to start the rally.
One out later, Katie Fowler lined a single to right and Molly Simcox legged out a bunt single to load the bases.
Waning followed with a long double to the fence in left center field to deliver Gallant and Fowler.
“I knew it was a really clutch situation and I needed to do it for my team and I did that. It was a pitch I liked and when I saw it, I said ‘yes, yes, yes’ and I swung. That was that. It felt great off the bat,” said Waning.
One out later, Wilcox lined an opposite-field triple to right center to plate the second two runs.
Wilcox said after Waning hit her double, “we have been talking all season about how hitting is contagious. Once somebody gets a hit, you get in the box and be confident in your swing and know you can do it, too.”
The Hawks added important insurance runs in the fourth and fifth innings with Hannah Waning scoring both runs.
In the fourth, Waning reached on a two-out bunt single, Fowler walked and Waning eventually scored on a wild pitch.
In the sixth, Waning slapped an opposite-field ground ball double down the third base line and scored when Fowler poked a single into right.
Old Town took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Natalie Fournier’s double into short right field and Wilcox’s two-out throwing error.
But that was the only hit the Coyotes would get until the seventh.
Wilcox had walked just two through the first six innings but walked three of the first four hitters she faced in the seventh to load the bases.
Fournier followed with a run-producing infield single but Hawks shortstop Becca Balmas made a great diving stop to keep it in the infield and threw to Wilcox, who pivoted and threw a runner out at home for the second out.
“I wasn’t going to throw home. I was just going to go back to the circle but I saw the runner rounding the base (third base) so I decided to go for it,” said Wilcox. “Becca keeping the ball in front of her was good for us.”
Earlier in the game, Balmas had made a terrific play to rob Emily Wheeler of a hit as she short-hopped Wheeler’s grounder going to her left and made a strong throw to first.
Hermon coach Steph Biberstein said Balmas has done an “amazing job” at shortstop after being moved into the position from the outfield midway through the season as the result of an injury.
Wheeler shaved the lead to 6-4 when she rifled a sizzling two-run single off the body of first baseman Mikelle Verrill.
But Wilcox struck out the next hitter to end the game.
Wilcox finished with 12 strikeouts and five walks while throwing 119 pitches, 72 for strikes.
“Her change-up was really working for her,” said Old Town’s Wheeler, a summer league teammate of Wilcox’s. “And her pitches in the zone and on the corners were really good.”
“It definitely wasn’t my best performance,” said Wilcox. “I tried to remain calm. I knew my mechanics would do me well and my team would back me up.
“Old Town is a really good hitting team and I knew they would score some runs. But it’s no big deal if your team backs you up,” Wilcox added.
Wilcox, Hannah Waning and Fowler had two hits apiece for Hermon.
Haley Sirois went the distance for Old Town. She allowed nine hits and struck out eight. She walked two.
“I am super proud of this team. They got down early but continued to fight. Addy and Wilcox came up with some good hits,” said Biberstein who also praised the seniors for the positive culture they have created and the close bond among all the players.
Wheeler said her team showed its heart and resiliency with its comeback.
“We kept our energy all the way through the game as a team. It was a really exciting game,” said third baseman Wheeler.
