Balmas tosses no-hitter as Hermon softball edges Old Town in B North title game rematch

HERMON, Maine — The softball game between Hermon High and visiting Old Town on Tuesday was a rematch of last year’s Class B North championship game which was won by Hermon in a thriller, 6-4.

Tuesday’s game was another gem featuring two of Class B North’s best pitchers and Hermon righthander Rebecca Balmas couldn’t have picked a better way to start her junior season as she tossed a no-hitter and drove home the game-winning run with a bunt to lead Hermon to a 3-2 victory.

It was Hermon’s opener while Old Town is now 2-1 after sweeping Presque Isle 15-0, 9-5 last Friday.

The 6-foot-1 Balmas struck out 12 and walked three, all in Old Town’s two-run fourth-inning rally. She threw 102 pitches of which 65 were strikes. One of the runs was unearned.

Senior righty Haley Sirois, who pitched a complete game in the regional title game a year ago,  also turned in a superb outing as she surrendered just three hits while striking out 14 and walking three. One of the runs was unearned.

She threw 72 strikes among her 108 pitches.

Balmas said throwing a no-hitter was a “pretty good way” to start her season.

“I felt good. My pitches were working really well,” said Balmas, who throws a fastball, change-up, riseball and curve.

“Going into (the game) I was a little nervous but I knew once the first inning was over, I was settled in and we were good,” said Balmas.

“She has a lot of speed. She’s very tall and very athletic and she uses that to her advantage,” said Sirois about Balmas.

Natalie Fournier’s line drive to center field with two outs in the sixth was the hardest-hit ball off Balmas. It was caught by sophomore Vivien Morin.

Balmas praised Sirois, saying she is “really good. She has a good breaking ball.”

“She definitely hits her spots,” said Hermon senior second baseman Kenzie Gallant.

Sirois was pleased with her performance, saying “I threw pretty well. I pitched a doubleheader on Friday and got a little tired.”

Hermon took a lead it would never relinquish in the first inning.

Junior Elena Walker worked a walk off Sirois to lead off the inning, fouling off three 3-2 pitches.

Gallant then reached on a single when her bunt floated over Sirois’ head and landed behind her.

Balmas walked on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases and Walker and Gallant scored on a wild pitch and an error on the catcher on her throw to Sirois covering the plate.

Gallant’s hustle enabled her to score what proved to be the winning run the third inning.

She blooped a single into left center and raced all the way from first to third on a wild pitch before scoring on Balmas’ well-placed bunt down the first base line.

“I’m always looking to take those extra bases,” said Gallant. “I faked going back to second and when the catcher threw the ball to the pitcher, I went for it.”

“She’s quick, she’s aggressive. It’s really good to see it and to have it on our team,” said Balmas. “I just knew I had to find a way to get on and she would find a way to get home.”

Sirois allowed just two baserunners the rest of the way on a fourth-inning walk and Balmas’ sharp double to left center in the fifth inning.

Old Town scored its fourth-inning runs on the three walks, two wild pitches and two passed balls.

“My stride was a little off. I could feel it. I didn’t know how to adjust it,” said Balmas. “My landings were weird.

“I had to settle down and reset,” said Balmas who prevented further damage with a strikeout and grounder back to her.

She aided her own cause by flawlessly handling three grounders, a bunt and a pop-up.

Her teammates played errorless ball behind her.

“Old Town is always a good team. We have a good rivalry,” said Hermon coach Steph Biberstein. “They had already played two games and we hadn’t played a (scrimmage) game in nine days. The kids did a good job. They laid a good foundation to build on.”

Old Town will play again on Wednesday when it hosts Mount Desert Island at 3:30 and Hermon returns to action on Thursday when it entertains Ellsworth at 4:30.