HERMON, Maine — Hermon High School junior righthander Braelynn Wilcox lasted only two thirds of an inning in her last start, giving up two runs on four hits in a 3-0 loss to Class A Hampden Academy.
But she was a totally different pitcher on Thursday, tossing a masterful three-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts to lead the fourth-seeded Hawks to a 4-0 Class B North softball quarterfinal win over No. 5 Belfast in Hermon.
The 11-6 Hawks will now travel to take on top seed and defending B North champ Nokomis of Newport in Saturday’s semifinals. Nokomis ousted eighth seed Oceanside of Rockland 12-2 in their quarterfinal.
Nokomis, 15-2, has won 12 in a row including a 4-3 win at Hermon on May 17 in the only meeting between the two.
Belfast finished at 12-5 after having its three-game winning streak snapped.
The 12 wins are the most since 2006.
Wilcox allowed only two balls to be hit out of the infield in her dominant outing. Two of the three hits only traveled 25 feet.
She threw 105 pitches, 68 for strikes.
Belfast went just 1-for-9 with men on base.
“This was definitely my best game of the year,” said Wilcox. “I took a shorter warmup so I would be more prepared going into the first inning because my arm wouldn’t be burned out, especially when it’s hot like this.
“I had to keep my composure and make sure I was strong for the team. I’ve really worked hard on my pitching and bringing out what I have worked on in the past has definitely helped,” Wilcox added.
“She’s a great pitcher. Her fastball had nasty spin on it. There’s not much you can do about it,” said Belfast freshman shortstop Emma Tripp, whose ground ball single with one out in the sixth inning was the only hit that left the infield.
“She also had a real nasty curve and her change-up was nasty, too,” added Tripp.
“Everything was working and she was so confident out there,” said Hermon junior catcher Molly Simcox.
Wilcox credited Simcox for her work behind the plate, saying she does real well “framing pitches” and keeping from getting past her to the backstop.
“I commend her for her hard work. I wouldn’t be able to do it without her,” said Wilcox.
Besides Tripp’s base hit, a Kloe Luce fly ball to center to open the fifth was the only other ball to leave the infield against Wilcox.
Wilcox had a no-hitter through 4 ⅓ innings until Sophia Larrabee broke it up by beating out a slow roller to the pitcher’s right.
Belfast sophomore righty Joydyn MacKay also pitched very well, surrendering only five hits with six strikeouts, three walks and a hit batter. Only two of the runs off her were earned.
She threw 102 pitches, 63 for strikes.
The Hawks won it with three runs in the fourth.
Mikelle Verrill got the game’s first hit when her grounder glanced off the glove of Tripp, who ranged to her left to try to snare it.
Sophie Peterson then laid down a sacrifice bunt but third baseman Gracie Moore threw it wide of first for an error that allowed Verrill to race around to third.
Elena Walker pinch-ran for Peterson and stole second.
Following a strikeout, Kenzie Gallant poked a one-out single into short right field to score Verrill.
“I have been in a slump for a while. That felt really good. That was the hit we needed,” said Gallant.
In the ensuing action, catcher Luce caught the ball on the throw from the outfield and tried to nail a runner at third, only to make a throwing error that allowed both Walker and Gallant to cross the plate.
Belfast had their best threat in the fifth inning.
Following Larrabee’s infield single and a fielder’s choice, Morgan Bennett reached on second baseman Ava Dean’s fielding error and then Danica Gray’s bunt single loaded the bases.
But Wilcox struck out the next hitter to end the threat.
Hermon added an insurance run in the sixth when Becca Balmas reached on a single with one out, went to second on a groundout and scored on pinch-hitter Katie Fowler’s infield single to the shortstop hole.
Hermon’s Addy Waning’s long opposite-field triple just inside the foul line in the fifth inning was the game’s only extra-base hit.
There were a number of good defensive plays including two gems by Belfast sophomore second baseman Maggie Metcalf in the sixth. Metcalf ranged to her left and snared a pair of potential singles off the bats of Peterson and Norra Idano.
Both teams have just one senior on their roster: Dean for Hermon and Gabby Hoffman for Belfast.
The Hawks started five juniors, two sophomores and a freshman along with senior Dean while Belfast started all freshmen and sophomores along with junior first baseman Gray.
