The Brewer High School softball team didn’t get off to the start it wanted, losing its first two games to defending Class A North champion Oxford Hills of South Paris, 10-0, and to Lewiston, 3-2.
But the Witches have since put together a three-game winning streak that they took into a Wednesday game against Brunswick.
Included in those victories were a 4-1 win over perennial power Skowhegan and an 8-4 triumph over archrival Bangor, two teams that were 3-0 at the time.
“I expect a lot out of this group,” said Skip Estes, who is in his 20th year as the head coach of the Witches and has guided them to three state championships, two in Class B (2018, ‘19) and one in Class A (2008).
“The whole team is back. We started off slow but over the last couple of weeks, they have beared down in practice and been a whole different team,” said Estes.
One of the most important developments has been the addition of freshman pitcher Audrey Loupin to complement junior workhorse Sara Young, who has done virtually all of the pitching the last two years due to injuries sustained by Morgan Downs in 2023 and Laura Stewart last season.
“It has been 10 years since I’ve had two pitchers of this caliber,” Estes said.
Young is the starter and Loupin comes on in relief in the late innings.
“Sara has gotten better every year,” Estes said. “She has picked up a lot of speed and her spin pitches are working really well.
Young took a 3-2 record and a 3.16 earned-run average to Brunswick with 22 strikeouts and seven walks over 24 ⅓ innings. Loupin had allowed just one earned run in 7 ⅓ innings with four strikeouts and one walk.
“Audrey has done a great job,” Estes added about Audrey. “She has a lot of spin pitches and she is very accurate with them.”
Estes called his pitching combo a “one-two punch” that has been “very effective” so far.
His lineup features five juniors who started as freshmen: first baseman Emma Jameson, shortstop Jill Ford, Young, left fielder Olivia Gilmore and center fielder Madi Shaw.
There are four senior starters in catcher Jordin Williams, third baseman Olivia Bragdon, second baseman Taylor Grant and right fielder Paige Oakes, who transferred to Brewer from Hampden Academy two years ago.
Freshman Loupin is the designated player.
“This is a very versatile team. Our players can play multiple positions,” Estes said. “And we can hit throughout the lineup.”
Eight of the nine starters had at least one hit against Bangor.
“We also have a couple of good bunters so we can play small ball if we have to,” Estes added.
The top returning hitters off last year’s team which went 10-7 for the second straight season were Ford (.379). Oakes (.339), Jameson (.327), Shaw (.311) and Bragdon (.295).
The RBI leaders were Jameson (15), Oakes (13) and Shaw (12) along with Ford, Williams and Bragdon, who all had 11.
Jameson and Williams were the home run leaders with three apiece and Ford had two.
This year’s leading hitters through the first five games were Oakes (.526), Bragdon (.467) and Young (.333). Young was the RBI leader with eight, Jameson had four and Ford and Bragdon had three each.
“We have a lot of talent. We can be a very good team. We haven’t reached our full potential yet,” Jameson said.
Young agreed and said this team brings more energy to the field than previous teams.
“We’ve grown up a lot,” Oakes said.
Estes said he expects his team to be solid, defensively.
“We’ve made a few errors on some tough plays but those things happen. By midseason, we should be pretty sharp,” he said.
Providing the Witches with important depth are the Snowdeal sisters, Hannah and Sarah, Ellie Chapman, Sienna Bryant and Kendalynn Asay.
Senior Hannah Snowdeal is a first baseman, her sophomore sister can play infield or outfield, sophomore Asay can catch or play third and seniors Chapman and Bryant are outfielders.
Estes is assisted by Jaimee Perry, Nancy Snowdeal and Derek Loupin.
“They bring a lot to the game. I love coaching with them,” Estes said.
The Witches lost in the A North quarterfinals the last two years, and Estes said the goal set by his girls this year is to get to the regional championship game.
Estes said Oxford Hills, Bangor, Skowhegan and Hampden Academy are four of the teams he expects to be contending with for the regional title.
