WALES — The first inning proved to be pivotal in the Class B South quarterfinal softball game between fifth-seeded Cape Elizabeth and fourth-seeded Oak Hill Raiders.
The Raiders capitalized on their chances, the Capers squandered theirs, and Oak Hill defeated Cape Elizabeth, 3-1.
The Raiders (15-2) will now travel to York to take on the No. 1-seeded Wildcats on Saturday after the ‘Cats topped Wells 4-3 in nine innings Thursday.
In the top of the first, Cape loaded the bases, but with two outs, Kelly O’Sullivan grounded out to end the threat.
“That was our opportunity,” Cape Elizabeth coach Joe Henrikson said.
In the bottom of the inning, Oak Hill had two runners on when the fifth hitter, Abby Nadeau came up to the plate. Her single to right field brought home Emma Hlister and when the throw to third to try to get Grace Sabine out at the bag went into the dugout, Sabine scored. Nadeau was awarded third. Cape Elizabeth got out of the jam when Brooke Surette grounded out, but the damage was done.
“That clutch hit by Abby was huge for us,” Oak Hill coach Allyson Collins said. “Getting on top for us all year has been important. It gives us a little cushion, makes our defense feel a little more comfortable and they play a little more loose which has helped us out. We hit a lot of hard balls at people today. We didn’t find the holes we were looking for, but we got enough runs.”
Collins also said the game could have gone in a completely in a different direction if Cape Elizabeth had scored in the top of the first inning.
Both pitchers settled down in the second, as Makayla Nadeau was going for Oak Hill while Jessica Robicheaw was going for Cape Elizabeth.
Cape put its run up in the top of the fourth when O’Sullivan scampered to second on a throwing error and moved to third on a ground out. An Alison Ingalls single scored O’Sullivan. They looked to do more damage with Ingalls and Grace Carignan on base, but the lead off hitter, Maddie Culkin grounded out to the pitcher to end the inning.
“We had a few hard hit balls that we at some people,” Henrikson said. “We made some a couple of double plays in some tough situations, but I though we played well. A lot of the balls, we hit at people.”
In the bottom of the fifth, the Raiders looked to open the game up when Sara Noel led off with a single. The next two at bats, Charlotte Waterman and Madison Bennett got on base on sacrifice bunt attempts. Waterman reached second on an error, sending Noel to third. Noel stayed at third on Bennett’s bunt and Cape had no play at first to try to get Bennett out. A Hlister single scored Noel.
“That was my game plan going into the inning,” Collins said of the two bunt attempts. “Charolette has good speed, so if Sara got on that was the plan for her to bunt. Great bunt and Maddie was able to move her over. It worked out for us.”
Cape Elizabeth was able to limit the dame, getting Jamie Prue to ground out to a 1-2-3 double play and Sabine popping out at first.
Nadeau went the distance had another 1-2-3 inning in the sixth and only had to face four batters in the seventh to clinch the victory. She only allowed three hits while striking out two and walking two.
“She threw the ball very well, she kept it down and away from their big hitters,” Collins said. “She got her changeup towards the middle of the game which I think had a big effect on the outcome of the game as well. Just throwing them off just that little bit helped us out.”
Robicheaw allowed five hits walking two and striking out one in the losing effort.
nfournier@sunjournal.com
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