SACO – South Portland High’s softball team was supposed to be a year or two away from contending for a Western Class A title.
Apparently the Red Riots didn’t get that memo.
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Third-seeded South Portland pounded out 15 hits, five by freshman second baseman Laurine German, to overwhelm No. 2 Thornton Academy 8-1 in a Western Class A semifinal Saturday afternoon.
In winning their 14th consecutive game, the young Riots reversed a 2-0 loss to the Trojans back on April 25 — their last loss of the season.
“I wanted the kids to be up for it and ready to go,” said South Portland Coach Ralph Aceto, who seemed more animated than usual. “They were ready. We had some fun out there the first three or four innings.”
That they did. South Portland stunningly scored three runs in the first, two in the second and two in the third off Thornton ace Julia Geaumont, who entered the game with an earned-run average under 1.00.
“It was just one of those days,” said Geaumont, who struck out 14. “They beat us. They played hard. My hat’s off to them.”
South Portland (16-2) will play top-ranked and defending state champion Scarborough in the regional final at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph’s College. It will be the fourth consecutive year the teams play for the title.
“This is huge for us,” said Erin Bogdanovich, the talented junior left-hander who allowed just three singles. “I had confidence because they had won by just one play last game.
“I just knew if we all had our bats … and we had our bats today … we could win.”
The Riots got contributions from just about everyone at the plate against, Aceto said, “arguably the best pitcher in the state.”
And it all started quickly.
Bogdanovich walked to lead off the game, then German and Danica Gleason dropped bunt singles to load the bases. Two outs later, sophomore Lindsay Cannon hit a two-strike grounder to right, scoring one run. Then sophomore Micheala Willwerth blooped a two-strike single to left, plating two more runs.
Thornton got a run in the bottom of the inning, then had a runner thrown out at the plate on a passed ball. But South Portland wasn’t done scoring. German and Olivia Indorf drove in runs in the second. German added a two-run double in the third.
“Whether it was a laser or a pop-in, they got the bat on the ball,” said Geaumont.
Aceto said it was a matter of making an adjustment to Geaumont’s pitching. She dominated the Riots in the regular season on the outside corner. Saturday, the Riots took that pitch away, or held up on close pitches.
“We just made her throw her other pitches,” said Bogdanovich.
Defensively, the Riots were flawless. They made the routine plays behind Bogdanovich and never allowed the Trojans to get back into the game. Bogdanovich set down the final 10 batters.
“They made some serious adjustments,” said Thornton Coach John Provost. “And I think Erin had a little snap on the ball.
“Like I told the kids, every once in a while you get an old-fashioned butt-whipping. This was it.”
Staff Writer Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or at:
mlowe@pressherald.com
Twitter: MikeLowePPH
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