Arika Brochu was about as complete a softball player as you were going to see this year.

A senior pitcher for Cony High of Augusta, she led the Rams to the Eastern Class A semifinals, where they lost 4-3 to Bangor. She was also a power hitter and flawless fielder. And as the only senior for Coach Rocky Gaslin, she became a leader.

“She was kind of like another coach on the team,” said Gaslin. “She was just a special kid who you don’t see very often.”

Brochu, who is heading to St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, is the Maine Sunday Telegram’s softball Player of the Year.

Her statistics were impressive – she was 12-4 with 94 strikeouts, 15 walks and a 1.37 ERA in 1072/3 innings while hitting .618 with five home runs, 32 runs and 24 RBI. But it was her competitive zeal that often set Brochu apart from others.

“She was probably the most competitive athlete I’ve ever coached against,” said Bangor Coach Don Stanhope, whose team had two one-run wins over Cony. “When she stepped on the field, she was there to compete and there to win. She plays hard.”

Added Gaslin: “She wasn’t afraid to dive and get dirty.”

Maybe that’s because softball is a game that Brochu said she has been playing since she was 4 years old. “And I’ve been pitching since I was 7,” she said.

“I would describe softball as pretty much all I do,” said Brochu, who also played field hockey for the Rams and assisted with the school’s unified basketball team. “It’s my excuse for not going to events and parties. It’s that type of relationship.”

Brochu, who holds Cony’s career home run record with 18, also played shortstop and center field, but it was pitching that kept her going.

“Some people say a game can get boring,” she said. “But being involved on every pitch has helped me grow my relationship with the sport.”

Brochu said she will always remember winning a state championship her freshman year, when her sister, Alyssa, played second base.

But her last game was pretty memorable, too. While the Rams were eliminated, Brochu had three hits, including a double and a triple, and drove in two runs while also pitching and making a diving catch.

“I think that was the game of her life,” said Gaslin.

Brochu agreed.

“It was tough, but I gave it my all,” she said. “I had nothing to hang my head for. I thought it was my best game of all in high school. And I’d rather (my career) ended like that.”

THE ALL-STATE TEAM

Arika Brochu, Cony senior, pitcher: The KVAC Player of the Year, Brochu went 12-4 with a 1.37 ERA, 94 strikeouts and just 15 walks in 1072/3 innings. She also batted .618 with five home runs, 32 runs and 24 RBI.

Emily Gilmore, Bangor junior, outfielder: The No. 2 hitter for an explosive offense, Gilmore batted .465 with 13 doubles, two triples, five home runs, 18 RBI and 30 runs. She covered a lot of ground in center field and made just two errors.

Tess Haller, Cape Elizabeth junior, infielder: Haller hit .465 with 13 doubles, two triples and five home runs. She drove in 18 runs and scored 30. She played seven games at second base, then moved to third for the rest of the season.

Jen Jones, Sanford junior, pitcher: Maine’s Gatorade Player of the Year, Jones led Sanford to a No. 3 seed in Western Class A. She went 14-3 with 225 strikeouts in 121 innings and a 1.56 ERA. She batted .448 with 23 RBI and 11 runs scored.

Aly LeBlanc, Madison junior, catcher: LeBlanc helped the Bulldogs reach the Western Class C final, hitting .450 with six doubles, three triples and two home runs. She drove in 26 runs, scored 24, and did not allow a stolen base.

Maggie Murphy, Scarborough junior, third baseman: Murphy batted .378 with five doubles, two home runs, 14 RBI and 22 runs. She committed just three errors while helping Scarborough advance to the Class A championship game.

Kirsten Pelletier, Messalonskee junior, pitcher: Pitched all but one game, including a 1-0 victory in the Class A state final (allowing two hits and striking out 12). Pelletier was 16-3 with 182 strikeouts in 136 innings while walking 23.

Kristy Prelgovisk, Messalonskee senior, outfielder: Prelgovisk’s homer provided the offense in a 1-0 win over Scarborough in the Class A championship game. She batted .511 with 10 home runs, 29 RBI and 16 runs and did not make an error.

Stephanie Rundlett, York junior, pitcher: Rundlett led the Wildcats to the No. 2 seed in Western Class B. She went 15-2 with a 0.96 ERA and 246 strikeouts in 117 innings. She also batted .561 with three homers, 27 RBI and 17 runs scored.

Kaleigh Scoville, Scarborough junior, first baseman: Scoville made the move from center field and was nearly flawless at first base, committing just one error. She hit .514 with eight extra-base hits, 25 RBI and 30 runs scored.

Kristal Smith, Gardiner senior, pitcher: A finalist for Miss Maine Softball, Smith batted .500 with six home runs, 32 RBI and 21 runs scored. She was 17-1 with 143 strikeouts in 111 innings and a 0.36 ERA.

Ashley Tinsman, Cape Elizabeth senior, shortstop: A three-time all-state selection, Tinsman will attend UMaine. She hit .380 with 17 runs and 13 RBI.

Bailey Tremblay, Thornton Academy senior, pitcher: Winner of the Miss Maine Softball Award, Tremblay was 14-2 in the regular season with a 2.01 ERA and 130 strikeouts. She hit .547 with four home runs, 24 RBI and 11 runs.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Amy Ashley, Yarmouth: In just her third year, Ashley led the Clippers to the Class B state championship. She emphasized game situations in practice, which ultimately prepared her players for any situation.

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