SCARBOROUGH — South Portland/Westbrook’s co-op softball team has enjoyed a lot of success in its first combined season, but the squad was still seeking a signature victory over a top contender.
Friday afternoon at Kippy Mitchell Sports Complex, South Portland/Westbrook got that win, against a Scarborough team that has been a longtime nemesis of both schools.
South Portland/Westbrook scored seven runs in the first two innings, built a 10-3 lead and held on for a 10-7 victory.
“It’s a big confidence-boost,” said junior pitcher Andrea DiMauro, who earned the victory on the mound, doubled twice and drove in a pair of runs. “We’ve been in every game so far, but to see that we can push the finish line is big for us.”
South Portland/Westbrook (10-3) struck quickly. Haley Ball led off with a triple against Natalie Moynihan, and after Ella Nickerson drew a walk and stole second, Grace Wallace lined a double to the center-field fence for a 2-0 advantage.
“We practice hitting a lot, day-in, day-out, and knowing we can hit encourages us,” Wallace said.
The Red Storm (8-4) quickly answered, as Moynihan led off the bottom of the first with a double, Jamie Kemper doubled her home, then Samantha Cote hit an RBI single. Some terrific glove work from Wallace at third base kept the game tied.
South Portland/Westbrook then pushed across five runs in the second. Chloe Whitten, batting in the No. 9 slot, hit a go-ahead RBI single, Ball drove in another run with a bunt single, then three more runs came across on Scarborough miscues.
Scarborough scored an unearned run in the third, but in the top of the fourth, Madison Cole hit an RBI single, then DiMauro made it 10-3 with a booming two-run double to right-center.
The Red Storm started their comeback bid in the fifth when Sophia Rinaldi hit an RBI single. Rinaldi also crushed a three-run homer in the seventh, and Baylie Littlefield had to come on to close it out, getting Moynihan to ground to Wallace for the final out.
“I was trying to get the girls to stay poised,” said South Portland/Westbrook’s first-year coach, Drew DiMauro. “I’m never comfortable against (Scarborough’s) lineup. I think we did just enough to get out of here with a win today.”
Ball and Delaney Whitten also had multiple hits and Wallace drove two runs for South Portland/Westbrook.
The Red Storm got three hits from Moynihan, and two hits and four RBI from Rinaldi.
“We almost got it,” said Liz Winslow, Scarborough’s first-year coach. “The girls know they’re capable of coming back against anybody and putting runs on the board. The difference today was we gave up some early hits and runs. We played fundamental defense and took good swings, but they had timely hitting.”
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