Freshmen will be in the spotlight on Tuesday when undefeated second seed Penobscot Valley of Howland faces Southern Aroostook of Dyer Brook for the Class D North softball championship at Brewer’s Coffin Field beginning at 3.
Freshman Leine McKechnie was the Penobscot Valley Conference Class D Pitcher of the Year for the Lynx (18-0) and is facing a Southern Aroostook team (15-2) that starts four freshmen.
McKechnie struck out 203 and allowed only 31 hits in 101 innings during the regular season. She posted an 0.90 earned run average. She followed that up with an 11-0 win over East Grand of Danforth and a 9-1 triumph over Schenck High of East Millinocket.
Southern Aroostook has scored 24 runs in its two playoff wins: 10-9 over Ashland and 14-7 over defending two-time regional titlist Stearns of Millinocket.
“Leine has a lot of movement on her ball,” said Penobscot Valley coach Patrick Leonard. “She keeps the batter guessing. And she throws hard.”
McKechnie has also benefitted from throwing to her older sister, Kortney McKechnie, the team’s junior catcher.
“Kortney calls a good game and Leine listens to her,” said Leonard.
He also noted that McKechnie, who goes to pitching instructor Rick Roberts of Ellsworth, has a variety of pitches so she has options if one isn’t working. And she has good composure for a freshman.
“We know we’re going up against a really good pitcher,” said Southern Aroostook coach Robert Betschner. “We’ve heard she’s really fast.”
Southern Aroostook has four seniors and everyone else is a freshman or a sophomore.
Betschner said two of his leading hitters are freshmen: Left fielder Sydney Brewer and catcher Alexis Hartin. The other top hitter is power threat sophomore Kylie Vining.
“We’ve been a good hitting team all year. And we’ve received great pitching from Kylie. She has three or four pitches she can throw and she’s very competitive,” said Betschner.
The other freshman starters are shortstop Makaelyn Porter and center fielder Aliyah Morales.
Betschner said the Howlers haven’t faced Vining and that could work to their advantage.
“Hopefully, we’ll play well and keep it close. Then we’ll see what happens,” said Betschner.
Penobscot Valley is looking for its first regional crown since 2013. It also won the title in 2012, when the Howlers also claimed the state championship.
Richmond has won all four state titles since then.
Southern Aroostook has never won a regional softball crown.