Libby Hewes was always pretty serious about pitching, starting back when she was 8 or 9 years old.
Then as a freshman at Brewer High School, she found herself playing first base.
“(First base) was where I imagined myself. But I realized that we weren’t going to have a lot of pitchers my junior and senior years so I felt I had to put in extra work to potentially be that (No. 1) pitcher,” Hewes said.
A year ago, Hewes shared the pitching with older sister Sydney, but her graduation left Libby as the No. 1 pitcher this season. Hewes has responded with a 16-0 record and a 1.40 earned run average in leading the undefeated Witches to the top spot in the Heal Point Standings in their first season in Class B after moving over from Class A.
The 17-year-old junior isn’t overpowering like Old Town’s McKenna Smith, but she compensates with pinpoint control and ball movement. Over 100 1/3 innings, Hewes has struck out 71 and walked 20.
“She has improved her spin pitches and locates her pitches real well,” said 13th-year Brewer coach Skip Estes.
“My body isn’t meant for speed so my catcher (junior Jordan Goodrich) and I worked extremely hard over the winter on hitting my spots,” said Hewes, who worked with pitching instructor Amanda Ryan, a former all-conference pitcher at Husson University in Bangor and at Brewer High School.
“Amanda has been very helpful. I knew it would definitely take time but things have turned out a lot better than I thought they would,” said Hewes.
She was quick to point out the efforts of the Brewer defense in her success in the circle.
“My defense has been tremendous all year,” Hewes said. “We all come together at the end of the day to find a way to win. That’s what good teams do.”
The fact Hewes averages only one walk every five innings is something her father, Kevin, had preached from Day 1.
“I always hear my dad saying, ‘no freebies,’ during the game,” Libby Hewes said. “He has said that ever since I was little going up through travel ball.”
Brewer has held opponents to two runs or less 10 times in 16 games, including five shutouts. The Witches have outscored opponents 146-37.
“She has always been competitive but she’s more composed this year,” Estes said. “She knows she has a great defense behind her and she has become a pretty good fielder.”
Hewes has a variety of pitches with her precise, late-breaking curve on the outside corner to right-handed hitters being particularly effective.
“She had pretty good movement on her pitches and we definitely struggled with her curve,” Old Town junior Olivia Albert said last month after Hewes tossed a four-hitter in a 3-0 win over the defending Class B state champs.
Hewes also is hitting .509.
“She has become a much better hitter this year,” Estes said. “She has been able to take the ball where it is pitched.”
“I’m a more confident hitter,” Hewes said. “One thing that is different this year is everybody in the dugout is constantly supportive.”
Hewes is one of several key offensive contributors for the Witches.
Sophomore shortstop Kenzie Dore is hitting .475 with six doubles and three homers and senior third baseman M.J. Sellars (six home runs, two doubles, one triple) is at .416. Goodrich and sophomore second baseman Kathryn Austin are at or around .400.
Estes knew he had a good team that was going to be contender, but he admits he didn’t anticipate an undefeated regular season.
“I knew we were going to be real competitive because of our offense and defense,” said Estes, who explained the question mark was how Brewer’s pitching would mature.
Sophomore Kate West and junior Becca Gideon are the other pitchers on the staff.
Brewer will face Oceanside of Rockland in Saturday’s KVAC championship game at Thomas College in Waterville before heading into the Class B North playoffs next week.
“Class B is very, very competitive,” said Estes. “Old Town has a very good team. They have McKenna Smith. And there four or five other good teams.”
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