Two-run singles by Madison Starbird and Madison Day in the sixth inning snapped a 3-3 tie and gave the Oxford Hills Vikings a 7-3 victory over the previously undefeated Skowhegan Indians in high school softball’s Class A North championship at the Winslow High School Field on Tuesday.
It was Oxford Hills’ first regional championship since 1999. The Vikings won back-to-back state championships in 1998 and ‘99.
Oxford Hills had been ousted from the Class A North softball playoffs by Skowhegan the past two seasons.
Skowhegan had won the previous two regional titles and four of the last five.
Second seed Oxford Hills improved to 16-3 while top seed Skowhegan ended up 18-1.
Brooke Carson’s bunt delivered a second-inning run to stake the Vikings to a 1-0 lead.
The Vikings took advantage of some Indian miscues and wild pitches to expand the lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning but the Indians rallied to tie it the bottom of the fifth on Sydney Ames’ two-run double and Ashley Alward’s sacrifice fly.
But the Vikings responded with their four-run sixth-inning rally to claim the title.
It was the most runs allowed by the Indians this season. The most they had allowed were three in a 4-3 win over Hampden Academy and an 11-3 triumph over Nokomis of Newport.
Skowhegan had beaten Oxford Hills 5-4 in last year’s regional final after ousting the Vikings in the semifinals in 2016, 8-3.
Sophomore Lauren Merrill, who tossed a two-hitter to beat Skowhegan 3-0 in the KVAC championship game, picked up the win.
Skowhegan had beaten Oxford Hills 2-1 in their only regular season meeting.
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