HERMON – The youthful Hermon High School softball team has had a roller-coaster season, but the sixth-seeded Hawks will advance to a Thursday Class B North quarterfinal at Mount Desert Island after Monday’s 4-1 win over No. 11 Oceanside of Rockland.
Freshman Katie Fowler and junior Lyndsee Reed combined on a one-hitter, and the Hawks scored three unearned runs in the third inning to improve to 9-8, extending their win streak to three.
Fowler went the first three innings and allowed one hit with two strikeouts and no walks. Reed pitched the last four and allowed three walks and the only run with three strikeouts.
The Hawks made only one error and turned in a number of nifty defensive plays in support of Fowler and Reed.
“Oceanside put the bat on the ball, but our kids played very well defensively,” said Hermon coach Steph Biberstein.
Oceanside senior pitcher Grace Pratt, who has missed a healthy portion of the season due to injury, pitched very well in defeat. Just one run was earned. She allowed five hits with six strikeouts and five walks.
“She was a very good pitcher. She kept us on our toes a lot of the game,” said Reed.
Oceanside finished the season at 5-12.
Pivotal play: It was a bunt that went only two feet in front of the plate by Hermon’s Faith Coombs in the third inning.
Molly Simcox singled to open the inning and was sacrificed to second by Fowler.
Reed walked and scampered all the way to second after being issued the walk.
Coombs’ bunt in front of the plate was fielded by the catcher who threw wildly past first to allow the two runs to score.
Coombs eventually scored an insurance run.
“Those three unearned runs obviously hurt,” said Oceanside coach Katie Nicholls.
Hermon used a bunt to produce another run in the fifth as Coombs singled, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Braelynn Wilcox’s bunt.
Ava Philbrook’s single was Oceanside’s only hit.
Simcox had two hits for Hermon.
Takeaway: Hermon could upset teams with its defense and the pitching of Fowler and Reed.