BREWER– When you have won as many state championships as the Madison softball team, there isn’t much you haven’t done. Before Saturday afternoon there was something they haven’t done recently.
The Bulldogs scored four runs in the fifth inning and rolled to a 7-1 victory over Dexter in the Maine Principals’ Association Class C state championship game at Coffin Field. It is the second straight state championship for Madison and fourth in the past six years. It is the first during that stretch in an odd year and the first one they have won at Brewers Coffin Field.
The Bulldogs got the scoring started in the second inning when Emily Edgerly hit a double down the right field that scored Katie Worthen. Edgerly came around to score on a Tigers error.
Dexter had plenty of chances in the early innings but the Bulldogs junior lefty pitcher Lauren LeBlanc made clutch pitches to get out of jams. The Tigers had runners on second and third with one out in the first inning, LeBlanc got a strikeout and groundout to finish the inning. With two runners on and one out in the third inning, LeBlanc again retired the final two batters of the inning.
The Bulldogs broke open a close game with a big fifth inning. They had three hits and took advantage of one error during the inning. The freshmen duo of Landyn Landry and Lillian Levesque each had a run scoring single.
After four scoreless innings from LeBlanc, the Bulldogs coach Chris LeBlanc turned the ball over to freshman Brooke McKenney for the final three innings. McKenney closed things down and the dynasty continued for Madison.
Madison (19-1) had a balanced offensive attack with eight of the nine players in the lineup getting a hit or scoring a run. LeBlanc got the win in the circle going four innings, allowing one run, while walking two and striking out two. It is the 10th state title for the Bulldogs.
Peyton Grant had two of the four hits for the Tigers. Cheyenne Beem scored the run, while Regan McNally had the RBI. Avery Herrick took the loss in the circle for the Tigers. Herrick allowed seven runs (four earned), on seven hits. She didn’t issue a walk and struck out three. Dexter finishes the season with a record of 14-6.
