PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Thursday’s Northern Maine Community Recreation Association junior girls’ softball tournament had a dramatic ending and Fort Fairfield’s Emma Crouse came out the hero.
Fort Fairfield captured the NMCRA junior softball title Thursday with a win over Presque Isle in the championship game. Team members are, in front from left, Skye Stridd, Audrey Milliard, Camryn Ala, Sarah McShea, Jayde McKenney, Kira Rogers and Layla Harris. Back row, Emma Crouse, John Ala, Olivia Langner, Olivia Genthner, Rachel Milliard, Cammi King, Brenna LeVasseur and Emily Ala.
(Staff photo/Kevin Sjoberg)
Crouse, the team’s right fielder, made a great catch of a line drive off the bat of Rhylee Kinney with two outs in the top of the sixth inning, helping preserve FF’s 6-5 victory over Presque Isle in the title game played at the high school softball field.
Offensively, Fort Fairfield had rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take the lead. Sydney McShea opened with a single and two outs later, Cammi King singled and Rachel Millard walked to load the bases. Brenna Levasseur then stepped to the plate and hit a line drive that just eluded PI second baseman Meg Casavant as it went off the tip of her glove. Two runs scored on the play and Kira Rogers then stepped to the plate to drive in Millard for the go-ahead run as her soft line drive fell just out of reach of PI pitcher Faith Sjoberg.
PI made it interesting in the sixth as Izzy Higgins drew a leadoff walk. Two outs later, the speedy Kinney hit the hard liner that appeared to be going over the head of Crouse for a potential go-ahead inside-the-park home run, but the right fielder made the clutch play.
EMMA CROUSE gets congratulated by teammate Olivia Genthner and others after making the game-saving catch in the sixth inning of Thursday’s NMCRA junior girls softball tourney finals. Fort Fairfield came away with a 6-5 win over Presque Isle to earn the championship.
(Staff photo/Kevin Sjoberg)
King and Levasseur combined to do the pitching for FF, with King handling the first and sixth innings and Levasseur the middle four frames.
Casavant pitched well for PI as she started and surrendered just three runs in her three innings of work. Sjoberg came on to retire the side in order in the fourth before FF made its comeback an inning later.
Camryn Ala led off the first inning with an inside-the-park homer and mad some nice plays thoughout the game from her shortstop position.
Lizzy Nadeau singled and scored to ignite PI’s five-run outburst in the third inning, which saw PI take a three-run lead at the time. Kinney and Sjoberg contributed RBI singles before Kylee Howlett delivered a two-run single to cap the rally.
Five teams took part in the single-elimination tournament. Fort Fairfield beat Mars Hill in the opening round 10-9, before doubling up on Maine Potato Blossom Festival tourney champion Ashland in the next round, 4-2.
Presque Isle outslugged Caribou in their first-round game, 23-14.
