AUGUSTA — Arika Brochu made it back to Cony Family Field just in time Saturday.
The Cony High School junior arrived from taking her SAT exams in the fourth inning of the of the semifinal game against Bangor and pitched three innings for the win. Brochu was even better in the championship game against Skowhegan as she allowed three hits and struck out nine in a 10-0 victory.
The post-game celebration and disappointment were a little subdued since both teams know bigger games lay ahead this week. Topped-ranked Cony (13-3) will host either Hampden or Mt. Blue in an Eastern Maine quarterfinal game Thursday while second-seeded Skowhegan is home against No. 7 Edward Little.
The Rams lost two of the final three regular-season games and hope the KVAC win will refocus their efforts.
“I think it taught us a lesson,” Cony catcher Alyssah Dennett said. “We’re not invincible, people are going to beat us. It just makes us come back stronger.”
Dennett walked twice, hit a two-run homer and scored three runs in the championship game. Walks proved the undoing of Indians starter Taylor Johnson. Dennett opened the game with a walk and scored on Maggie Russell’s double to the fence in left center, as did Kasidy Turgeon who was hit by a pitch. In the second inning, No. 9 bater Jamie Coull drew a two-out walk and scored on Dennett’s blast over the fence in left-center.
“Coach Rocky Gaslin gave me the hit and run sign, so I knew I had to hit it,” Dennett said. “So I hit it and it went.”
Olivia Deeves doubled to left-center and scored on a sharp single to left by Brochu to make it 5-0. That’s all Brochu would need. After giving up a single to Johnson, she retired 10 batters in a row, striking out seven straight at one point.
“I know they have really solid hitters, so I try to mix it up a lot on them,” Brochu said. “Especially the top of their order, they’re really good.”
Brochu, who won twice against the Indians during the regular season, allowed an infield hit to Morgan Buker in the fifth and a double to Eliza Bedard in the sixth and that was it.
“I thought she threw the ball well today,” Skowhegan coach Lee Johnson said. “She threw the ball hard. She hit her spots.”
The Rams broke the game open with five runs in the fifth, drawing four walks along with a two-run single from Brochu and an RBI single from Turgeon.
“It gives the kids a little bit of confidence going into the playoffs after coming off a loss,” Gaslin said. “They’re a good team and any time you can beat a team like that 10-0 it’s a good day.”
Both teams staged late rallies in the semifinals played earlier Saturday. Skowhegan scored five run in the fifth to down Oxford Hills 5-2 while Cony scored three in the sixth to get past Bangor 5-3.
Gary Hawkins — 621-5638
Twitter: @GaryHawkinsKJ
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