Red Storm Softball

Griffin's Drives In The Winning Run and Storm Back to States

VARSITY MAINE Posted June 12 Updated June 12 INCREASE FONT SIZEResize Font
Softball: Scarborough edges Thornton in nine innings for Class A South title
Chloe Griffin's single drives in the winning run and sends the Red Storm back to the state championship game.


BY MIKE LOWESTAFF WRITER

Share facebook tweet email print
1 of 6
Scarborough celebrates their walk-off 3-2 victory over Thornton Academy Tuesday in 9 innings in the Class A South regional final at Standish. Staff photo by Shawn Patrick Ouellette
STANDISH — Chloe Griffin had one thought when she came to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning of the Class A South softball championship game Tuesday afternoon: “Let’s end this.”

So she did. Griffin, a senior pitcher, grounded a single into left field to score Bella Dickinson from second base as top-ranked Scarborough defeated No. 3 Thornton Academy 3-2 at Bailey Field at St. Joseph’s College.

RELATED HEADLINES
Softball: Oxford Hills knocks off No. 1 Skowhegan
photo-store
Search photos available for purchase: Photo Store ?
“What an unbelievable game,” said Red Storm Coach Tom Griffin. “For both teams. How many great defensive plays were made, by both teams, to keep it going? It was amazing.”

Defending state champ Scarborough (19-0) will play Oxford Hills (16-3) for the Class A state title at 4 p.m. Saturday at St. Joe’s. It will be Scarborough’s seventh appearance in the state game since 2007. The Vikings are making their first appearance since 1999.

“Getting back to the states, it’s every girl’s dream,” said Dickinson, a sophomore shortstop. “I’m so glad to be part of this team.”

Thornton Academy finished 15-4, two of the losses to Scarborough. The teams had played a 3-1 thriller on May 17 and this was the rematch everyone wanted to see. And they didn’t disappoint.

Advertisement

Thornton’s Louisa Colucci matched Chloe Griffin – Tom Griffin’s niece – pitch-for-pitch. The defenses were superb.

Thornton’ outfield – Olivia Paradis in left, Kylie Lavallee in center and Hannah Collins in right – made several spectacular catches. And Scarborough’s Laura Powell (center field) and Sam Carriero (left) threw out runners at second base.

Scarborough twice took the lead – Emily Jefferds’ RBI single in second, Hunter Greenleaf’s RBI single in the fifth – only to have the Trojans respond. Jenica Botting drove in a run with a double in the third and Kaitlin Verreault – who began her high school career at Scarborough – knocked in the tying run with a single in the sixth.

Thornton never threatened in extra innings. In the bottom of the ninth, Dickinson lined a single to center with one out. After a walk to Powell, Griffin took a strike and then grounded the ball into left field. Dickinson, off on the hit, beat the throw home easily and was swarmed by her teammates.

“It was a great finish for us,” said Tom Griffin. “Thornton Academy is a great team and they played a perfect game..”

Chloe Griffin said she didn’t feel any pressure.

Advertisement

“I wanted it for this team, they’re a great group of girls,” she said. “I didn’t want to let it slip through my fingers. If someone was going to do it, I really wanted to be that person.”

And Tom Griffin wanted her at the plate.

“She’s the whole package,” he said. “She wants the ball in big moments, she wants to be at bat in big moments.”

Thornton Academy
Lineup AB R H RBI BB SO
Kaitlin Verreault 5 1 2 1 0 0
Jenica Botting 5 0 2 1 0 0
Olivia Howe 0 0 0 0 4 0
Amanda Bogardus 3 0 0 0 1 2
Hannah Collins 4 0 0 0 0 1
Louisa Colucci 4 0 1 0 0 1
Sarah Casey 4 0 1 0 0 0
Kylie Lavalee 4 1 2 0 0 0
Madison Vachon 2 0 0 0 0 1
Olivia Paradis 2 0 0 0 0 0
Totals 33 2 8 2 5 5 Batting
2B: Kaitlin Verreault, Jenica Botting
3B: Kylie Lavalee
TB: Kylie Lavalee 4, Louisa Colucci, Kaitlin Verreault 3, Sarah Casey, Jenica Botting 3
RBI: Kaitlin Verreault, Jenica Botting
ROE: Hannah Collins
SB: Olivia Howe
CS: Louisa Colucci, Kaitlin Verreault
Totals
Team QAB: 22 (57.89%)
Olivia Paradis 2, Kylie Lavalee 2, Louisa Colucci 3, Kaitlin Verreault 3, Amanda Bogardus 3, Sarah Casey, Jenica Botting 3, Madison Vachon, Olivia Howe 4

Team LOB: 9
Fielding
E: Olivia Howe
DP: Kaitlin Verreault, Sarah Casey

Thornton Academy
Pitching IP #P S% H R ER SO BB HR
Louisa Colucci 8.1 134 .627 9 3 2 5 5 0
Totals 8.1 134 .627 9 3 2 5 5 0 Pitching
L: Louisa Colucci
Pitches-Strikes: Louisa Colucci 134-84
Groundouts-Flyouts: Louisa Colucci 3-16
First pitch strikes-Batters faced: Louisa Colucci 27-39

Scarborough
Lineup AB R H RBI BB SO
Bella Dickinson 5 2 3 0 0 1
Laura Powell 2 0 1 0 2 0
Chloe Griffin 5 0 2 1 0 1
Hunter Greenleaf 4 0 1 1 0 1
Sam Carriero 3 0 0 0 1 1
Lindsey Kelley 4 1 1 0 0 0
Felicia O'Reilly 3 0 0 0 1 0
Courtney Brochu 3 0 0 0 1 0
Emily Jefferds 4 0 1 1 0 1
Hannah Gower 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals 33 3 9 3 5 5 Batting
TB: Bella Dickinson 3, Hunter Greenleaf, Chloe Griffin 2, Emily Jefferds, Lindsey Kelley, Laura Powell
RBI: Hunter Greenleaf, Chloe Griffin, Emily Jefferds
SAC: Laura Powell
ROE: Lindsey Kelley
SB: Bella Dickinson, Lindsey Kelley
Totals
Team QAB: 17 (43.59%)
Courtney Brochu, Sam Carriero, Bella Dickinson 3, Chloe Griffin, Emily Jefferds 2, Lindsey Kelley 4, Felicia O'Reilly, Laura Powell 4

Team LOB: 9
Fielding
E: Bella Dickinson, Lindsey Kelley
DP: Courtney Brochu, Felicia O'Reilly

Scarborough
Pitching IP #P S% H R ER SO BB HR
Chloe Griffin 9.0 139 .640 8 2 2 5 5 0
Totals 9.0 139 .640 8 2 2 5 5 0 Pitching
W: Chloe Griffin
Pitches-Strikes: Chloe Griffin 139-89
Groundouts-Flyouts: Chloe Griffin 7-12
First pitch strikes-Batters faced: Chloe Griffin 22-38

Date: June 12, 2018     Time: 3:30pm      Venue: St. Josephs College