Pirates hold off late inning Penquis rally

GUILFORD — Piscataquis Community High School held off a seventh inning rally bid by visiting Penquis Valley High School during a Class C North softball game on May 5 between the two regional rivals. PCHS was able to keep two Patriots runners stranded on the bases, including the potential tying run, to hold on for a 3-1 victory.

Pirate freshman Olivia Riitano and the defense yielded zero hits and only three baserunners in the first five innings. Over this same length of time PCHS had 10 players left on base as Penquis was down by only a run at 1-0 heading into the sixth inning.

With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Penquis sophomore Cymeria Robshaw broke up the no-hitter with a bunt single. Robshaw began the at-bat with a few left-handed slap hitting swings, but after a timeout and consultation with head coach Erin Weston Robshaw switched to a right-handed bunt attempt and on a full count she laid the ball down perfectly in front of the plate to enable her dash safely to first.

PCHS then got a second out on a flyball Riitano snagged with her glove. The pitcher then tried to get Robshaw out at first on a force but the throw was off the mark as the softball rolled away into foul territory. Robshaw took advantage of the miscue by running to second and taking a turn to get to third and put the tying run 60 feet away. Before Robshaw the Patriots had only gotten one player in scoring position and no one as far as third base.

Freshman Sydney Fowles then faced a 2-2 count before putting the ball in play. PCHS sophomore Sara Almirante scooped the ball up out of the dirt near second base and she flipped it to classmate Rachel Beckwith at first for out No. 3 to keep the Patriots off the scoreboard.

A pair of valuable insurance runs came in the home half of the sixth. With two runners on and one out, sophomore Alivia Hunt singled toward third base to drive in junior Speed for a 2-0 advantage. Hunt would lead all players with a pair of RBIs.

In the ensuing at-bat Beckwith dropped a single into centerfield to score senior Jewel Lamb from third and up the lead to 3-0.

Two runners would be left on base in the sixth as PCHS ended up stranding 12 players, or twice the six total baserunners for Penquis,

Sophomore Katelyn Bolstridge lead off the seventh by singling to rightfield on what would be the second and final hit for her team.
Penquis sophomore pitcher Megan Valvo helped her cause on the mound by walking to get on and represent the tying run for her team.

With a full count, sophomore Lexi Goodard directed a pitch to Speed at shortstop and she threw across the diamond for the out at first. The play enabled Bolstridge and Valvo to both get in scoring position at third and second respectively.

With senior Destiny Pinette at the plate, a wild pitch rolled away from Lamb as the catcher had to rise up out of a crouch to find the loose ball. Bolstridge was off from third once the pitch hit the dirt and she was able to get to the plate safely to put Penquis on the board at 3-1.

A six-pitch walk allowed Pinette to head to first and put the potential tying run on the basepaths.

Patriots’ leadoff hitter sophomore Camryn Rolfe was up next and a swing and a foul ball to the right quickly put Rolfe in an 0-2 hole. She made contact on the third pitch with her grounder hit right at Riitano. The PCHS pitcher made the play and threw to Beckwith at first for the out to end the game.

The first PCHS run came in the team’s opening trip to the plate. Speed — who reached base in in all four of her at-bats on a triple, a pair of walks and being hit with a pitch — scored on a sacrifice fly to leftfield by Hunt for the first of her two RBIs.

The game would stay 1-0 until the sixth as both Riitano and Valvo tossed complete games. Riitano gave up only two hits and three walks while striking out five, and Valvo yielded five hits and eight bases on balls while striking out a trio of Pirates.

PCHS improved to 4-2 with the win, the team’s third consecutive victory, while Penquis fell to 0-3. The two teams are scheduled to play again in Milo on Tuesday, May 23 at 4:30 p.m.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
SPEED ON THE BASES — PCHS junior Erin Speed slides into the bag ahead of the throw to Penquis sophomore Katelyn Bolstridge, with sophomore Faith Sickler running over from shortstop, to steal third base during the bottom of the first of a May 5 contest. The Pirates held off a late rally bid by the visiting Patriots to win 3-1.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
TWO-HITTER — Freshman Olivia Riitano tossed a two-hitter during a May 5 game vs. Penquis. On her home mount Riitano would walk three and hit one batter while also striking out five.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
PLAY AWAY FROM THE PLATE — Pirate senior Jewel Lamb throws a fielded grounder hit by Penquis sophomore Camryn Rolfe to Pirate sophomore Rachel Beckwith at first for the out during the top of the third.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
HELPING HER CAUSE — Penquis sophomore Megan Valvo makes a catch by the mound, with freshman Sydney Fowles looking on, in the bottom of the third inning. Valvo pitched a complete game.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
RUNNING OUT OF ROOM — Nearing the backstop fence is Penquis sophomore Camryn Rolfe as she makes the catch in foul territory for the third out of the sixth inning on May 5 in Guilford.