The two top softball teams in Class B North faced off in what was expected to be a pitching duel that lived up to the hype. Mia Coots for Nokomis and Sage Reed of Lawrence combined for 28 strike outs of the 39 total outs recorded. Three of the total runs were unearned but the Warriors took advantage of the Bulldogs’ miscues for the 5-2 win.
Each team got a hit in the opening inning but left the runners stranded. Camryn King hit a lead off double for Nokomis and advanced to third with just one out before Reed struck out the next two batters.
Reed pitched six innings and allowed eight hits while striking out 13 Warrior batters. She surrendered five runs but only three were earned.
King had a big infield single in the third where Haley Reynolds beat a throw to third.
Then a wild pitch allowed the first Warrior run cross the plate.
King finished with three hits, a homer short of the cycle, and a run scored.
Catcher Megan Watson was the only other Warrior with more than one hit, including an RBI triple.
She also scored once. Jenna Sawtelle had just one hit but plated two Warriors in the four run third inning that was all Coots needed.
Coots was coming off a no-hitter against Winslow where she struck out 13. Nokomis had only surrendered one run on the season in their previous four games. Lawrence got two across the plate but only one was earned.
Coots struck out 15 while scattering five hits across seven innings for the complete game win. The Warriors’ defense was sharper and even got a strike ’em out, throw ’em out double play to erase two base runners in the 4th inning.
Nokomis moves to 5-0 and hosts Waterville on Saturday.
Lawrence falls to 4-2 and hosts Gardiner on Monday.
Watch full game: https://centralmainesports.com/5-5-2023-lawrence-at-nokomis-softball/