SACO — The last time the South Portland softball team lost was April 25. The team that beat them was the Thornton Academy Golden Trojans. That made Saturday’s semifinal that much sweeter for the Red Riots, as they move on to the Class A West final with an 8-1 victory, members of the team said.

To get there, the Red Riots had to beat the Maine Gatorade Player of the Year Julia Geaumont, who shut them out in the regular season.

“She mastered us the last time we played them. We’re a different team now then we were the first of the year,” said South Portland coach Ralph Aceto.

The Red Riots’ game plan against Geaumont this time around worked to perfection. They hugged the plate, and took away Geaumont’s outside corner pitch that has been so lethal for her.

“They know that’s my go-to pitch. They were expecting it,” Geaumont said.

In the top of the first, South Portland loaded the bases on the first three batters after a lead-off walk and two bunt singles. Geaumont and the Trojans almost got out of it after getting back-to-back outs at the plate on infield grounders. South Portland’s Lindsay Cannon, however, lined a grounder between first and second to bring in a run for the Red Riots. Michaela Willwerth then blooped a two-run single over the head of Samantha Schildroth at third base, as she was pinched in to prevent a bunt hit. That made it 3-0 after just half an inning, as South Portland sent eight batters to the plate.

Thornton Academy had a chance to counter in the bottom half of the inning, but like most of the game, the ball didn’t bounce its way. After Meghan Agger hit an RBI single to make it 3-1, South Portland pitcher Erin Bogdanovich threw a wild pitch with a runner on third, but the ball kicked back enough to allow South Portland to get the out at home. That was the last time the Trojans got a runner past first.

South Portland tacked on two more runs in the second on consecutive doubles by Bogdanovich and Laurine German, a bunt single by Danica Gleason, and a sacrifice grounder by Olivia Indorf.

The Red Riots scored two runs again in the third, as the Trojans almost got out of a jam. After three straight singles to lead-off and then consecutive forceouts at home, German lined a double just past the outstretched glove of shortstop Bailey Tremblay.

“It was a good, old-fashioned whipping. That’s it,” Thornton coach John Provost said. “They just hit the ball, hit the ball hard, and hit often.”

Geaumont gave up 15 hits, but she refused to come out in what was her last high school game. She did end up with 14 strikeouts, including the last five outs, but it was too little, too late as the Red Riots had already done enough damage.

“She’s a heck of a kid,” Aceto said. “She’s been a heck of a competitor the last four years, and I’m going to miss her just because of the competitive nature she brings to the game every time she comes out.”

— Contact Wil Kramlich at 282-1535, Ext. 323.