“Don’t worry about it, get better!”
As the Carrabec batters rounded the bases in Monday’s Mountain Valley Conference softball game, that’s what Wiscasset High School coach Gordon Campbell yelled from the dugout. It’s what he’s yelled all season.
In Wiscasset’s current state, he’s just looking to get better.
“One of my goals, and I told the girls at the beginning of the year, is to eliminate mercies,” Campbell said. “I want to see us play more seven-inning games. If we do that, it means we’re playing good defense and we’re improving game by game.”
The Wolverines stuck around for three innings on Monday, but even with a few nice defensive plays from Gordon and Jones in left field, Bailey Dunphy was going to make a seven-inning game tough. The Carrabec (8-5) leadoff hitter went 4-for-4 and drove in three runs on the day, and sparked the game-deciding fourth inning with an RBI single.
Dunphy opened the game with a triple off the fence in right field and later scored, but for the first few frames, Wiscasset starter August Moore was hanging around. It was three straight fielder’s choice grounders that led to two more runs coming across in the second, but in the third, ground balls got Moore out of the inning and limited the damage. The right-hander lasted four innings and struck out one.
In the fourth, though, the ground balls turned into base-knocks. Dunphy, Sam LeBeau and Lexie Cowan all reached base and eventually scored for Carrabec at the top of the order, before three walks and a pair of singles made the score 10-0. When Dunphy came around again, she poked another RBI single through the infield and then scored from first on a LeBeau single in the next at-bat.
“We have one bad inning in every game,” Campbell said. “Whoever our opponent is, they end up getting eight, nine, 10 runs on us in one bad inning.”
By the time Moore induced a third-out grounder, the score was 13-0 and Sydnie Thayer was ready to come in on relief. Five straight walks gave Carrabec two more runs in fifth before coach Craig Knight told his baserunners to intentionally leave the bag early so they’d be called out and everyone could get out of the rain.
Seven-inning game
LeBeau allowed just one hit and struck out eight in the circle for Carrabec, but Knight noted that it’s important to remember that she’s “One of the best pitchers in the league.” Along with Jones’ triple, there were a couple patient walks and close plays at first to be proud of from the Wiscasset side. Even since their last meeting 11 days ago, the Wolverines are improving.
“I think they’re fielding the ball much better,” Knight said. “They’re fielding the ball. Left fielder (Jones), I mean she’s lights out there, catching the ball and hitting the ball.”
Knight has been in Campbell’s shoes. He hasn’t always had a pitcher like LeBeau or a catcher batting over .750 like Dunphy. Building a successful program takes time.
“I’ve been the other way. I’ve been the Wiscassets,” Knight said. “When I first came to Carrabec. It’s a lot of growing pains. It takes a lot to turn it around.”
Ask Campbell, and he’ll tell you his group is on the way. Even with a 2-11 record and just three games on the season that didn’t result in a mercy rule (12-run deficit), Wiscasset is in the Class C South playoff discussion.
“At this stage in the year, we’re one win away from being in the playoffs,” Campbell said. “We overestimated a few teams this year. Our defense was overplaying them and teams were getting hits where they shouldn’t have.”
“I told coach, ‘You’re one game away from making the playoffs,’” Knight said. “It sounds like ‘Sheesh, three wins, we’re a playoff team?’ but it’s the truth. You’re one game away.”
After Wednesday’s game against Hall-Dale (4 p.m.), there will be “a lot of work in the offseason” for Wiscasset. Campbell will be returning a handful of seniors and has high hopes for 2018. But while it’s in reach, why not take one more shot at a postseason berth that would represent far more than a No. 10 seed? Why not try and play one more seven-inning game?
“I just told the girls, I want a seven-inning game,” Campbell said. “If we play a seven-inning game, that means we’re in the game and we’ve got a chance to win it. That’s my goal. To battle.”
Carrabec 15,
Wiscasset 0, 5 inn.
At Wiscasset High School
Carrabec — 121 92 — 15-10-0
Wiscasset — 000 00 — 0 -1 -2
Sam LeBeau and Bailey Dunphy;
August Moore, Sydnie Thayer (5)
and Corey Campbell.
WP — LeBeau. LP — Moore.
Double — (C) Bailey Dunphy.
Triples — (C) Bailey Dunphy; (W)
Stephanie Jones.
Repeat hitter — (C) Bailey Dunphy.
Records — Carrabec 8-5, Wiscasset
2-11.
Up next for the Wolverines —
Wednesday at Hall-Dale, 4 p.m.
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