The Thornton Academy softball team celebrates a comeback win, 6-4, over Noble in a Class A South semifinal game Saturday in Saco. The Golden Trojans scored five runs in the sixth inning to erase a three-run deficit. (ANTHONY LOMBARDI/JOURNAL TRIBUNE)

SACO – In a matchup between two of the premier softball pitchers in the state, it was the ace who relied on a wild card who got the best of her counterpart.  

Thornton Academy overcame a three-run deficit in the sixth and starter Olivia Howe used a devastating changeup to escape a seventh-inning rally by the top of Noble’s lineup to lead the Golden Trojans to a 6-4 victory over the Knights in a Class A South semifinal on Saturday in Saco.

“(Howe’s) changeup in the last two innings was incredible,” said Thornton Academy coach John Provost. “It took her a while to get it going but she really had it there at the end.”

Thornton (18-2) advances to play Scarborough (20-0) in the Class A South championship at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Golden Trojans and the two-time defending champs have played twice since May 20. Scarborough won both contests by a run. The best teams in Class A South all season met in last year’s regional championship, too. Scarborough won that game 3-2. 

Pinch runner Madison Tracy celebrates as she scores the tying run on a passed ball in the sixth inning. (ANTHONY LOMBARDI/JOURNAL TRIBUNE)

“We’re going on to Wednesday and we’re going to play defense,” Provost said. “Looking forward to it.”

Thornton’s defensive prowess was on full display Saturday, with the final out of the game coming on a play that epitomized most of the previous six innings.

With two outs and Noble junior Kelsey Lessard at second base, senior Kassidy Lessard struck out on a dropped third strike that rolled to the backstop. As Kassidy Lessard raced down the first-base line, and Thornton catcher Jenica Botting scrambled to retrieve the ball, Kelsey Lessard took third. Botting grabbed the softball and fired to first baseman Abby Miner just as Kassidy Lessard safely crossed the bag. Miner bobbled the ball and Kelsey Lessard, seeing an opportunity to cut the Knights’ deficit to one, sprinted for home. Miner’s throw to Howe, who covered the plate from her pitcher’s position, was on target and Kelsey Lessard, who tried to score standing up, was tagged out to end the game.

“I should have slid,” said an emotional Kelsey Lessard as the Knights cleaned out their dugout for the final time this season. “I didn’t.”

Noble, who reached the regional semifinal with an 11-3 win over Biddeford in the quarterfinals, wouldn’t have been in a position to pull off the upset if it hadn’t been for Kelsey Lessard. The junior’s three-run home run in the fifth gave the Knights a 4-1 lead and brought a sense of belief to Noble’s sideline.  

“It felt like the momentum was with us,” Kelsey Lessard said. “We had faith in each other. It was a good feeling.”

The homer felt even more pivotal to third-seeded Noble’s chances at a win because of the defense No. 2 Thornton showcased on balls hit inside the park.

Golden Trojans second baseman Olivia Paradis alone made three highlight-reel plays on a pair of leaping grabs at line drives ticketed for right field and a backhanded stab at a ball headed up the middle. Center fielder Kylie Lavallee robbed what would have at least been a lead-off double off the bat of Kassidy Lessard in the second and Olivia Lambert made a pair of difficult grabs in right field. Thornton also executed a pick-off play on an attempted double steal of second and home by Noble in the fourth right after senior Abby Lewis’ RBI single tied the game at 1-all.

Kelsey Lessard’s homer also played a key role in the outcome as the blast made Howe realize that she needed to re-establish her secondary pitch.  

“In the beginning of the game, the changeup wasn’t really working so I kind of just put that away,” Howe said. “Then the home run happened and I was like, ‘OK, I’ve got to bring the changeup back.’ I trusted it and just threw it. Lucky for us it worked a couple times.”

As Thornton’s offense waited for that magical moment that has seemed to materialize just when needed all season, Howe kept the Trojans within reach. The senior, who threw 121 pitches in a 3-1 quarterfinal win over Windham on Friday, kept the Knights at bay Saturday with her newfound changeup. She retired Noble in order on 11 pitches in the sixth.

On the way off the field in between innings, Provost called a team huddle and implored the Trojans to do what was necessary to keep their season alive.

“We talked about making some adjustments at the plate because (Noble starter Raegan Kelly) was doing a great job keeping us off-balance,” Provost said. “The conversation was score four or five runs and play defense. It was that simple … Keep the line moving.”

Senior Sarah Casey started Thornton’s rally with a one-out single to center field. Lavallee reached on an error. Botting hit an RBI single on a well-placed ball to left to cut Noble’s lead to 4-2. Howe roped an RBI double to center that scored Lavallee. Pinch runner Madison Tracy, who came in for Botting, tied the score on a passed ball and brought Miner to the plate. 

Thornton’s dugout comes to life during the Trojans’ rally in the bottom of the sixth. (ANTHONY LOMBARDI/JOURNAL TRIBUNE)

In a win over South Portland on May 17, Miner injured her ankle sliding into third base. As she sat in the dugout in tears, afraid she would miss the rest of the season, Howe approached the sophomore and told her to keep her head up – she’d be back – and she’d play an important role on the Trojans’ quest for a state title.

Miner missed about two weeks recovering from the injury, but, on Saturday, her moment arrived and she delivered with a double to center that scored Howe and gave Thornton a 5-4 lead.

“I had faith,” Howe said. “We’re a really good comeback team. We’ve been in this situation plenty of times throughout the season and in past years … It’s awesome for (Miner) to be back.”

An error on Noble shortstop Lexi Volinsky off the bat of junior Amanda Bogardus brought in the fifth Thornton run of the inning and the scoreboard read 6-4 in favor of the Trojans heading to the seventh.

Despite taking the loss, Kelly had effective control of her pitches and the strike zone for most of the afternoon. Thornton roughed up Noble’s talented junior to the tune of 11 runs, nine earned, when the two teams met May 7 in a 13-5 Trojans victory. 

Noble junior Raegan Kelly took the loss in the circle, but the Knights’ ace pitched well in defeat. Kelly allowed six runs, four earned, on nine hits, two walks and a strikeout in six innings. (ANTHONY LOMBARDI/JOURNAL TRIBUNE)

Noble coach Rick Melanson felt Thornton’s lineup keyed on the outside pitch in their first meeting so the game plan coming into the rematch was to vary Kelly’s pitch location a bit more.

Noble’s ace allowed six runs, four earned, on nine hits, two walks and a strikeout in six innings. 

“We played great. I’m proud of my kids,” Melanson said. “On the biggest stage of the season, I’m pleased with how we played, I’m just not pleased with the outcome … If you counted the game by winning the innings, we would have had probably six out of the seven. It’s unfortunate we gave up five runs in that one inning.”

While Howe’s changeup proved crucial down the stretch, Melanson said the pitch was one he could have used more in Kelly’s repertoire.

“I should have called more changeups,” he said. “I think (Thornton) was looking for the changeup. It seemed like sometimes when we were behind in the count, it just didn’t seem like the changeup was the pitch to call.”

Howe earned the win in the circle. The senior went seven innings, allowing four runs, one earned, on four hits, a walk and seven strikeouts.

POCKET ACES

With one out in the top of the seventh, and Kelsey Lessard on second base, Kelly stepped into the batters box as the tying run. She watched the first pitch whizz by her for a called strike one. The next pitch, a changeup, provoked Kelly into a half-hearted swing as she tried to keep her bat from extending through the zone. Strike two. Botting saw Kelly’s reaction to the pitch and called for the changeup again. It was Howe’s best toss of the afternoon, painting the outside corner. Kelly couldn’t pull the trigger. Strike three.

UP NEXT

Noble’s season comes to an end.

Thornton Academy plays Scarborough at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine on Wednesday at 7 p.m. A trip to the state championship game at Cony High School on June 15 is at stake.