Both Thornton Academy in Class A and Wells in Class B have made it to the Western Maine softball regional finals, to be played this week at St. Joseph’s College in Standish. But for the first time in these playoffs, both the Trojans and Warriors will be the underdog, as they face undefeated teams.

The No. 2 Trojans face a very familiar postseason foe in top-seeded Scarborough. The Red Storm knocked out the Trojans in two of the past three playoffs, and won the only regular-season meeting this season 5-1 on May 5.

Thornton, like Scarborough, hasn’t lost since. The regular-season loss for the Trojans, which knocked them to 2-3 at the time before their current 13-game winning streak, was a turning point in the season.

“From that game, we noticed that we just stayed up the whole game, and that’s what we need,” Thornton junior shortstop Brooke Cross said.

Cross said the team feeds off energy in the dugout and in the crowd, and despite losing to the Red Storm, the team was upbeat in defeat. The Thornton dugout has rarely been quiet since.

The Trojan offense hasn’t been silent since that game either, scoring at least five runs in every game since, including double-digit runs nine times.

“It’s one-through-nine,” said Thornton head coach John Provost. “Top to bottom, it’s a great hitting team.”

The Trojans have a pitcher to match their offense, as junior Bailey Tremblay has been downright dominant at times and great all season, allowing no more than five runs in any game.

The Trojans’ fate in Tuesday’s regional final might come down to their defense. Thornton committed a couple key errors in the regular-season loss to the Red Storm, and likely cannot afford to do so again.

The Wells softball team has been one that feeds off opponents’ errors, with no better example than the Warriors’ 14-4 win over Fryeburg Academy in the semifinals, when they took advantage of seven Raider errors.

“We talk about as runners, you’ve got to continue to put pressure on that defense, and make them make plays, make them make throws,” Wells head coach Kevin Fox said of his team’s aggressiveness. “It’s when you let up and slow up, and you’re satisfied with the base that you get, that you allow that play to end.”

The No. 3 Warriors will have to again take advantage of errors as they face No. 1 Cape Elizabeth in the regional final on Wednesday. The Capers, however, aren’t known to commit too many mistakes, so Wells will have to be especially opportunistic.

The two teams should have their regular-season matchup still fresh in their minds, as it happened just a few weeks ago, with the Capers winning 11-4 in Wells on May 30.

Cape used the long ball to boost its offense, so it will be up to Wells starting pitcher Lauren Bame to try and keep the ball in the park, while the Warrior defense behind her does its job to keep errors to a minimum.

“We’re determined not to beat ourselves,” said Fox. “If we’re going to lose, it’s because there was a better team on the field.”

The Capers nearly didn’t make it to the regional final for the rematch, as they had to rally to beat No. 4 Yarmouth 9-8 in the semifinals, scoring six runs in the bottom of the seventh to stay alive.

The Red Storm also had a little trouble in its playoff run, as it had to rally in its own right to defeat Noble in the quarterfinals.

Neither of the top-seeded teams has been beaten this season, but they have shown moments of weakness. Both challengers, Thornton Academy and Wells, have shown the ability to pounce on such weakness, so the two regional finals should be memorable.

Let the games begin.

— Staff Writer Wil Kramlich can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 323 or sports@journaltribune.com. Follow him on Twitter @WilTalkSports.