NEWPORT — The Maranacook Community High School softball team turned to a pair of freshmen in key spots Tuesday and both delivered in a 10-8 Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class B win against Nokomis.

Erin Bonenfant’s two-out triple sparked the Black Bears as a part of a five-run inning in the top of the sixth, while Taylor Rioux snagged a line drive to left from Libby Dunivan with two outs in the bottom of the seventh with runners on second and third.

“It was a heck of a play. It was a play they needed,” Nokomis coach John McLelland said. “It was tailing for a lefty and it would have been a double to the wall. It wasn’t an easy catch.”

Maranacook (5-8) held a 5-4 advantage heading into the top of the sixth before breaking things open thanks to three Nokomis (8-5) errors and some key hits, including Bonenfant’s pinch-hit triple.

“She’s been hitting the ball so we pinch hit her,” Maranacook co-coach Don Beckwith said. “We scored four runs with two outs. It was a great hit and she runs the bases really well.”

The Warriors very nearly stole a win in the bottom of the seventh, though, getting four runs and the potential tying runs into scoring position with two outs before Rioux’s snag.

Cameron Foss had three singles for Nokomis, which pounded out 13 hits in the contest. Makayla Charters chipped in with two singles, while Austin Leighton and Dunivan each had doubles.

Justice Merrill had three singles, a double and four runs scored for the Black Bears, while Elise Linton notched three singles, a double and three runs scored.

“This is huge for us to keep us in the playoffs,” Beckwith said. “The way we played today we showed we can compete.”


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