AUGUSTA — Cony junior Sonja Morse leapt off the mound, relief and jubilation painted on her face, and sprinted toward the Cony High School softball dugout.

The final strikeout, her eighth of the game, had just stranded the potential tying run at second base in the top of the seventh and lifted unblemished Cony past Brewer 1-0 in the Eastern A final Tuesday night.

Additional Photos

IN THERE SAFELY: Cony High School's Alyssa Brochu slides past the tag by Brewer High School's Sarah Babin at home plate during the Eastern Maine Class A softball championship game Tuesday in Augusta. Cony won 1-0. Staff photo by Andy Molloy

Cony High School pitcher Sonja Morse leaps into the arms of catcher Nicole Rugan after defeating Brewer High School for the Eastern Maine Class A softball championship game Tuesday in Augusta. Cony won 1-0. Staff photo by Andy Molloy

“Pretty awesome,” said Morse, who allowed three hits and threw 58 of her 82 pitches (71 percent) for strikes. “We’ve worked so hard for this. It was awesome and it was also a relief to get that (last) out.”

Cony (19-0) returns to the Class A state title game for the first time since 2006. The Rams, who were playing in their fifth Eastern A final in eight years, will face South Portland (17-2) at 3 p.m., Saturday at St. Joseph’s College in Standish.

“It was just an amazing game,” Cony coach Rocky Gaslin said. “It feels good to go back. But our goal isn’t to get to the final, it’s to win it. We’re not satisfied.”

The seventh-seeded Witches (12-7), who won 10 of their final 13 games, gave the Rams all they could handle before a large crowd at Cony Family Field.

The teams were scoreless until junior Molly Russell belted an RBI double with two outs in the bottom of what was a wild fourth inning.

It started when her sister, Maggie Russell, drew a one-out walk but was then thrown out trying to take third on a bloop single to right by Alyssa Brochu.

Brewer right fielder Deavan Smith made a terrific play to field the ball and threw a strike to third baseman Cassie Harvey, who applied the tag.

With Brochu on first, Molly Russell then ripped a fastball from Alexa Grindle to straight-away center to give the Rams the 1-0 lead.

“I knew it was a good hit when I got it,” said Russell, who went 3 for 3. “I was ready to play.”

Added Grindle, who struck out four and allowed seven hits: “It was a good pitch. She went down and got it.”

Grindle allowed runners in scoring position in three of the first four innings, but she kept the Rams off-balance by jamming them inside.

“Both pitchers threw really, really well,” Brewer coach Harry Estes said. “It was an outstanding game. I think we gave Cony one of the best battles they’ve had all year.”

Morse was dominant in the early going.

She threw 15 of her first 18 pitches for strikes. Morse struck out four before she allowed her first base runner in the top of the third, a leadoff single from Harvey.

“I felt pretty strong,” Morse said. “My changeup was working pretty well. I got a few girls out on it.”

Morse ran into trouble in the fifth, when she walked Harvey after allowing a leadoff single to Morgan Small.

After a fielder’s choice groundout, the Witches had runners on second and third with just one out.

“I just tried to calm myself down,” Morse said. “I had to get out of it.”

She did.

Morse struck out No. 9 hitter Maddy Bailey on three pitches and retired Lindsay Houp on a groundout to end the rally.

“We played exceptional softball,” Gaslin said.

Both teams turned in terrific defensive plays to keep it close.

Brewer second baseman Kelly Hatt saved a run in the bottom of the first with a nice back-handed stop on a ball heading up the middle and Morse taking off from second.

Cony second baseman Alyssa Brochu then snared a liner to end the third with runners on first and third.

“Cony is one heck of a team,” Estes said. “We felt we were one hit away the whole game. But it was a heck of a game.”

Bill Stewart — 621-5640

bstewart@centralmaine.com

Related Stories