SKOWHEGAN — The Skowhegan softball team had a four-run cushion over Bangor heading into the seventh inning. While the Indians needed almost all of that lead, they held off the Rams’ last ditch rally to take a 7-6 win in the Eastern Class A semifinals.

No. 2 Skowhegan (14-4) will face top-seed Cony (15-3) at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Augusta for the regional title. No. 3 Bangor ends the season at 14-4. The Eastern championship game will be the fourth meeting this season between Skowhegan and Cony. The Rams won twice in the regular season, and again in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference championship game.

“We’re due to beat (Cony), right? They’re a good team. We know that,” Skowhegan coach Lee Johnson said. “I just hope we go and play a good ballgame and give them our best shot.”

Trailing 7-3, Bangor rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh. Cordelia Stewart hit a two-run double to cut Skowhegan’s lead to 7-5, then scored on a throwing error to make it 7-6 with one out. After that, Indians pitcher Kaitlyn Theriault bore down, getting two quick outs to end the game.

“It got closer than we wanted,” Coach Johnson said. “We know they’re a gritty team. We knew it was going to be a tough contest. Our kids hung tough, and we hit the ball today.”

The Indians took control of the game with three runs in the second inning, and three more in the third. Mikayla Toth’s two-run triple in the second inning gave Skowhegan a 3-1 lead, and the lead for good.

Taylor Johnson led off the third inning for Skowhegan with a double and scored on an error to push the lead to 4-1. Emma Fitzgerald added a two-run double to left field to make it 6-1.

“We are known for hitting, and we came here and did what we are known for, I think. That’s what really got our momentum,” said Taylor Johnson, who had four hits, including three doubles, and drove in a run with a fourth inning double. “I just told myself to relax and hit the ball. Where it goes, it goes, I guess.”

Skowhegan was victimized by an odd triple play in the bottom of the fifth inning. Morgan Buker led off with a single, and Bonnie-Jane Aitken walked to put runners on first and second. A bunt attempt was popped up, and appeared to be caught by Bangor catcher Kylie Cunningham. The umpires ruled she never controlled the ball before dropping it, and with the runners still at second and first, the Rams threw the ball around the horn to execute the triple play and end the inning.

“Everybody was confused because the girl looked like she caught it for a second. Then she dropped it. The kids thought they called her out, that’s why they stopped. But (the umpire) said she dropped it, so they all had to advance, and there was a bunch of confusion,” Coach Johnson said. “They can’t call an infield fly on a bunt, which I didn’t know.”

Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242

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Twitter: @TLazarczykMTM