WATERVILLE — Getting intentionally walked in the top of the seventh inning of Tuesday’s game at Waterville disappointed Messalonskee catcher Brooke Martin, but it didn’t surprise her. Martin has been pitched around so often this season, so she’s used to it. She also knows what she can do if she’s allowed to swing the bat, and knew Waterville had seen enough.
In Tuesday’s 12-0 win, Martin was a triple short of hitting for the cycle. She hit a three-run home run in the top of the first inning, an RBI double in the second, an RBI single in the fourth, and a leadoff single in the sixth. Martin scored four runs, was the Eagles’ offensive catalyst all day, and just shrugged when issued her free pass to first base in the seventh.
“This is like my seventh (intentional walk) this season. It’s a little frustrating, because I want to hit. I want to help my team and help the cause. It’s a coaching move. I have to accept it and take my spot on first (base) and wait for the girl behind me to get the hit,” Martin said.
Now 13-2, Messalonskee began the day in first place in the Class A North Heal point standings. The Eagles are scheduled to close the regular season at Mt. Blue on Wednesday, and will enter the playoffs as one of the favorites in the region, along with Skowhegan, which beat Messalonskee twice earlier this season. A senior, Martin is a big part of the Eagles’ success.
“I understand where they’re coming from. I wish she would get more at-bats, but even with all those walks she’s got eight home runs. We have a solid nine lineup. Even if they do walk her, we’ll make it hurt in a different way,” Messalonskee coach Samantha Tunningley said of Martin’s frequent intentional walks. “She’s played with all of these girls for so long, it’s just natural for her to be in charge. The girls wait and hear from her. She’s got great leadership skills, and they all look to her.”
The three hitter in Messalonskee’s lineup, Martin’s home run Tuesday was a high fly ball to right field. Martin didn’t feel like she got it all off the bat, and credited the wind blowing out to right with helping the hit go over the wall.
Messalonskee’s Morgan Wills delivers a pitch against Waterville on Tuesday in Waterville. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel
“I never try to hit a home run. I just try to do my job. I see runners on base, I’m ‘OK, I’m going to get the ball deep so they can score. I’m going to hit a line drive so she can score from second.’ I try to help my team the best way I can, by making things happen. Causing chaos,” Martin said.
As important as Martin is to Messalonskee offensively, it’s her work with the Eagles two pitchers, Kate Douglass and Morgan Wills, that has been huge for the team this season. Both Douglass and Wills pitched Tuesday, each effective in a different way. Douglass started and threw three perfect innings, striking out three while keeping the Purple Panthers from making hard contact. Wills came on in the fourth inning and was overpowering, using her hard fastball to strike out 10 while allowing two hits.
“Kate I’ve been catching for since 10U, 8 years old, and going all the way up through has been so fun. Morgan, it’s our first year together, but we play travel ball together. They bring different things to the table, but help us so much,” Martin said. “Morgan throws hard. She has good upspin. Kate has a killer curveball and a killer changeup. It’s hard to read off the hand, so it’s so effective. Her curveball just has a great amount of break. It’s hard to hit.”
Added Tunningley: (Douglass and Wills) complement each other very well, and they enjoy sharing time together, which I think in pitching is very rare. Brooke is on good terms with both of the girls. She knows how to get them back into the zone and she knows what’s working.”
Martin will continue her softball career next year at Caldwell University, a Division II school in Caldwell, New Jersey. First, she’d like to lead Messalonskee on a deep playoff run.
“We’re battling. We’re battle-tested. We’ve had some close games, also we’ve had our losses. We’ve learned from the losses. We hope we’re peaking at the right time,” Martin said.
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