BREWER — Megan Watson picked the right time to break out of a slump.
Watson, a senior catcher, clubbed a go-ahead home run in the third inning to help No. 1 Nokomis beat No. 2 Hermon 6-2 in the Class B North softball final Wednesday at Coffin Field. It’s the first regional title for the Warriors (19-0), who will play for the Class B title on Saturday in Brewer.
“I’ve been struggling to hit the last couple of games, really, really bad,” said Watson, who also had a double and three RBIs. “I knew with this game I just had to have fun and leave it all on the field and not swing for the fences. … (It feels) amazing, especially doing it my senior year.”
Mia Coots — the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class B Player of the Year — struck out 10 for the Warriors (19-0). She also had two hits.
Hermon finished 15-4.
“It feels incredible (to win),” Coots said. “This is a feeling we’ve never felt before, and we’re just blessed to be here and come out of this with a win.”
Nokomis jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning, when Coots, after reaching on a base hit, scored from third on an error. But Hermon answered in the third inning when it scored two runs off four hits, including an RBI double from Norra Idano, to take a 2-1 lead.
Nokomis pitcher Mia Coots, right, carries the Class B North title plaque to her teammates after the Warriors beat Hermon on Wednesday in Brewer. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel
Hope Brooks walked to lead off the bottom of the third for Nokomis. Two batters later, Watson cracked a Mikelle Verrill pitch 207 feet over the left field wall for a two-run homer and a 3-2 lead.
“That big hit by Megan Watson was key,” said Nokomis head coach JD McLellan said. “That was the one that was able to get it around and get the momentum (back). You could see (Hermon) just settle after.”
The Warriors scored two more runs in the fourth inning, highlighted by an RBI single by Raegan King, and added a run on an RBI double to right field by Watson in the sixth inning for the final 6-2 score.
That was more than enough for Coots, who allowed just one hit in the final four innings, baffling hitters with a hard fastball and changeup.
“(Hermon) is a (darn) good team, and we had to come in with confidence and play softball like we knew how,” Coots said.
“We’ve got power and we’ve got pitching,” McLellan added. “We’ve had it in the past, but it would be just one little thing that would slip up (in games).”
Nokomis beat the Hawks for a third time this season. The Warriors beat Hermon 5-2 on May 9 and 1-0 on May 22.
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