Portland, Maine
In a highly anticipated matchup, Cheverus freshman pitching sensation Addison DeRoche lived up to the hype and then some, leading the Stags to a dominant 6-0 victory over perennial Class A South powerhouse Scarborough on Tuesday afternoon.
DeRoche, making her varsity debut, was untouchable in the circle, throwing a no-hitter while striking out an astonishing 15 batters. She also showcased her offensive prowess, going 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, a run scored, and two runs batted in.
Cheverus jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first inning, with DeRoche driving in two runs on a double to right-center field. The Stags added two more runs in the third inning on DeRoche’s triple and an RBI groundout by Anna Goodman.
The Red Storm, who had won the previous 14 meetings between the two teams, struggled to generate any offense against DeRoche. Scarborough’s lone baserunners came on a walk and a fielding error.
Meanwhile, the Stags continued to add to their lead in the later innings. Kelsey Cassidy drove in a run with an infield single in the sixth, and Sadie Collins added another with a triple. The Stags’ final run came on an error in the same inning.
DeRoche capped off her impressive performance by striking out the side in the top of the seventh inning, securing the no-hitter and the victory for Cheverus.
The win was a significant milestone for Cheverus, which has long been in the shadow of Scarborough in Class A South. With DeRoche leading the way, the Stags appear poised to make a run at the state title this season.
“It’s amazing,” DeRoche said after the game. “Just being out here finally with my teammates. I felt great to be on the mound. We all worked really well together.”
“The kids played well,” said Cheverus coach John Eisenhart. “I thought Scarborough did a great job with some great swings later in the game, but we made plays which was great to see. I’m really proud of the kids. This is a big-time win for the program. It’s so difficult to beat them. They’re a good team. We had to play well to beat them and I thought we did that today.”
Cheverus will look to continue its winning ways on Wednesday when they host Kennebunk. Scarborough, meanwhile, will travel to Bonny Eagle on Wednesday before returning home to face Biddeford on Friday.
