Oxbow junior Mary Bourgeois turns away from the batters box after a swinging strike late in the division III softball championship game held in Poultney held on Saturday. Richford went on to defeat Oxbow, 3-1, in a pitchers duel. (Photo by Ben DeFlorio)
Oxbow junior Mary Bourgeois turns away from the batters box after a swinging strike late in the division III softball championship game held in Poultney held on Saturday. Richford went on to defeat Oxbow, 3-1, in a pitchers duel. (Photo by Ben DeFlorio)

Poultney, Vt. — With no college softball in her future, fourth-year Richford High starting pitcher Alex Benoit wanted to be sure her final game with the Rockets was one of her best.

She didn’t disappoint, striking out 11 with just one walk in a two-hitter, outdueling Oxbow freshman Maddie Fornwalt in a 3-1 win over the Olympians in Saturday’s Vermont Division III championship game at Poultney Elementary School.

It’s the third straight title for undefeated Richford (No. 2; 20-0), all with University of Vermont-bound Benoit in the circle. She’d also pitched in the Rockets’ semifinal win against Oxbow two years ago and this time spoiled an unbeaten year for the top-ranked Olympians (18-1).

Complementing a whizzing fastball with a potent riser while consistently hitting the corners of the plate effectively, Benoit threw 75 of 99 pitches for strikes and retired the side in order in all but the fifth inning.

“We just haven’t seen a pitcher who throws that fast all year,” said Oxbow coach Robin Wozny, whose team struck out swinging nine times. “She hit the outside of the plate really well and we chased a few outside the strike zone.”

Fornwalt struck out 12 while giving up six hits, three walks and two earned runs. She was given the start instead of junior Mary Bourgeois after Fornwalt struck out 13 with one walk and two hits in Oxbow’s 7-1 win over Enosburg Falls in the semis.

Bourgeois, the Olympians’ full-time starter last year, rotated with Fornwalt for most of this season and pitched in the O’s lopsided win over Peoples in the quarters.

“It was a hard decision,” Wozny said. “Madie has been pitching really fast lately, wheras Mary has been more of a location pitcher. We thought (pitching) fast would be the best way to beat these guys.”

Fornwalt had four strikeouts in two perfect innings out of the gate, then got out of a two-on, none-out situation in the third with another pair of Ks.

The Rockets finally got to her in the fourth, loading the bases on a lead-off single, error and fielder’s choice before second baseman Allie O’Brien drew a full-count walk. Richford’s Nos. 8-9 hitters, Cassie Greenwood and Carly Sheltra, later had consecutive RBI singles to make it 3-0.

The Olympians responded by converting their first base runner into a run in the bottom of the fifth, Kayleigh Trojanowski walking with one out, moving to third on Alex Giesing’s infield single and coming home on Bekah Hanzas’ two-out base hit to left field.

Giesing rounded third on the play, but was held by Wozny on what likely would have been a close play at the plate.

“I thought about sending her,” Wozny said. “I just didn’t want the third out to come at the plate.”

Hanzas ended up being Oxbow’s final base runner as Benoit struck out four and induced a pair of fly outs to right field in consecutive 1-2-3 ininngs to end it.

“She’s just so darn strong (and) plays with a lot of confidence and control,” said 13th-year Richford coach Jennier Gross, whose team had no errors. “She plays with a lot of confidence and control and is really comfortable with the defense behind her.”

Fornwalt retired three in a row to strand a Rocket on second base in the fifth, then took a Greenwood comebacker square off the forehead with two outs in the sixth. The ball defected to left field, where Jamie Stevens alertly threw Greenwood out at second base to end the inning.

“It’s funny because my dad (Jason) usually makes me wear a facemask,” said Fornwalt, sporting a bump the size of a small egg on her noggin after the game. “This was the one time I didn’t wear it.”

Fornwalt and Trojanowski were Benoit’s 10th and 11th strikeout victims for the first two outs of the seventh before Giesing flied out to right to end it.

Extra Bases: Bourgeois played at second base, recording two assists and the game’s lone error. She warmed up to pitch after Richford’s three-run fourth. … The Rockets’ Sheltra was called out for leaving first base before the ball left Fornwalt’s hand on a would-be steal attempt in the fourth. . … Oxbow fell to 6-2 in finals and 1-2 against Richford in the postseason. … The Rockets scored all of their runs in one inning for the second straight game. They had nine in the second during Tuesday’s semifinal win over Poultney. … The Olympians graduate their entire starting outfield — left fielder Stevens, center fielder Corrina Oakley and right fielder Hanzas — as well as reserve Haley Boyce.

Jared Pendak can be reached at jpendak@vnews.com or 603-727-3225.