FAYETTEVILLE -- After two consecutive exits in the Class 1A semifinals, Scranton was ready to make the most of its trip to the championship game Saturday afternoon.
The Rockets broke open a close game with four runs in the sixth inning and went on to defeat Concord 6-1 at Bogle Park.
Sophomore pitcher Kirklyn Kremers was pitching a shutout until a solo home run with two outs in the seventh put Concord on the board. Kremers was named MVP after allowing 4 hits and 5 walks with 10 strikeouts.
"I really wanted to win this to send my sister and the other seniors out on top with a win," Kremers said. "We've been close the last few years, and it feels good to finally win it all."
Kirklyn's older sister Kennedy also was a pitcher before moving over to shortstop to make way for Kirklyn. Kennedy won the State Farm Scholar-Athlete Award for softball and was given her award before the game.
"We always grew up pitching," Kirklyn said. "She is kind of my coach and taught me everything."
Scranton got the scoring started when Lana Hall and Rebecca Williams hit triples to the gap in right-center and both scored for a 2-0 lead in the top of the third.
The game remained tight until the sixth inning when Concord unravelled defensively.
Concord dropped a ball at first base and then threw the ball away for another error as Kennedy Kremers and Juliana Kremers scooted home for a 4-0 lead. An RBI double from Hall capped the inning with Scraton up 6-0.
Hall finished the game 3 for 3.
Concord had a chance to get back in the game with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth. A ball hit to center field looked like it might drop and score a few runs, but Shelby Forst raced in and made a shoestring catch.
"She has saved me all year with catches like that," Kirklyn Kremers said. "It gives me a lot of confidence out there when my defense is making plays like that."
Saturday's victory capped a special first year for Coach Dustin Peters, who came to Scranton mainly to coach basketball but agreed to take on softball coaching duties as well.
"I've never coached a softball game in my life before this year," Peters said. "I'm lucky to have a lot of great help with my assistants. They know what they are doing, and these girls play a lot of ball in the summer and they know what they are doing.
"One thing I did was I tried to get the girls in the toughest games and toughest tournaments we could play in early in the year. We played Greenwood, Sheridan. We played a lot of bigger schools, and it pays off when you get to the state tournament."
Scranton; 002 004 0 -- 6 9 0
Concord; 000 000 1 -- 1 4 4
Kremers and Williams; Davis and Stubbs. W -- Kremers, 26-5. L -- Davis. HR -- Davis, Concord.
Sports on 05/24/2015