STANDISH — Senior Maeve Campbell didn’t play softball for most of her time in high school.

She played about a week as a freshman, but otherwise gave up the sport after middle school. This spring, she decided to give it another try. It proved to be a pretty good decision for the catcher — and for her York Wildcats.

Campbell delivered the decisive double in the bottom of the seventh inning Wednesday to lift York to a thrilling 4-3 win over Greely in the Class B South championship at Bailey Field at St. Joseph’s College, giving the Wildcats their first regional title since 1991.

“It was a little weird at first,” Campbell said. “It was almost like riding a bike. I just had to get into the swing of things. It’s been fantastic. I’m so glad I came back.”

Campbell finished with three hits for the Wildcats, which had to rally from a 2-0 deficit and shake off losing the lead with two outs in the top of the seventh.

“For her to get that hit in the southern Maine championship is amazing,” senior pitcher Stephanie Rundlett said. “She’s been working so hard all year to get it, too.”

Rundlett, who’ll be attending Fordham University next season, struck out 14 and allowed just four hits. Still, Greely was able to tie the game in the top of the seventh.

Rundlett hit the leadoff batter. She struck out the next two while Sarah Felkel advanced on a wild pitch and passed ball. With two outs and Miranda Eisenhart at the plate, a wild pitch allowed Felkel to score the tying run.

“I was disappointed that I threw it,” Rundlett said. “I knew my team would pick me up still. And that we could get the runs back.”

In the bottom of the seventh, Rundlett led off with a single, her second hit of the game. Pinch-runner Lexi York took her place at first. After Greely pitcher Kelsey Currier struck out the next batter, Campbell got behind on two strikes, but knew she had a chance.

“I knew I just had to go for it at that point,” Campbell said. “Inside my head, I was panicking. I was just trying to pull it all together.”

She drove the next pitch toward the gap in left-center. With Greely’s defense pulled in, it sailed over the outfielder’s heads. York had to wait at second for the ball to drop. By the time she rounded third, Campbell was already at second and watching the winning run score.

“I felt it,” Campbell said. “The way the softball hit the bat, I knew it was going to drop. I was just running. It felt so surreal at that point.”

Jennie Smith had two of Greely’s four hits. Moira Train and Kayley Cimino had the other two hits.

Rundlett struggled in the first inning and Greely cashed in for two runs. Train singled and Felkel walked. Train would score on a wild pitch and Felkel made it 2-0 on an error on a Cimino grounder with two outs.

“I was a little nervous,” said Rundlett, who has struck out 53 hitters during the tournament. “I definitely had stuff running through my head.”

She settled in and allowed just three hits the rest of the way. She was crucial in the fifth when Greely loaded the bases on two errors and a walk. Rundlett threw six straight strikes to put down the next two batters and end the inning.

“I knew we couldn’t let any of those in,” Rundlett said. “I went really hard and just tried to bear down.”

The Wildcats tied the game with a pair of runs in the third. Rundlett doubled in Olivia Coughlin. York pinch-ran and tied it on a Stephens’ fielder’s choice.

The Wildcats loaded the bases with a single and two fielder’s choice plays in the fourth. Rundlett worked the count full and drew a walk to plate Terra Pepin for the 3-2 lead.

Though Greely rallied to tie it, the Wildcats regrouped in the bottom of the seventh.

“They tied it but we had the mojo and we had the drive,” Campbell said. “We had the energy. We knew it was going to be ours.”

kmills@sunjournal.com