TURNER — In his 16 years as softball head coach at Medomak Valley High, Richard Vannah’s team had never reached a regional championship game. Until now.

The third-seeded Panthers beat second-seeded Leavitt 10-3 on Saturday, earning a spot in the Class B South final Tuesday against top-seeded York, which beat Freeport, 6-5.

Medomak outhit Leavitt 12-2. Vannah noted that the Panthers wasted a lot of scoring chances in a quarterfinal win over Gardiner, so getting hits with runners on base was the focus going into Saturday’s game.

“We were ready, we had two good days of practice, we had a good game against Gardiner where we had 12 hits but couldn’t get the runs to go in, couldn’t get key hits,” Vannah said. “Sidney (Nichols) is a powerhouse on the mound, and she’s still pretty stiff, but she just did her job and everyone else did theirs.”

Medomak (15-3) and Leavitt (14-4) split two games during the regular season. Vannah said it was important to get off to a good start, and the Panthers did just that, taking a 4-0 lead in the first inning.

“We had to start early,” Vannah said.

How the Panthers won

• After scoring four runs in the first inning, Medomak added to its lead in the third, fourth and fifth innings.

• Nichols struck out 10 batters while allowing three runs on two hits and two walks.

• Medomak made only one error, compared to Leavitt’s four errors. Leavitt coach Laura Reny noted that unearned runs were a critical part of Medomak Valley’s victory.

Statistical leaders

• Medomak Valley: Kytana Williamson (three hits, two RBI, two runs scored), Kendall Simmons (three hits, three RBI, one run), Jennika Schumann (one hit, one RBI, two runs), Sidney Nichols (10 Ks, two hits and three runs allowed), Arianna Sproul (double, two runs, one RBI)

• Leavitt: Brooke Boutaugh (one hit, two RBI), Emily Kowalski (one hit, one run)

They said it

• “Some of the fans were talking a lot, and then I got a two-RBI single and I just looked back at them, and I was like, ‘Ya know … scoreboard.’” — Medomak Valley junior Kendall Simmons

• “When we played up here, (Hailey Cyr) had us off balance the whole game, and she pitched outside a lot. When she came down to our place, we were ready for it, we had a really good game against them down there, so when we got up here, we were pretty confident that we could hit her. She’s a very good pitcher, but things just went our way.” — Medomak Valley coach Richard Vannah

• “We still (won) the KVAC championship, we didn’t have an unsuccessful season. The girls fought, they kept the energy up. The last time that we played (Medomak) after the first inning, (our players) just quit on themselves, and they didn’t quit today.” — Leavitt coach Laura Reny

• “Our pitcher, we play behind her and she’s so nonchalant and just doesn’t care. She just wants to win so bad, and I think if we play behind her, and we want to win as well, no one’s going to stop us.” — Simmons