Cheverus softball riding potent batting lineup to Class A final

 Cheverus players congratulate Temperance Lovejoy after she scored a run during the Stags' 5-0 win over Bonny Eagle in the Class A South final. Cheverus's lineup has been a strength of the team, collectively hitting over .400. (Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer) [ **Our Communities. Our Teams. Our Future. **We’re proud to make high school sports coverage free for everyone, because these moments matter. At Maine State Credit Union, we’re here for the people and places that make Maine strong. Let’s go! Learn more at **[mainestatecu.org](http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/clk?id=7274124606&iu=/6119)**.  PORTLAND — Cameron Gagnon slammed a line drive against the back wall of the batting cage, and Cheverus softball coach John Eisenhart, pitching behind an L screen, applauded with a flexing motion. Moments later, Temperance Lovejoy drilled two shots right off the frame of the screen, and Eisenhart gave her a smile while mouthing the words “very good.” It was a snapshot of what’s been a season-long story for the Stags as they head into the Class A championship game Saturday against Hampden Academy. Everyone, from Gagnon in the leadoff spot to Lovejoy in the No. 9 spot, can hit. “We definitely have more dimension in our lineup this year,” third baseman Anna Kennedy-Jensen said. “It’s just really good to not give the pitcher a break, it’s hard to pitch against. You have no break to be able to just pitch down the middle.” It’s as potent a batting order as there is in the state. The lineup that Cheverus (19-0) used in the Class A South final against Bonny Eagle is collectively hitting .420, with no one batting below .333. Every on-base percentage is over .400. Five players — Gagnon (.483), Addison DeRoche (.432), Hailey Lamontagne (.491), Anna Goodman (.500) and Kennedy-Jensen (.426) — are hitting over .400. The Stags have more extra-base hits (40) than strikeouts (39). Advertisement [](https://www.pressherald.com/2026/06/18/heres-the-important-things-to-know-about-the-maine-softball-finals/) Related [Here’s the important things to know about the Maine softball finals](https://www.pressherald.com/2026/06/18/heres-the-important-things-to-know-about-the-maine-softball-finals/) It’s a lineup that would get the credit for any other team’s success, but at Cheverus, where DeRoche’s unprecedented pitching excellence dominates the headlines and commands the attention, the lineup gets overshadowed. So much is made of how hard it is to score against the Stags, and less is made about how hard it is to keep them from scoring. “I think from the outside, people look at it like it’s just Addison,” Eisenhart said. “She’s incredible and she’s a massive part of this thing, but we have a lot of great players on this team.” The players don’t feel slighted. If anything, the less that is said about their hitting balance, the better. “If less teams know about our hitting, that’s a win for us,” Kennedy-Jensen said. “We’re all so incredibly happy for Addie and so proud of her, so she deserves all the recognition, if not more than she gets.” [](https://www.pressherald.com/2026/05/12/cheverus-softball-ace-addison-deroche-relaxed-motivated-following-college-decision/) Related [Cheverus softball ace Addison DeRoche relaxed, motivated following college decision](https://www.pressherald.com/2026/05/12/cheverus-softball-ace-addison-deroche-relaxed-motivated-following-college-decision/) It’s an example of “Mudita,” the phrase used by Alabama softball coach Patrick Murphy that Eisenhart introduced to his team and has become the Cheverus motto. Everyone buys into the team concept and enjoys one player’s success as if its their own. And in a deep lineup where everyone has had success, “Mudita” becomes even easier. Advertisement “We pick each other up really well,” Lamontagne said. “The top of the lineup doesn’t have to get all the hits. If the top of the lineup’s not on, the bottom is. … There’s not a lot of pressure on us. You know someone’s going to get that hit in that situation where we need something to happen.” That’s played out over the season. Gagnon, who has held the leadoff spot from opening day as a freshman, had multiple hits in six of the first nine games. Goodman, the team’s No. 5 hitter, is hitting .769 over the last eight games, including .667 in the playoffs. The go-ahead two-run single against Bonny Eagle came from Sadie Collins, a .347 hitter in the No. 8 spot. [](https://w2pcms.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/43653113_20260616_A-softball_9.jpg) Cameron Gagnon of Cheverus gets high fives from teammates as she returns to the Cheverus dugout during the Class A South final. Gagnon, a freshman, is batting .483 at the top of a lineup hitting over .400 collectively. (Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer) [Purchase this image](https://dev.mainetodaymedia.com/smugmug/upload.php?data=%7B%22src%22%3A%22https%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.pressherald.com%5C%2Fwp-content%5C%2Fuploads%5C%2Fsites%5C%2F4%5C%2F2026%5C%2F06%5C%2F43653113_20260616_A-softball_9.jpg%22%2C%22caption%22%3A%22Cameron%20Gagnon%20of%20Cheverus%20gets%20high%20fives%20from%20teammates%20as%20she%20returns%20to%20the%20Cheverus%20dugout%20during%20the%20Class%20A%20South%20final.%20Gagnon%2C%20a%20freshman%2C%20is%20batting%20.483%20at%20the%20top%20of%20a%20lineup%20hitting%20over%20.400%20collectively.%20%28Gregory%20Rec%5C%2FStaff%20Photographer%29%22%7D) “With two outs, we can score,” said DeRoche, whose four home runs and .841 slugging percentage lead the team. “We can play the bunt game, we can hit it hard, we can make them have to make a play. There are so many different pieces, and I know everybody’s going to step up.” [Cheverus showed that versatility against the Scots](https://www.pressherald.com/2026/06/16/cheverus-softball-blanks-bonny-eagle-to-return-to-class-a-final/), generating the game-turning rally without a ball leaving the infield. Cleanup batter Abby Kelly, a .333 hitter with a .534 on-base percentage, drew a walk in the second inning, and Goodman bunted past the pitcher and charging third baseman for a single. Kylie Lamson (.360, six extra-base hits) bunted them both into scoring position, and both scored when Collins singled to right. Home runs and line drives are in the Stags’ arsenal, but so are small ball and manufacturing runs. “We bunt every day. We work on situational hitting, runner on third and ground ball to the right side approach,” Eisenhart said. “We have different things like fake bunt steal, swing and a steal, different things to keep the catcher seated so we don’t have to give up an out to move a base runner. And the kids have done a great job of executing.” Copy the Story Link Tagged: [cheverus stags](https://www.pressherald.com/tag/cheverus-stags/) [](https://www.pressherald.com/author/drew-bonifant) [Drew BonifantStaff Writer](https://www.pressherald.com/author/drew-bonifant) Drew Bonifant covers sports for the Press Herald, with beats in high school football, basketball and baseball. He was previously part of the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel sports team. A New Hampshire. [More by Drew Bonifant](https://www.pressherald.com/author/drew-bonifant)