Alivia Shute drove in two runs, and Natalie Simpson pitched another complete game only allowing one run Tuesday evening as Bucksport topped Mattanawcook Academy 5-1 to win their third consecutive Class C North Softball Regional Championship at Coffin Field in Brewer.
The Lynx pushed across the first run of the night on a two out RBI single by Addison Cyr in the top of the first inning. The Bucks responded immediately in the bottom half. Jetta Shook hit a hard grounder that was misplayed for an error to score Lexi Raymond, Shute hit a RBI sacrifice fly that proved to be the game winner, and Addison Harvey singled to drive in another for a 3-1 lead. Brie Rotella plated one runner with a RBI single in the third, and Shute hit another RBI sacrifice fly to end the scoring in the fourth. The Miss Maine Softball Finalist Simpson took over from there, only allowing one hit the rest of the way. She would give up a total of one run on eight hits with no walks and 14 strikeouts, helping to send her team to another state title game.
Raymond scored two runs from the leadoff spot in the victory, while six different Golden Bucks had one hit each. Simpson also reached base four times with one hit and three walks. Cyr and Gabby Tash had two hits a piece for the Lynx, with Cyr driving in their lone run. Julianna Cloukey also went the distance in the circle allowing five runs (one earned) on six hits with five walks and 10 strikeouts. #2 Mattanawcook Academy finishes as runner-up with a record of 15-4. #1 Bucksport, now 18-1, will face a familiar foe in the state championship game in Hall-Dale for a third straight year. The Bulldogs are making their fifth consecutive appearance in the state final, winning four in a row including the last two over the Golden Bucks. The game is set for Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at St. Joseph’s College in Standish.
