Jamie Albert didn’t apply for the Limestone Community High School/Maine School of Science and Mathematics softball coaching job.
His wife, Michelle Albert, filled out the application for him.
“She was tired of hearing me complain in the car about what I would do differently if I was coaching,” joked Jamie Albert. “She said, ‘If you’re so smart, why don’t you try it?’”
Albert landed the job, becoming the Eagles’ third coach in three years, and the team has gone 16-2 to earn the top seed and a first-round bye in the Eastern Maine Class D playoffs.
Even with three different coaches, the Eagles have been the top seed all three years and won the Eastern Maine title a year ago after losing to eventual state champ Penobscot Valley of Howland in the 2013 Eastern Maine championship game. The Eagles lost to Richmond 11-5 in last year’s state final.
They went undefeated during the regular season under Ryan O’Neal in 2013 and Andrew Kirby last year and have a combined record of 51-4 under the three coaches.
O’Neal left to join the military and Kirby, who teaches at Caribou High School and coaches girls junior varsity soccer and basketball, stepped down to spend more time with his young family.
“It was scary. It’s hard to take over an undefeated team,” said the 43-year-old Albert. “If they didn’t win, they would think it was my fault. And it probably would have been.
“It has been a great experience. I’ve learned a lot from them. They have actually calmed me down,” said Albert.
He said assistants Bob Hancock and Glenn Michaud also have been valuable assets.
“It is always a challenge early in the season to get to know the person,” said senior pitcher Elly Bencivenga. “But we have bonded well together. He has stepped in very well.
“He has given us confidence in ourselves. He wants us to have fun and tell us winning is fun. He keeps us focused and makes sure we keep our heads in the game,” she added.
Albert said his Eagles have exceeded his expectations.
Bencivenga has been one of the major reasons.
After seeing limited duty last year, she inherited the ace’s role from the graduated Melissa Cantafio and has posted a 16-1 record with 154 strikeouts in 94 innings.
“She has been tremendous,” said Albert.
She also is hitting .514 with 13 homers, 15 doubles and 40 runs batted in.
“I hit six homers last year, but I never expected to hit 13,” said Bencivenga, who began preparing to be the No. 1 pitcher by taking pitching lessons in Portland, training regularly and pitching every day as soon as basketball season concluded.
“It was mostly mental. I just needed to be who I am and pitch as well as I could,” said Bencivenga, who also had confidence in her defense.
“She is a true leader,” said Albert. “She’s always the first one at practice and the last one to leave. She’s an example of getting better by working hard.”
There have been plenty of other key contributors.
Albert’s daughter, Kassee, a junior shortstop, is hitting .588; junior second baseman Jackie Peers is at .563; junior first baseman Madeline Williams is hitting .531 and left fielder Annie Sinclair, one of just two seniors along with Bencivenga, is at .481.
The other starters are juniors Sarah Hemphill in right and Jessica Lindsay in center and sophomores Megan Faucher at third and Morganne Emery behind the plate.
Bencivenga said everyone is playing like a seasoned veteran, which has enabled them to overachieve.
The loss to Richmond, in which the Eagles surrendered five first-inning runs, has served as motivation.
“We definitely want some redemption,” said Bencivenga.