BUCKSPORT, Maine — One of the signs of a good team is its ability to capitalize on its opponents’ miscues.
The Bucksport High School Golden Bucks, who have won four Class C North softball championships and three state titles over the past five seasons, took advantage of three Orono errors in a six-run fourth-inning rally to erase a 4-1 deficit and went on to post an 8-4 victory over the Red Riots on Thursday.
Senior center fielder Madysen Robichaud walloped her fourth homer of the season, a two-run shot, as the defending two-time regional champ improved to 13-0 while Orono fell to 10-5.
Seven of Bucksport’s eight runs were unearned as Orono made five errors overall.
“That says it all. Errors will do that,” said Orono coach Kristen Espling. “Bucksport has a good ballclub. They’re experienced. They know how to take advantage of errors.”
Hannah Ashmore and pitcher Katelin Saunders began the rally by drawing one-out walks. Ashmore stole third and pinch-runner Kiah Wilson stole second and both scored when Maggie Bires’ run-producing grounder was thrown high for an error.
Freshman pitcher Maddie LeClair was replaced by junior Tianna Milton and Brittney Dewitt reached on another infield throwing error.
Bires scored on Emily Hunt’s base hit to right and DeWitt also crossed the plate on an errant throw to third.
Robichaud then launched her homer to left center to make it 7-4.
“[The pitch] was right down the middle. It felt real good as soon as I hit it,” she said.
Bucksport’s Makayla Tripp accounted for a fifth-inning run when she tripled and scored on an errant relay throw to third.
“I like our girls’ fight,” said Bucksport coach Mike Carrier. “They never think they’re going to lose. They feel they can have an inning like that at any time.”
Saunders pitched a complete game for her 13th win. She scattered five hits and four runs, all unearned, with seven strikeouts, no walks and a hit batter. She threw 83 pitches, 68 for strikes.
“I definitely threw harder and hit my spots better later in the game,” said Saunders. “I hit more corners of the plate. I didn’t throw it down the middle because they would have cranked it.”
Orono took a 2-0 lead in the first on a two-out infield error, Katelyn Richards’ long RBI double over the left fielder’s head and Emily LeClair’s fly ball single to short center.
Bucksport got one back in the second on an infield throwing error, a stolen base and Bires’ run-scoring single to right.
But Orono responded with two more in the top of the third when Maggie Coutts was hit by a pitch and scored when Katie Walker’s infield hit resulted in a throwing error.
Walker raced all the way to third and scored on Richards’ groundout to third.
Robichaud had a single to go with her homer for the Bucks.
Richards doubled and singled and knocked in a pair of runs for the Red Riots.
Maddie LeClair and Milton combined on a five-hitter but their teammates’ errors proved costly.
“They both did a great job. Bucksport is a good hitting team,” said Espling.