BREWER, Maine — One of the trademarks of a successful team is its ability to capitalize on its opponents’ mistakes.
The defending two-time Class C North champion Bucksport High School softball team was one strike away from losing to Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln in its regional championship game at Coffin Field in Brewer on Wednesday night.
But a dropped popup with two outs in the seventh gave the Bucks a lifeline and the next hitter, Madysen Robichaud, belted a 3-0 pitch over the left-field fence to give the Bucks a 2-1 victory.
The 19-0 Bucks face Class C South champ Madison (18-1) in a rematch of last year’s final on Saturday at noon in Brewer. Madison triumphed 3-1 a year ago.
It is the third straight year Bucksport has beaten Mattanawcook Academy in the regional final.
There were two outs in the seventh and Emily Hunt was down 0-2 in the count when she hit a routine popup that was dropped by the Mattanawcook third baseman.
Robichaud, the Penobscot Valley Conference Class C Player of the Year, had walked twice and struck out in her previous at-bats but launched Haley McLaughlin’s 3-0 pitch over the fence for her sixth homer of the season and second in as many games.
She belted a two-run homer in Bucksport’s 8-3 victory over Orono in the semifinals.
“She was the Player of the Year for a reason,” said Bucksport coach Mike Carrier, who told Robichaud the dropped popup “was an omen.”
He had no hesitation giving her the “green light” to swing when the count went to 3-0.
“I told her to go get it right now,” said Carrier. “I thought they were going to feed (a strike) to her.”
“He told me if it was a good pitch, go get it,” said Robichaud. “It was a little inside but it was a good one. I didn’t know it was out until I saw the guy beyond the fence catch it.
“It was a really big thrill,” added Robichaud.
The homer was Bucksport’s first hit in the game with runners on base. The Bucks had been 0-for-10 with baserunners on through six innings and had stranded eight.
“In the finals, if you make a mistake, they’re huge,” said Mattanawcook Academy coach Dean Libbey. “We squandered some opportunities and that put all the onus on our defense to make plays. We made a bunch of plays but we missed one.”
He also credited Robichaud with having a “good swing” on her homer.
Hunt admitted that she thought the game was over when she hit her popup.
“But, luckily enough, things happen,” said Hunt, who was confident Robichaud would come through.
“She is amazing. I had full confidence in her,” said Hunt.
“I felt really bad for the third baseman. She played a great game. There was some bad spin on the popup,” said Carrier.
The Lynx had taken a 1-0 lead in the third inning on one-out singles by Lindsey Gelfuso and Kim Voisine, Audrey Tash’s sacrifice, a walk and Kourtney Thurlow’s sharp ground-ball single to center on an 0-2 pitch.
Gelfuso’s single was the first hit in 11 playoff innings for the Lynx, who had been no-hit in a 1-0 semifinal win over Narraguagus of Harrington.
Libbey elected not to try to score the runner from second on Thurlow’s base hit.
Katelin Saunders struck out the next hitter to end the threat.
Saunders and MA’s Haley McLaughlin each turned in a gem.
Saunders tossed a four-hitter with eight strikeouts and three walks while McLaughlin pitched a five-hitter with 10 strikeouts and four walks.
Saunders had two singles for the Bucks and Makenzie Smith and Darian Jellison had doubles to accompany Robichaud’s homer.
Voisine had two singles for the Lynx, who wound up 18-1.