BUCKSPORT, Maine — The Bucksport-Searsport softball game on Tuesday at John Wardwell Field can be best described in one word: bizarre.
The Bucks struck out six times in the first inning but scored three runs and went on to post a 4-2 victory. They struck out 18 times in six innings against hard-throwing Searsport junior righthander Ana Lang.
The game was halted for five minutes in the sixth inning when Searsport junior left fielder Laura Warman lost her hearing aid while coming in to try to catch a bloop double by Faith Vincent.
The hearing aid was found as both teams scoured the grass to locate it. Players on both teams applauded the discovery.
Warman left the game and was replaced by freshman Kiara Krumbholz.
The Golden Bucks, who began the day atop the Class C Heal Points standings, finished the regular season at 15-1 and will take a 10-game winning streak into the playoffs.
Defending Class D state champion Searsport is now 10-5 and its five losses have come to Class C North teams who began the day with a combined 41-4 record: Bucksport (2 losses), Sumner of East Sullivan (2) and Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln (1).
Four of those losses were by two runs and the other was by one run.
Bucksport junior righthander Ella Hosford, who came into the game with a minuscule 0.79 earned-run average, tossed a five-hitter with 15 strikeouts, one walk and a hit batter. She threw 125 pitches, 85 for strikes.
Lang, who pitched the Vikings to their first state title in 23 years last spring, allowed three hits and didn’t walk anybody while striking out 18. She threw 96 pitches, 67 for strikes.
Pivotal play: The Bucks parlayed three strikeouts in which they reached base via wild pitch or passed ball on strike three, and another wild pitch and a passed ball, into their three first-inning runs. After the first three hitters scored, Lang struck out the next three hitters for an extremely rare six-strikeout inning.
“I’ve never seen that before,” admitted Bucksport coach Mike Carrier, who is in his 37th year guiding the Bucks. “A girl from South China (Erskine Academy) struck out 21 in a playoff game against us once. We lost 2-1.”
“The first inning was a little rough,” Lang said. “It rained today so the mound was a little different. And we haven’t played here since last year so it was just something to get used to.”
She retired 14 of the next 15 hitters until Hosford singled with two outs in the fifth inning.
Big takeaway: Both teams are legitimate state championship contenders in their respective classes. Lang is dominant in the circle with her velocity, arsenal of pitches and composure. Hosford, who was the team’s starting second baseman last year, has done an exceptional job in her first season as the ace.
What’s next: Searsport is scheduled to finish its regular season against Class D South Heal points leader Valley High of Bingham on Wednesday while the Bucks will await the playoffs.
