ORONO, Maine — An early offensive onslaught and efficient pitching from Gavyn Holyoke proved to be plenty for the Bucksport High School baseball team Wednesday night.
The defending Class C state champion and third-seeded Golden Bucks steamrolled to a 7-0 lead after two innings and never looked back en route to dispatching top-ranked Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln 16-1 in the North regional final at the University of Maine’s Mahaney Diamond.
Bucksport (13-6) will try to defend its state title Saturday at the University of Southern Maine against C South champ Monmouth Academy.
Monmouth defeated Sacopee Valley 1-0 in the South regional final earlier Wednesday.
Mattanawcook finishes its season 15-4.
The Golden Bucks took advantage of four Mattanawcook walks to race out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first.
Brandon Elden was credited with an RBI for drawing a bases-loaded walk, and after Trent Goss beat out a potential double-play ball to short that scored another run, Ryan Winchester slapped a base hit to right field.
Elden spearheaded a four-run uprising in the second with a run-scoring triple to right-center and he later scored on a wild pitch. Jason Terrill knocked in another with a bloop base hit to right.
That was more than enough for Holyoke, who aided his cause with a two-run single.
The lefthander kept the Lynx off-balance with a steady diet of fastballs and curveballs, allowing only one run on five hits while striking out eight and walking one.
Holyoke was never seriously threatened, and found a groove easily after his teammates staked him to the early lead.
Mattanawcook finally got on the board in the fifth on an Issac Hainer base hit.
Bucksport stretched it out in the late innings with two runs in the fifth and seven more in the seventh.
Terrill was the game’s lone repeat hitter with two singles and a run scored for Bucksport. Maguire, Holyoke, Elden and Winchester each scored two runs.
