The third time wasn’t so much a charm for the Richmond High School softball team.
Dube gave up two-firstinning runs, survived a oneout, bases-loaded jam in the fifth and retired seven of the final eight batters she faced.
Dube’s offense took advantage of some Leandra Martin wildness and defensive miscues to post three runs in the third, taking the outright lead and improving to 19-1.
Richmond, which graduates seniors Martin, Danica Hurley and Lindsy Hoopingarner, fell to 16-2, while making their third straight titlegame appearance.
Including soccer and basketball, the Bobcats were competing in a seventh straight state championship. The Bobcats won the softball title in 2010.
Martin also pitched well in defeat as she served up 103 pitches with six strikeouts and three walks, albeit two in the third inning.
Her downfall came in that crucial third frame when she walked lead-off batter and No. 9 hitter Alissa Whitten.
Whitten stole second, but lead- off batter Kirstin Batchelder walked on four straight pitches and Shaelyn Jones drilled a hard-hit rope to right (just off the glove of second baseman Bri Snedeker), with Whitten, despite base- running hesitation, scoring.
Whitten collided with catcher Hoopingarner, who moved up the base path in anticipation of a throw home, and the umpire ruled she didn’t have the ball when the collision occurred.
After a strikeout and line out, Jenna Hope lined a tworun single to make it 3-2.
The Howlers’ fourth run came in the sixth when Whitten lined a two-strike single, stole second, took third on an overthrow and scored on a Jones single to right.
The Bobcats struck first with two runs in the opening inning.
Lead- off batter Hurley laid down the first of her two bunt singles, stole second and took third on a passed ball on a Bri Snedeker strikeout.
After a strikeout, Ciarra Lancaster blooped a single to right field to score Hurley, with Snedeker going to third. An Alyssa Pearson groundout to Dube brought in Snedeker.
More Bobcat noise
Richmond also made some noise in the fifth inning, loading the bases with one out.
Noell Acord opened the inning by reaching on a Dube fielding miscue. She took second on a sacrifice bunt by Jamie Plummer.
Hurley bunted and stole second to put runners in scoring position. Snedeker was hit by a pitch, but Dube settled down to get the next two outs on a strikeout and groundout.
“That was a key inning for us because we had the bases loaded with our number-two and number-three batters at the plate,” said head coach Rick Coughlin.
“If we could’ve done something there, I think it would have made a world of difference.”
Over the next two innings, only Accord (bunt single) got on base, and she was at third when the final out was recorded.
“Hey, I had heard how good they were and at first I was afraid we might not give them a game, but we did,” said Coughlin.
“Now, I have to replace my shortstop, catcher and pitcher … three quality players.”
Pen. Valley 4,
Richmond 2
State Class D Softball Championship
Richmond 2000000(2-4-5).
PenobscotValley003001x (4-7-2).
Martin and Hoopingarner; Dube and Hope.
Repeat hitters — (R) Hurley; (PV) Batchelder,
Jones.
Records — Richmond 16-2, Penobscot Valley
19-1.
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