STANDISH

In Richmond’s early-season 5-4 East- West Conference high school baseball win over Buckfield — the Bucks’ only loss during the regular season — the Bobcats played near flawless defense and produced big hits in key situations.

On Thursday in the Western Maine Class D title game on Larry Mahaney Diamond at St. Joseph’s College, that formula didn’t come to fruition for Richmond, as the third-seeded Bobcats committed five errors in an 8-5 loss to No. 1 Buckfield (14-1), which moves on to Saturday’s State D title game against Eastern D champ Bangor Christian.

Trailing 3-1 in the fourth inning after Richmond plated a pair of runs in the top of the frame, Buckfield tied things as the Bobcats committed four miscues. Another error in the fifth frame, a wild pitch and a pair of sacrifice flyballs allowed the Bucks to score four more times for a 7-3 lead.

“I’m not even sure how many of their runs were earned, four errors in one inning, and that was the game,” said Richmond coach Ryan Gardner, whose charges finished the season with a 7-8 record.

Richmond starting pitcher Mike Stewart threw the ball well, going five innings on six hits, two walks and six strikeouts. But, the errors behind him cost the righty, as only two of the seven runs he permitted were earned.

“I give credit to Buckfield. They put the ball in play and we got handcuffed. We should have made some plays, and we just didn’t take care of it,” said Gardner.

Richmond leads

The Bobcats jumped on top 1-0 in the first. Tyler Soucy blooped a single to center field, stole second and scored on a single by Eddie Stewart.

Buckfield starting pitcher Garrett Hamann struck out the side in the first and second innings, and Hamann helped himself in the second with a run-scoring double to tie the game.

Richmond struck right back in the fourth behind a two-run single by Dakota

Roinestad for a 3-1 lead heading to the home half of the fourth inning.

But, the Bobcats began making errors, and Buckfield took quick advantage. Jeff Pepin singled to begin the frame, and back-to-back errors cut the Richmond advantage to 3-2. No. 9 hitter Ben Strout singled to right field to tie the contest.

Buckfield took control in the fifth, the big hit a long triple to left field by Pepin, scoring Dalton Hart for a 4-3 lead. An error made it a 5-3 contest, and RBI flyballs by Jared Eastman and Strout followed for a 7-3 Buckfield edge.

Roinestad gave the Bobcats some hope in the sixth with his second tworun single.

“The team worked hard to get into scoring position, and I was able to get a couple hits to bring them in,” said Roinestad, who was 2-for-3 at the plate. “It was great to have the opportunity. We had confidence that we could beat them, and I thought we had the chance even here to beat them. We just didn’t do it.”

Buckfield scored its final run off of reliever Eddie Stewart in the sixth, executing a double steal with Jonah Williams scoring.

Richmond brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh, but Williams struck out the final Bobcats hitter to end it and send Buckfield to its second consecutive State D title game.

Bobcat seniors Randy Moody, Xavier Trask, Gage Myrick, Julian Leavitt, Brett Stillwell and Eddie Stewart suited up for the final time.

“These seniors were the last to go to a state championship, and they put their hearts and souls into this, and I told them how much of a pleasure it was to have them this year,” said Gardner.

Soucy was 2-for-4 at the plate for Richmond, while Hart was 2-for-4 and Pepin 2-for-3 for Buckfield.

No. 1 Buckfield 8,
No. 3 Richmond 5

Western Maine Class D Baseball Championship
At Larry Mahaney Diamond, Standish
Richmond — 100 202 0 — 5-6-5
Buckfield — 010 241 x — 8-8-1
Mike Stewart, Eddie Stewart (6) and Tyler Soucy; Garrett Hamann, Jonah Williams (6) and Jared Eastman.
Double — (B) Garrett Hamann.
Triple — (B) Jeff Pepin.
Repeat hitters — (R) Tyler Soucy, Dakota Roinestad;
(B) Dalton Hart, Jeff Pepin.
Records — Buckfield 14-1, Richmond 7-8.
Up next — Buckfield takes on Eastern D champ Bangor
Christian on Saturday at noon at St. Joseph’s College.
Richmond’s season has come to an end.