His bats were cold, and longtime Richmond High School softball coach Rick Coughlin had that worrisome pace going in a close, 1-0 contest against Rangeley in the Western Maine Class D softball championship at St. Joseph’s College on Thursday.

“We just couldn’t get the bat on the ball,” said Coughlin, after watching his team use bunting, solid base running and an overpowering performance by pitcher Leandra Martin for a 4-1 victory for the topseeded Bobcats.

Richmond (16-1) will face Penobscot Valley, a 3-0 victor over two-time defending Eastern B champ Deer-Isle Stonington on Thursday, in Saturday’s Class D state title game at Brewer High School. First pitch is slated for 11 a.m.

“We relied on the bunts to get us going,” said Coughlin of his three-time Western D champion Bobcats. “The way Leandra was throwing, they were not going to hit her. She was really focused tonight.”

Martin struck out 11, didn’t walk a hitter and permitted just two hits. The run Rangeley (12-4) scored came in the seventh and was unearned as the senior shook off her last performance against Rangeley, a 9-6 regular-season loss where she hit three batters, permitted two walks and uncorked three wild pitches.

“I wanted to mix it up tonight, but I was hitting my spots really well and stayed with the hard stuff mostly,” said Martin, who struck out eight of the first 10 batters she faced and pitched around five errors from her defense. “I have gotten a lot stronger since the last time against Rangeley. Plus, it was warm tonight and that kept me loose.”

“Leandra was really focused tonight,” added Coughlin, whose squad will look to repeat its 2010 state title win at Brewer. “We are excited to have this opportunity with this special group of young ladies.”

Richmond, 1-0

Martin and Rangeley hurler Chantal Carrier set down the side in order in the first frame, with Martin striking out the side and Carrier getting a nice play by center fielder Sandra Campbell on a hard hit ball by Brianna Snedeker.

The Bobcats scratched a run across in the second. Ciarra Lancaster lined a single to left field and Alyssa Pearson walked. A passed ball moved the runners up a base, and Martin’s safety squeeze bunt allowed Lancaster to easily score for a 1-0 Richmond lead. Carrier escaped further damage with two of her four strikeouts to end the inning.

Martin again struck out the side in the third inning, but Carrier was solid as well, retiring Richmond in order in the third and surviving a jam in the fourth as Lindsy Hoopingarner, who had earlier singled, was thrown out at third on a nice relay peg by second baseman Abby Abbott.

An error to begin the Rangeley fifth allowed Jenny Abbott to scamper into second base, but Martin picked up two more strikeouts and first baseman Jamie Plummer made a nice grab and tag to retire Tori Letarte to end the frame.

“We just never were able to get the big hit,” said Rangeley coach Ashley Quimby. “This is the first time that Rangeley has been to the Western D championship, and is just a great thing for these girls.”

Richmond found its offense in the bottom of the fifth inning. Payton Johnson singled to open the inning, stole two bases, and scored on a single by Plummer for a 2-0 lead.

“We always seem to be a second half team, no matter if it’s in soccer, basketball or softball,” said Johnson. “We knew we had to start getting the bat on the ball, and when we are running the bases and using our speed, we are tough to beat.”

With Noell Acord at third base, Danica Hurley bunted with two strikes and beat an errant throw to first. Acord and Plummer both scored on the play to give the Bobcats a 4-0 lead.

“Payton got us going, and we were able to get the quick kids on base to increase our lead,” said Coughlin.

Rangeley took advantage of three Richmond errors in the seventh to score its only run as Jenny Abbott came home on an infield single by Campbell, who continued all the way to third base as an errant throw bounded along the right-field line to the fence. But, Martin retired the final Lakers hitter to close the contest and send Richmond to its third consecutive Class D state title game.

“It is really special for us to have this chance again, and hopefully we can come away with another state championship,” said Martin.

Carrier allowed seven hits and two walks, while Taylor Esty singled.

Pearson reached base all three times for Richmond with two singles and a walk.

No. 1 Richmond 4, No. 2 Rangeley 1

Western Maine Class D Championship
At St. Joseph’s College, Standish
Rangeley — 000 000 1 — 1-2-1
Richmond — 010 030 X — 4-7-5
Chantal Carrier and Taylor Esty; Leandra
Martin and Lindsy Hoopingarner.
Repeat hitter — (R) Alyssa Pearson.
Records — Richmond 16-1, Rangeley
12-4.
Next for the Bobcats — Saturday at
Brewer High School against Penobscot
Valley in the Class D State Title game, 11
a.m.