GORHAM – It didn’t take long to know this game would be different.

After two playoff games where the bats were relatively quiet, the Buckfield softball team heard that familiar ping of aluminum Monday.

The Bucks’ offense came to life in a big way, ringing in a second straight Class D state championship with a 12-0 win over Lee Academy at Robie Field.

“We couldn’t top that,” said Buckfield coach Dan Jack after the game was called after five innings because of the 12-run rule. “We hit the ball a real lot, but today it was exceptional. We were right on the line on everything. We just hit the ball tremendously. I was even surprised that we hit it that well.”

The Bucks (15-2) pounded out 15 hits in five innings of play. Every starter had at least one hit. Coleen Violette had two hits and scored three runs. Charlee Hayes, Shayna Shackford and Emily Johnson each had two hits and drove in a pair, while Danielle Buswell plated two with a hit.

“That’s what Buckfield’s all about,” said Violette. “We always can have our bats going. That’s how we win.”

It was the second straight state title for the Bucks, which feature eight seniors. Last year, they beat the Pandas, 13-0. It is just the third time Buckfield has won back-to-back titles.

“For eight of us seniors, we just wanted this game so bad,” said Violette. “We’re so glad we did it two years in a row. It feels so good.”

The Bucks struggled at the plate in their last two playoff games and were plagued by poor fielding in the Western Maine final, which the Bucks had rally to win in the final inning.

“We’ve prepared pretty much to make it to states all year,” said shortstop Marci Litchfield. “After our last two games, we felt that we were a little too cocky. So we had to come down a little bit and relax.”

Jack came up with a few choice words to help eleviate the pressure — ice cream and pumpkin. The team used those words throughout the game and stayed composed. The Bucks only had one error in the field.

“We played loose,” said Jack. “That was the key. After the Richmond game, I came up with a couple of words, just to make everybody smile. When you say those words, you smile and stay loose.”

Buckfield pitcher Danielle Buswell allowed just one hit, a Jessie Kuestler single in the first. She struck out 10. Her biggest challenge was three straight walks in the fourth with two outs, but she fired three straight strikes to end the inning.

“I knew she’d do good,” said Violette. “She does real good under pressure. I knew she’d pitch a strong game.”

The Bucks bats heated up right away when Violette led off with a single in the first. Hayes then singled, and Violette scored on an error. After Johnson walked, Buswell’s single up the middle scored two for a 3-0 lead.

“After all the lead-off hitters and we got to Danielle, I knew we were going to hit the ball,” said Violette.

In the second, Marston scored on an error off a Violette grounder. Then Tiffany Dunn singled in Hayes in the third for a 5-0 lead. A Hayes grounder with the bases loaded scored Shackford in the fourth, and Johnson followed with a two-run single.

The Bucks ended the game with four in the fifth. Shackford had a two-run triple. She scored on an error on a Violette hit back to pitcher Marci Moors. Then pinch-hitter Desiree Brackett came in and tripled in the final run.

“After that first inning, we just laced the ball everywhere,” said Jack. “The whole lineup hit the ball from 1-through-12.”