STANDISH – All they wanted was a chance.

Since leaving Ward Field last June following a disappointing loss to Georges Valley, the Telstar softball team craved another crack at the Bucs and the regional crown.

Tuesday, the Rebels got that opportunity, but undefeated Georges Valley made sure that chance didn’t become a championship.

The defending Class C state champions defended its regional crown and remained perfect with a 3-0 win over the Rebels at St. Joseph’s College.

Telstar (14-3) stayed with the Bucs (17-0) through the first four innings, but Georges Valley produced three runs in the fifth to deliver the title.

“I’m very pleased,” said Telstar coach Jim Lunney. “That’s four years in a row we’ve been here (in the regional final). That’s a good softball team. We battled right to the end. My girls, I’m very pleased and proud of them.”

It was similar to the regular season game in Thomaston. The Bucs rallied from behind in the fifth to beat Telstar, 3-2.

“We got back here,” said Telstar pitcher Candace Hall. “That’s a really good team. It’s hard to defend that team.”

The Rebels just couldn’t get much offense going. Telstar got hits by Julia Stambolis and Kayla Merrill in the first two innings but couldn’t produce any runs. Merrill finished with two of the Rebels three hits.

“Julie had a hit and Kayla had two hits,” said Lunney. “We didn’t get key hits. Early on, we had some nice opportunities. We had good hitters up and a basehit scores a run, but we just didn’t do it.”

Georges Valley broke the stalemate in the bottom of the fifth inning. After threatening for many of the first four innings, the Bucs broke through with three hits and took advantage of two Telstar errors.

“We were ready for it,” said senior catcher Desiree Smith. “It was going to come at some point. We weren’t going to let up until it did.”

After Bethany Snow walked to start the inning, Nicole Poland followed with a bunt hit.

“That’s her first walk in four games,” said Lunney of Hall. “Then we didn’t handle the bunt well.”

Smith followed with a hard single to left. An error on the the hit allowed Snow to score the first run.

“I was like ‘I’m going to put the bat on the ball,'” said Smith, who struck out in her previous at bat. “I was due for a hit. I usually don’t strike out. So I was pretty upset.”

Brittany Worcester followed with an infield hit that scored Poland. An error trying to catch Smith racing for third on the play allowed Smith to score for the 3-0 lead.

“When they got things going, it pumped them up,” said Hall. “We should have been able to bounce back. We learn.”

That was all sophomore pitcher Danielle Frye needed. Frye struck out the side in the sixth and got two more in the seventh to finish with 12. After limiting Telstar to three hits in the regular season win, she matched that feat, allowing just one hit in the final five innings.

“She pitched a masterful game,” said Lunney. “She threw the changeup and kept us off stride. She has a good fastball. Instead of us getting better offensively, she picked it up a notch.”

Hall matched her with a fine effort. She scattered six hits and struck out seven. Three of the Bucs’ hits came in the decisive fifth.

The game was delayed 90 minutes because Tuesday’s scheduled 3:30 p.m. Western A final was delayed by thunderstorms and didn’t start until 5 p.m.

Like the regular season matchup, Telstar got runners on early but couldn’t bring them in. Stambolis singled with two outs and took second on a passed ball but was stranded. In the second, Merrill led off with a single and advanced on a pair of wild pitches. She was stuck at third as Frye served up a pop out and struck out the final two batters.

“We had the opportunities,” said Lunney. “I said ‘If we can get ahead early…’, but it just didn’t happen.”

Georges Valley also threatened in the second. The Bucs had runners at second and third with no outs. After Hall caught a pop up, she fielded a bunt by Erin Judkins. Her throw to Vicki Crockett-Rice covering third caught Jessica Keating for the second out. Stambolis fielded an easy grounder at first to end in the inning. The Bucs got the leadoff runner on in the third also but failed to produce a run. Poland reached on an infield hit and stole second. Hall got a pair of strike outs and then got Bucs slugger Ashley Geel to ground out to Whitney Mills at third.

“We weren’t going to let down,” said Smith. “There’s a ton of seniors. We felt it last year. We were like ‘We’re not going to college without this.'”

SUMMARY

Georges Valley, 3-0

Telstar 000 000 0 – 0 3 2

Georges Valley 000 030 x – 3 6 0

Hall and Field; Frye and Smith; Doubles: GV:Keating; Repeat Hitters: T: Merrill; GV: Poland.

Records: Telstar (14-3) ; Georges Valley (17-0)