STANDISH — Alyssa Wade felt a strange sensation in her arm. She didn’t quite know what it was and simply tried to shrug it off.

But sudden unexplained twinges in your arm when you’re a pitcher isn’t usually a good thing.

“I threw a pitch and I looked at my coach (Bitsy Ionta) and I said, ‘It kind of hurts a little bit,'” said the Dirigo senior pitcher. “I didn’t think it was anything. So I pitched the next three innings.”

The next day, she had the arm examined. It was determined she had a pulled bicep muscle.

“I went to (athletic trainer) Aaron (Perreault) the next day, he was like, ‘How the heck did you do this?'” said Wade.

The initial prognosis wasn’t as dire as it could have been. Wade was told it was a day-to-day injury.

“They said it was a rare injury,” said Wade. “Some people take a week and some take six.”

So while she healed, Wade moved to first base in the Dirigo infield and junior Ambyr Wilson was promoted to pitcher. It was a change that would set the tone for the rest of the Cougars’ season.

Dirigo plays Bucksport at 11 a.m. in today’s Class C state final at Bailey Field at St. Joseph’s College. It is a game the Cougars likely wouldn’t be playing if it weren’t for the ability to move past Wade’s injury and the lessons learned from it.

“I remember looking at her and saying, ‘You’re going to be pitching until she can recover, and I don’t know how long that will be,” said Dirigo coach Sara Thurston of her conversation with Wilson. “She looked at me and said, ‘OK, I’ll do it.’ She wasn’t really ready for it. She was going to be our pitcher next year. She knew we needed her this year and she did it.”

Wilson’s willingness to take on the challenge proved crucial to Dirigo’s season. Losing your ace pitcher can signal the death knell for most softball teams and their tournament hopes. Replacing a veteran like Wade was no easy task.

“It was definitely hard because Wade is an amazing pitcher,” said Wilson. “I’ve always looked up to her and always wanted to be what she is. I knew being part of such an amazing team, I had to step up and do something.”

Dirigo started the season 1-4. Three of the losses were by one run. That was tough enough for the Cougars but to be adjusting to a new pitcher was part of the hand Dirigo was suddenly dealt.

“It’s hard to fill Alyssa’s shoes,” said Wilson. “I love pitching. I have a passion for it. Pitching out there with a team that I love, that made it easier.”

Wilson did a superb job for the Cougars, but the losses still mounted. Dirigo was at 3-6 at one point, but the pieces were slowly falling into place. As Wade’s injury lingered and Wilson kept pitching, the Cougars started to put its game together. Dirigo started on a roll, and when Wade returned to the pitcher’s circle, the Cougars kept winning.

Dirigo won seven straight to end the regular season at 10-6, fourth overall in Western C. The Cougars extended that streak to 10 games with the Western C championship win over Sacopee Valley. A vital part of that win was Dirigo’s defensive effort.

“Our defense is key,” said Wilson. “We just work so well together on defense. Our hitting has come around a little since the beginning of the year, but our defense has always been key for us.”

Wilson’s ability to fill in for Wade and vice versa was something the rest of the team has responded to. Other Cougars have stepped up their game to help the team. That was evident in the 2-1 win over the Hawks. Whether it was tremendous defensive plays by Mariah Larsen and Gretchen Bradbury or  crucial hits by Natalie Bolduc and Bradbury, the Cougars have been  filling their roles and contributing. It has been a true team effort with different players taking the lead role when needed.

“Being able to have different players in different roles throughout the season, I think fully added to the solidity of the team,” said Thurston. “So and so is not doing something right now, but somebody else is able to fill in.”

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