STANDISH — At the beginning of the season, Sara Thurston gave her Dirigo softball team a schedule that included Saturday’s Class C state championship game.

Initially, the players thought it a mistake.

“I told them ‘We’re going to be there.'” said Thurston. “No doubt. We could do it.”

Of course, the Bucksport Golden Bucks had likely penciled in a planned appearance as well. Bucksport lost in the Class B state game at St. Joseph’s College last year to Fryeburg and were determined to produce a different outcome on a return trip.

Dirigo gave the Golden Bucks their greatest test of the season, but Bucksport still managed to get two runs in the fifth to edge the Cougars, 2-0, at Bailey Field.

The Bucks used two hits and a Dirigo error in the fifth for the two runs that produced a fifth state title, and first since winning the Class B title in 2006.

“I’m ecstatic that we just gave them the closest game of the entire season,” Thurston said. “What more can you ask for? In a state championship, that’s what you look for, your best game of the year. I just wish that we didn’t make those errors and let them score those two runs.”

Bucksport (20-0) came into the game having scored more than 300 runs this season. Pitcher Cassidy Adams recorded 13 shutouts and allowed only 13 runs. In 25 games, preseason included, Adams struck out more than 200 hitters and walked just four.

“I don’t care what league you’re in that’s just unbelievable,”Bucksport coach Michael Carrier said. “They play great defense behind her.

 Dirigo’s Alyssa Wade scattered seven hits. She and the Cougars’ defense forced the Bucks strand 10 runners, but Dirigo couldn’t produce at the plate. Adams held the Cougars to just two hits by Mariah Larsen and struck out six.

“A big part of our game is getting the bats going early,”said Thurston. “We weren’t able to do that today.”

Larsen’s first hit was a bunt hit in the fifth. She added a two-out single in the seventh. Dirigo only had four base runners the entire game.

“I’m glad Mariah got the two hits,” said Thurston. “I don’t think we’ve been held to that few hits all year.”

The Bucks had trouble turning hits into runs themselves. Buckfield stranded three runners in the first inning and then didn’t get another hit until the fourth.

“I knew if we were hitting and getting people on base that eventually we’d get the runs,” said Adams.

Dirigo had some strong defensive play from Wade, Gretchen Bradbury at third and Tasha DeRoche at short against a hard-hitting Bucks batting order.

“We hit the ball quite well,” said Carrier. “We hit it right at them. Then we started pressing a little and started getting under the ball and hitting some pop ups.”

In the fifth, Dirigo (13-7) got the first out, and then Shelby Redman singled. After a ground-out, Sadie Wight walked. Kacie Hurd then hit a grounder down the third base line. Bradbury fielded it but couldn’t get Hurd at first. Redman continued racing for home. The throw to the plate was wide. Redman scored and Wight came in behind her.

“That’s the game, you play the game for one run and hope you get more,” said Carrier.

Dirigo had its biggest threat in the bottom of the inning. After a strikeout, Larsen reached on her bunt hit. Then Bradbury reached on an error. Adams then summoned up a strikeout and a ball hit back to her to end the inning. She used just three pitches to put Dirigo down in the sixth and seven more in the seventh, despite Larsen’s two-out single.

“It was nerve-wracking until we got those two runs,” said Adams. “Then I felt a little safe after that.”

It was the seventh trip to a state title game for the Bucks, including last year’s loss at Bailey Field in the Class B game. For a team playing in its first softball state game, Thurston was pleased how her team fared against a traditional power like the Bucks.

“I grew up playing against Bucksport,” said Thurston, a native of Orland. “I knew what to expect. They’ve had a strong program forever. I didn’t expect anything different coming in. I knew it’d be a good matchup for us coming in.”

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