STANDISH — The softball teams from Madison and Skowhegan hope to be partying like its’ 2014 at Bailey Field at St. Joseph’s College Saturday.

Two years ago, both the Bulldogs and Indians reached the state final and won on that field. Following the championship wins that year, both Somerset County teams posed for a photo together to celebrate. It was a great day for both teams and their communities.

“That was amazing two years ago when we both won,” Skowhegan senior second baseman Eliza Bedard said.

It might be no surprise that Madison is in the state game, but the Indians were the sixth seed and needed a late push to reach that high in the standings. Yet Skowhegan has gone 9-2 in its past 11 games and knocked off the No. 2 (Oxford Hills), No. 3  (Bangor) and No. 4 (Edward Little) teams in A North. They’ve done it by getting early leads and fending off threats by the opposition.

“Your going to have moments in the game where you have to find ways to dig in,” Skowhegan coach Lee Johnson said.

His team is made up of just three seniors, two juniors and 13 underclassmen.

“These young girls have learned how to do that. It’s taken us awhile to get there, but we’re there now,” Johnson said.

Skowhegan has gotten a great pitching performance from freshman Sydney Ames while the Indians have also possessed some pop in their bats, which helped them win in 2014. Skowhegan has scored 22 runs in three tourney games. The Indians totaled 21 runs in all four games in 2014.

“We’ve been hitting the ball really well the last three games,” Bedard said. “We’re doing what we can to get runs in. We’ve just got to keep hitting the ball.”

Skowhegan faces a Biddeford team coming off a stunning upset of top-seeded Scarborough. That game will be at 4 p.m. at Bailey Field. The Tigers (15-4) were the fourth seed and also have gone 9-2 intheir last 11. Biddeford was most recently in the state game in 2008,  and won it all in 2006. The Tigers lineup features two Miss Maine Softball finalists in Kirsten Lebreaux and Erin Martin.

“Biddeford won just like Thornton beat Scarborough, the No. 1 team,” said Bedard, noting the similarities to the 2014 state game. We’re just exactly where we were two years ago.”

Class C

Two Class C juggernauts meet at 12:30 p.m. This will be the third trip to the state championship for Madison (19-0) in the last four years, while Bucksport (18-1) has won three of the past four state titles, including a 7-0 win over the Bulldogs in 2013.

The Bulldogs lost in last year’s regional final, despite being the top seed. Madison has won 19 in a row, not including the Mountain Valley Conference championship game. Madison won the state title over Calais in 2014 and has much of that team, including standout pitcher Madeline Wood and Miss Maine Softball finalist Aly LeBlanc.

Bucksport has won eight straight and are the defending state champions after beating Telstar 9-4 last year. The Bucks’ only loss was a 7-6 defeat to Orono last month.

Class B

The York Wildcats will be playing in their first state game since 1991 in Brewer. York (18-1) has won 18 consecutive games and boasts one of the state’s top pitchers in senior Stephanie Rundlett, a finalist for Miss Maine Softball.

“We’ve always wanted to be here,” Rundlett said. “We worked towards this point the whole time. We knew we could do it and we just kept working. The fact that it’s on Saturday and we’re going to be playing in it is amazing. It’s going to be a great way to end our careers for us seniors.”

York rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the B South final against Greely. The Wildcats even had to regroup after the Rangers tied the game with two outs in the seventh inning. York produced the game-winner in the bottom of the inning.

“We’ve done that all year,” said York coach Mona Blais, who team’s only loss came against Traip in the opener with a shorthanded club during April vacation. “We’ve been hidden down in the South. York softball has been dead for so many years. I coached all these kids in the middle school and came up with them and that makes it even more special.”

York plays Old Town at 4 p.m. at Coffin Field.  The Coyotes (16-3) have won eight straight and returns to the state final, where Old Town won in 2012.

kmills@sunjournal.com

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