It’s the first of two meetings this season, but if things turn out like they usually do, it will be the first of three.

Richmond and Buckfield, annually the top two teams in Western D softball, meet at 4 p.m., today in Richmond.

“No matter what, each one plays each other tough,” Richmond coach Rick Coughlin said. “It’s such a rivalry, that both teams are up for it. We’ve had such great games with them throughout the years.”

Richmond defeated Vinalhaven, 21-1, in its only game this season. The Bobcats also had an excellent preseason, beating traditional Class C contenders Telstar and Monmouth.

“(In) preseason, we play good quality opponents, to get us ready for down the road,” Coughlin said. “It helps us immensely.”

Coughlin said his batters are making contact more consistently than they have in the past. Senior pitcher Leandra Martin, who previously tore both anterior cruciate ligaments in separate incidents, is fully healthy and pitching brilliantly.

“She has a lot of confidence,” Coughlin said. “She wants the ball, and she had a real good preseason.”

The way Martin is throwing, and with the power of Jamie Plummer, Richmond’s other top pitcher, opposing teams would be expected to try to bunt their way on base. But third baseman Ciarra Lancaster has effectively shut off that option.

“She really had some great plays this preseason,” Coughlin said. “She knows exactly what to do. She plays a great third base.”

• • •

After being no-hit Tuesday by Maranacook’s Sarah Boynton, Oak Hill bounced back Wednesday with five runs in the first three innings to post a 6-4 victory over Waterville. First-year coach Allyson Collins said the Raiders had usually been scoring their runs later in the game.

“It was nice to come out a little earlier and put some runs together,” Collins said. “They came in (Wednesday) pretty loose. It was nice to kind of relax back at our home field and string a few hits together.”

Defense was a question mark for the Raiders, but Collins says she has seen great improvement in that area.

“I’ve been very proud of the team defensively,” Collins said. “I think they’ve come a long way. We just need to get the bats going, and I think we did that (against Waterville).”

Two reasons for the improved defense are junior first baseman Brianna Hodgkins and freshman second baseman Sadie Goulet. Hodgkins has done some extra work after practice and it’s paid off at the plate and in the field. Goulet, meanwhile, has no errors through four games.

“(Sadie’s) been extremely gutsy — just down and dirty,” Collins said.

• • •

Skowhegan coach Lee Johnson said during preseason he and his assistants were trying to figure out what defensive lineup would work best in the long run. Four games into the season, Skowhegan is 2-2, but nothing is completely settled yet.

“It’s still a work in progress at this point,” Johnson said. “We know one (lineup) I think that will work for us, but we’re still looking at others. The kids have been very responsive, and they’ve handled it quite well.”

In the circle, senior Amanda Johnson and sophomore Kaitlyn Therriault have each started two games.

“They’re both pretty similar,” Coach Johnson said. “We have to consider what our defense looks like, depending on who we have on the mound.”

The players seem to hit well no matter where they play in the field. Skowhegan scored 33 runs on 44 hits in its first three games.

“We’re swinging the bats quite well for the most part,” Johnson said. “It’s just figuring out, defensively, what makes us best.”

Matt DiFilippo — 861-9243

mdifilippo@centralmaine.com

 

Copy the Story Link