RICHMOND — After Friday afternoon’s 18-1 victory over Greenville in the Class D South semifinals, the Richmond High School softball team presented former coach Rick Coughlin with a gift — a blanket adorned with a team picture. It was in appreciation of Coughlin, who stepped down prior to the season after 29 years and seven state championships, and the win streak that began under his watch.

The blanket also was a reminder to the Bobcats that their win streak — which now sits at 68 games — is just a means to an end.

“The streak is still going. Now let’s play the game,” Richmond coach Tony Martin said. “The girls are very proud of that, now let’s finish the season strong. The girls, they’re focused.”

No. 1 Richmond, now 16-0, will face either No. 3 Buckfield (14-3) or No. 2 Vinalhaven (10-4) in the regional championship game at 7 p.m. Wednesday at St. Joseph’s College in Standish. No. 4 Greenville finished 15-3.

The Bobcats spotted the Lakers an unearned run in the top of the first inning, but once Richmond’s offense caught a spark, it didn’t let up. The Bobcats scored 11 runs in the third inning and added seven more in the fourth to trigger the mercy rule. Once through the lineup was all Richmond needed to figure out Greenville pitcher Lily Pelletier.

“That’s been kind of our thing, I think. Once we see (a pitcher) once, shake the nerves out a little bit, we get into it. And that really showed this game,” said catcher Sydney Tilton, who had three hits and drove in three runs.

No. 9 hitter Camryn Hurley started the bottom of the third for Richmond by getting hit by a pitch. Four batters later, Tilton’s triple to left field drove in a pair of runs, and the Bobcats led 4-0. Richmond sent 10 hitters to the plate before making an out in the third, not only hitting well but capitalizing on four Greenville errors.

“They go through the lineup, they make me nervous but they come up that second time around, look out. They’re ready to play. They stay confident,” Martin said. “They hit the ball hard and that’s the name of the game.”

Emily Douin, whom coach Martin said had been struggling, delivered another big hit in the 11-run third inning: A two-run triple. Douin added an RBI single in the fourth.

“She needed that,” Martin said. “She’s had a hard time at the plate. I’ve got confidence in the girl. She can hit the ball. She just needs confidence in herself, and I think it’s coming around at the right time of the year.”

Kelsea Anair had three hits and drove in two runs for the Bobcats, who banged out 15 hits.

The Lakers scored their run in the first. Shelby Cowin reached on a single, went to second base on a wild pitch and scored on an error. After that, Richmond pitcher Meranda Martin found her groove, allowing just three hits while striking out six.

“We’ve had some games where they’ve got the first run but that makes us work harder,” Tilton said. “That makes us dig deeper. We know how to do that. We know how to do that in every sport and come together.”

Coach Martin chalked up the slow start to rust. Richmond hadn’t played since the regular season finale May 31.

“We haven’t played in a week and a half. We didn’t get any scrimmages in,” he said.

Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242

tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @TLazarczykMTM

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