Emily McKenney and the Bulldogs were clearly in their element Monday afternoon. McKenney pitched a four-hitter and drove in four runs with a double and a three-run homer as top-ranked Madison defeated No. 4 Winthrop, 14-2, in a game called in the bottom of the sixth inning by the mercy rule.

AUGUSTA — Maybe it was the pressure of defending a state title with much of the same personnel. Maybe it was Sonja Morse’s injury. Maybe it was just Bangor’s day. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe it was everything. Whatever the reason, Cony’s run toward its second consecutive Class A softball state championship ended in its first playoff game. No. 7 Bangor used the brilliant pitching of Skylar Cassum and hitting up and down the lineup to take a stunning 6-4 victory over second-seeded Cony in Wednesday afternoon’s Eastern A quarterfinal.

SOUTH CHINA — Erskine and Lawrence both entered the Eastern A softball playoffs as tournament underdogs. Erskine is in its final year in Class A, while Lawrence fought from a rough start to the season to make the postseason for the first time in six years.

Central Maine will be well-represented at today’s Round of 48 boys and girls state singles tennis championships. That’s especially true for the Waterville girls.