Bucksport High School junior righthander Natalie Simpson tossed a three-hitter and Lexi Raymond drove in a pair of runs as the Golden Bucks claimed their sixth Class C North championship in 11 years and second straight by virtue of a 4-0 win over Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln on Tuesday night at the University of Maine’s Kessock Field.
Simpson struck out 12 and didn’t walk anyone. She threw an eye-opening 74 strikes among her 90 pitches.
She has allowed just one run in Bucksport’s three playoff victories.
Bucksport, 18-1 and winner of its last 18 games following a season-opening loss to Class B Ellsworth, will take on 17-2 Hall-Dale of Farmingdale in Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. state final at Kessock Field.
It is a rematch of last year’s final won by Hall-Dale 2-1. It was Hall-Dale’s third straight state title.
The shutout was Bucksport’s fifth over the last seven games.
“Natalie was masterful as she has been all year,” said Bucksport’s Rich Rotella, who is coaching the team along with Corey Bires and was chosen the Penobscot Valley Conference’s Class C Coach of the Year. “And she only threw two fastballs.”
Simpson, the PVC Class C Pitcher of the Year, also features a change-up, a rise ball, a curve and a screwball.
Raymond, who was moved from second to ninth in the lineup because she hit well in the nine spot last year according to Rotella, drove in a run in the two-run second inning with a base hit as did Sam Cyr.
Alivia Shute delivered a third-inning run with a fielder’s choice and Raymond singled in a sixth-inning run.
Raymond, Cyr, Jayden Tripp and Simpson each had two singles for the Bucks.
Natalie Tash, Lily Wotton and Lauren House each singled for Mattanawcook Academy.
Tash went the distance in the circle.
“We didn’t hit the ball well. (Simpson) did a great job. She threw strikes,” said MA coach Dean Libbey. “Both pitchers had great games. Both threw hard, mixed up their pitches and threw strikes. They kept the hitters off-balance.”
