BUCKSPORT – It’s a legacy. At least that’s what Bucksport pitcher Annette Caswell calls it.

She’s says pitching for the Golden Bucks is more about pride and tradition than balls and strikes.

“It’s a legacy you have to live up to,” Caswell said.

The senior more than lived up to it Saturday as she tossed a three-hitter, striking out seven, in leading second-seeded Bucksport to a 7-3 win over No. 6 Winslow in an Eastern Maine Class B softball semifinal.

The Golden Bucks, 15-2, will meet Erskine Academy Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Brewer High School’s Coffin Field for the Eastern Maine championship. Erskine of South China, 16-2, defeated Belfast 7-0 Saturday in the other Class B semifinal game.

Caswell’s start in softball came naturally enough. At the age of 9, she turned to her cousin, Pearla Bridges, for instruction.

Bridges was a stalwart pitcher for the Golden Bucks in the late 1980s and she took her young cousin under her wing.

“She was my pitching coach. I learned a lot from Pearla,” Caswell said.

Caswell says she was faster when she was younger but an injury to her left quad has forced her to back off a bit and count on her defense more. The Golden Bucks put on a defensive show Saturday.

A particular gem was turned in by second baseman Jessica Taylor who dove and caught a grounder by the Black Raiders Renee Loubier that was deflected by Bucksport first baseman Leah Page. The sophomore came up with the deflection, rolled and threw from her back to Page at first for the out. The play brought the large crowd at sun-soaked John Wardwell Field to its feet.

Taylor was also a catalyst at the plate. The sophomore lead-off hitter reached base and scored twice. On each occasion her speed on the base paths forced Winslow into defensive mistakes.

“Jessie’s on-base average, I will dare say, is the best in the state,” Bucksport coach Mike Carrier said. “She’s real close to .900. She can bunt. She can hit for power. She’s fast. For a sophomore she’s very, very good and only going to get better.”

After falling behind 2-1, the Golden Bucks tied the game in the fourth inning when Caswell hit a sacrifice fly to short center field that scored Jana Richards, who had doubled to start the inning.

Bucksport then took over the game in the fifth, scoring four times. Tara Tweedie led off the inning with a triple and came in to score on Ashley McAllian’s fielder’s choice grounder. Taylor then reached on a throwing error that sent McAllian around to third. Shortstop Kelly White followed with a sacrifice fly to left field that scored McAllian.

Taylor, who had stolen second base, scored one out later on a Heather Pelletier single to right center. Pelletier then scored the final run of the inning when Page tripled to right.

Page finished the game with three hits for Bucksport.

Winslow, 9-10, had taken a 2-1 lead in the third inning

Loubier and Amanda Roy started the inning with back-to-back singles and moved up a base on a wild pitch. Emily Couturier drove both players in with a single to left-center field.

“I think this team [Bucksport] is probably a state championship team, if I could predict,” Winslow coach Lori Loftus said. “But we didn’t play our game today. We had a lot of mental errors that never should have happened.”

Golden Bucks 7, Black Raiders 3

Winslow (9-10) Bucksport (15-2)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Couturier, rf 3 0 1 2 Taylor, 2b 4 0

Corey, cf 3 1 0 0 White, ss 3 0 2

LeClair, c 2 0 0 0 Richards, c 4 1 0

Morin, rf 3 0 0 0 Pelletier, rf 3 1 1

Flaherty, 3b 3 0 0 0 Page, 1b 3 0 1

Roderigue, ss 3 0 0 0 Caswell, p 1 1

Loubier, dh 3 1 1 0 a-Pollard 0 0 0

Roy, 2b 2 1 1 0 Gordan, 3b 3 0 0

Albert, 1b 2 0 0 0 Tweedie, cf 3 2 1

McAllian, lf 2 1 0 0

Totals 24 3 3 2 Totals 26 7 10 6

a-ran for Caswell in the fifth

Winslow 002 001 1 ? 3

Bucksport 100 141 x ? 7

E?Albert; Pelletier; LOB?Winslow 1; Bucksport 5; 2B?Richards; 3B?Page, Tweedie; DP?Gordan-Page; S?McAllian, White; SF?Caswell, White; SB?Corey 2, Roy; Pelletier 2, Taylor 2, Page

Visitor IP H R ER BB SO

McAvoy (6-4) 6 10 7 6 1 1

Home IP H R ER BB SO

Caswell (7-0) 7 3 3 2 1 7

WP?McAvoy, Caswell 2; T?1:31; ATT?250 (est.)