ELLSWORTH – The Bucksport baseball team got off to a rough start this year, going 4-4 through its first eight games. But since then the Golden Bucks have reeled off eight straight wins including a 5-2 defeat of Ellsworth Wednesday afternoon.

The 12-4 Golden Bucks did it Wednesday as they have throughout the run, with solid pitching, strong defense and timely hitting.

The pitching came courtesy of Phil Harvey, who improved to 5-1. The right-hander used a fastball and a curve to keep the 9-5 Eagles off balance. Harvey allowed five hits and struck out five. But said he wasn’t concerned when Ellsworth put the ball in play.

“I had a strong defense behind me. I don’t doubt the guys behind me. That’s why I don’t worry about them getting hits,” Harvey said.

The Golden Bucks were held to just six hits by Ellsworth pitcher Seth Mayo. But as has become their habit during their run to the playoffs, the Golden Bucks got them at the right time.

The big hit of the day came off the bat of designated hitter Robbie Pushard, who drove in two runs with a two-out single to right.

Bucksport led 3-2 going into the inning. Nye Gifford got things started with a one-out double down the right field line. Adam Sheehan and Marcus Boober walked to load the bases. One out later, Pushard ripped the first pitch he saw into right field to score Gifford and Sheehan.

“I was seeing pretty good today. I was looking for a fastball and I got one down the middle,” Pushard said.

The Golden Bucks scored a run in the first when Gifford walked and went to third on a Sheehan single. Gifford scored on a Boober grounder to short.

Bucksport added two runs in the second. Jake Knight reached on a one-out single and Gifford walked. Knight scored on an Ellsworth error and Boober brought in Gifford with a groundout to short.

Ellsworth had tied the game at 1-1 in the first when Mayo had an infield single and went to second on an overthrow to first base. He came in to score on a Nick Putnam single.

Jon Hunnewell scored a run in the third to pull the Eagles to within 3-2 after reaching via the only walk Harvey would give up. Hunnewell worked his way to third on a Bucksport infield error and a Mayo fielder’s choice grounder. He came in to score when Putnam grounded out to short.

Mayo had a pair of hits for Ellsworth and Chase Buckingham had a double.

Following the game, the Eagles piled onto a bus to make the trip to Brewer for a night game with the Witches. The recent bad weather forced the makeup game on the last day of the regular season. But Ellsworth coach Dana Smith said the Brewer game was not a distraction.

“We were focused on Bucksport. They don’t make mistakes. [Harvey] threw well. Seth battled them,” Smith said.

As for the Golden Bucks, they climbed on their bus with knowledge that they are a team on a roll going into the playoffs.

“We’ve got it going. It feels good. It’s good timing by our team,” Pushard said.

GOLDEN BUCKS 5, EAGLES 2

Bucksport (12-4) Ellsworth (9-5)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Knight, cf 4 1 1 0 Honnewell, 2b 1 1 0

Gifford, 3b 2 3 1 0 Cobb, 2b 1 0 0

Sheehan, ss 3 1 1 0 b-Jordan 1 0 0

Boober, c 3 0 0 2 Hardison, ss 4 0 0

Pelletier, lf 3 0 0 0 Mayo, p 3 1 0

Pushard,dh 3 0 2 2 Putnam, 3b 3 0 2

Cain, rf 0 0 0 0 Jones, lf 3 0 0

Jackson, 2b 3 0 0 0 Wood, cf 3 0 0

Harvey, p 3 0 0 0 Jordan, 1b 3 0 0

Wentworth, 1b 3 0 1 0 Buckingham, rf 3 0

a-Perkins 0 0 0 0 Hant, c 3 0 0 0

Totals 27 5 6 4 Totals 28 2 5 2

a-ran for Wentworth in 6th; b-grounded out for Cobb in 7th

Bucksport 102 020 0 ? 5

Ellsworth 101 000 0 ? 2

E?Sheehan, Wentworth; Hardison, Putnam; LOB?Bucksport 5; Ellsworth 5; 2B?Gifford; Buckingham; SB?Pushard 2, Knight

Bucksport IP H R ER BB SO

Harvey (W,5-1) 7 5 2 1 1 5

Ellsworth IP H R ER BB SO

Mayo (L,4-4) 7 6 5 4 2 4

T?1:37; ATT?100 (est.)