They’re just as good as advertised, if not better so far.

The Bangor High School softball team’s pitching staff has been mowing down its opponents early this season, thanks in large part to Sam Bedore’s 24 strikeouts in victories over Skowhegan and Nokomis of Newport and Sam Bess and Amy Wadleigh combining to no-hit Lawrence of Fairfield.

Wadleigh has returned to the Bangor pitching fold after undergoing shoulder surgery last fall.

“It’s a lot stronger, a lot more in shape, it feels good,” said Wadleigh, who worked with a physical therapist over the winter after having surgery.

As a staff, the trio of Wadleigh, Besse and Bedore had allowed only one run on two hits through three games this spring.

Wadleigh was solid in her first outing of the season against the Bulldogs, striking out three and walking none in two innings of work before giving way to Besse, who fanned four and walked one in three innings.

“When I was warming up everything was moving the way it was supposed to [and] I was hitting my spots, so it was good,” said Wadleigh after the 23-0 triumph over Lawrence.

Wadleigh, whose Rams improve to 4-0 with a victory over Mt. Blue of Farmington on Monday afternoon, certainly won’t be in danger of having to carry the load this spring.

“Not having all the weight on my shoulder, it’s great, especially with both the Sams,” she said.

Wadliegh admitted that’s how she injured her shoulder.

“Throwing a lot [in] summer leagues … overworking it,” she said.

Wadleigh, who features a drop, curveball, riseball and changeup to complement her fastball, is confident the Rams’ pitching depth could lead to a deep run into the postseason.

“We’re bonding great, it’s the best team I’ve probably ever been on,” she said. “At the Skowhegan game, the last out, it was just the best feeling knowing we were going to get that out and that win.”

Coyotes end slide

Last week, the Old Town softball team accomplished something they hadn’t in almost three years.

The Coyotes won a game. Better yet, they won two.

Coach Lance Cowan’s ballclub swept Caribou in a Thursday doubleheader, earning two 15-3 victories over the Vikings for their first wins since the 2005 season.

Old Town had gone winless in both the 2006 and 2007 campaigns, their final ones in Class A before dropping to the Class B ranks this season.

The Coyotes had dropped 33 consecutive games after posting a 6-10 mark in 2005.

They opened the season with a 5-2 setback to rival Orono before sweeping the Vikes.

Jenna Winegardner and Whitney Buck combined for six RBIs in the first game while Sarah Wilcox pounded out a two-run homer in the second for Old Town. Hannah Morin and Amy Cossar each plated three runs as the Coyotes banged out 22 hits over the two games.

Blue Devils on the run

For what’s believed to be the first time ever, Calais High School is fielding an outdoor track and field team.

The Blue Devils, who competed in a multi-team meet at Orono last weekend, had previously run individually with Downeast Athletic Conference foe Narraguagus of Harrington.

The Calais boys scored 23 points to finish ninth out of 11 scoring schools while the girls were eighth out of 10 schools with 18 points.

The Blue Devils had two individual second-place finishes on the boys’ side, Blake Ford’s 42-foot, 2-inch effort in the shot put and Zach Carle’s 11 minute, 38.73-second finish in the 3,200 meters.

Calais’ other points came from the 4×400 relay quartet of Greg Jackson, Spencer McCormick, Scott Carpenter and Ryan Cavanaugh, which finished fourth, Andrei Ford’s sixth-place finish in the 3,200 and Jackson’s fifth in the 400.

Also in the boys’ meet, Woodland’s Scott Boomer scored seven individual points, and meet director Mary Cady believes he’s the first Dragons’ athlete to compete in a Penobscot Valley Conference track and field meet.

Woodland has fielded full teams in cross country.

Boomer placed sixth in the 1,600 meters in 5:10, coming out of the first heat to do so. He previously earned fifth in the 100 in 12.49 and capped his afternoon with a 25.06 clocking in the 200, good for fourth place.

The Calais girls got a 2-3 finish out of Shannon Scarlett and Krista Morrison in the 400 along with a fifth-place effort from Jackie Magoon, Esther Oliver, Hillary Provencher and Shannon Scarlett in the 4×400.

rmclaughlin@bangordailynews.net

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