AUGUSTA – After not pitching for five days, Buckfield High School pitcher Kasey Farrington didn’t know what to expect entering Thursday’s senior All-Star games at Cony High School.

It was just like the Bucks’ ace had never left the pitching circle, as she struck out nine batters in four innings to help the Western Maine Classes C-D All-Stars roll to a 14-2 victory over the East in the second game of the doubleheader at Cony Family Field.

The West A-B stars defeated the East stars 9-1 in the first game.

In the C-D game, Farrington, who recently led Buckfield to its second straight state crown, was in control from the outset, retiring the first seven batters via the strikeout.

“I was surprised, I haven’t pitched since Saturday, warming up I was a little bit rusty,” said Farrington, who didn’t allow a hit in her four innings of work.

Farrington was given a lead before she even threw a pitch, as the West broke through for five first-inning runs, then scored two more in the third and four in the fourth in the nine-inning contest.

The hard-throwing Farrington was befuddled at her strikeout numbers against a strong-hitting East lineup.

“Those girls are really good hitters, I was surprised I got as many strikeouts as I did,” she said.

One of those such hitters, Sumner of East Sullivan slugger Morgan Traxler, belted a long solo home run over the left-center field fence and over the street behind the field in the bottom of the eighth.

After fouling off a fastball at the knees and pulling the ball down the left-field line earlier in the at-bat, Traxler got a similar pitch two pitches later and didn’t miss it.

“I usually can’t hit them when they’re chest high but when they’re right above the knees that’s when I like to hit them,” said Traxler.

Of the four Eastern Maine standouts that garnered Regional Player of the Year honors – Bangor’s Amy Hackett (Class A), Mattanawcook of Lincoln’s Bri Hanscom (B) and Sumner’s Kayla Higgins (Class C), the honor was most gratifying to Ashland pitcher Whitney Flint, who was hampered by a hand injury in the postseason.

“I wasn’t expecting it at all … it makes you kind of feel like all the hard work kind of paid off even though you got a little injury at the end,” said Flint, who saw time at shortstop Thursday night while cousin Mindy Chasse had significant time behind the plate.

Washington Academy of East Machias’ Kayla Wood was the East’s only other player with an extra-base hit with a fourth-inning double.

In the A-B game, Nokomis of Newport ace Patrice Cianchette turned in a solid outing, striking out three and giving up only two hits while not allowing a run in two innings pitched.

“It was the funniest thing of my whole career, it was a blast just playing ball,” said Cianchette. “I didn’t give up any runs I was pretty happy.”

The East jumped out on top in the bottom of the second, as Hampden Academy’s Michelle Wells laced a two-out single to center and scored as Bangor’s Hackett reached on a throwing error.

That lead was short-lived, as the West struck back for a run in the fifth and two more in the sixth before putting it away with a six-run uprising in the seventh.

Thornton Academy of Saco’s Kayla Nielsen spearheaded that surge with a three-run triple.

HA’s Littlefield quieted the West’s bats in the final two innings, striking out four in two perfect innings of work.

Mattanawcook of Lincoln’s Deni Nicastro and Tasha Manning of Ellsworth singled for the East.

(A-B Game)

West 000 012 600 – 9 10 2

East 010 000 000 – 1 5 2

Dimatteo, Hutchins (3), Taplin (5), Kluna (6), Warn (7) and Nielsen, Blier (4), Humphrey (5), Wescott (6); Cianchette, Kennedy (3), Knowlen (5), Nicastro (6), Willey (7), Littlefield (8) and Gott, Labbe (2), Durgin (5), Labbe (7), Gott (8)

(C-D Game)

West 502 300 130 – 14 11 0

East 000 000 110 – 2 7 1

Harris, Wood (3), Chapman (5), Harris (7), Chapman (9) and Higgins, Chasse (3), Higgins (5), Harris (9); Farrington, Crockett-Rice (5) and Henderson, Smith (3), Field (5), Hayden (7)

rmclaughlin@bangordailynews.net

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