BUCKSPORT – As sure as April showers bring May flowers, the arrival of June means the schoolgirl softball teams from Bucksport and Maine Central Institute get together for an Eastern Maine Class B playoff game.

It’s happened three times in the last four years, the latest being Tuesday’s “B” regional semifinal contest played here.

With MCI winning a pair of EM titles over the Bucks in the previous postseason meetings, this time around the Golden Bucks came out on top in another classic confrontation.

The final score: Bucksport 2, MCI 1.

Mike Carrier’s No. 2 Golden Bucks, now 17-1, advance to Thursday’s regional final, where they will face top-seeded Winslow.

Third-seeded MCI of Pittsfield finishes 13-5.

When Bucksport and MCI get together, all eyes are on Jen Wardwell and Becky Vaughan, two of the top Eastern Maine pitchers to ever fire a 40-foot fastball.

Both players performed magnificently on Tuesday with Bucksport’s Wardwell firing a three-hitter, striking out nine, and walking none. MCI’s Vaughan, meanwhile, gave up just two hits, struck out eight, and walked none.

“I have a lot of respect for that entire team,” Wardwell said. “I respect Becky’s talents and I enjoy pitching against her. We have a big rivalry.”

The difference in this one was defense.

Four MCI errors, three by first baseman Jodie Cummings, led to both of Bucksport runs as it took a 2-0 lead after four innings.

In the home half of the first, Sue Smith led off by getting hit with a pitch. Kristin Ready then grounded back to Vaughan, whose throw to first was not handled by Cummings, allowing Smith to race to third.

Jen Marzolf then plated Smith with a fly ball to left.

With one out in the fourth, Wardwell roped a shot to right field. MCI’s Emily Walker, playing shallow, came up with the ball and fired a strike to first, beating Wardwell by a step and a half, but Cummings dropped the ball.

Wardwell stole second and went to third when a swinging third strike to Katy Bakeman got by MCI catcher Jesse Barnes. Barnes’ throw to first deflected off Cummings glove, allowing Wardwell to score.

On the mound, meanwhile, Wardwell, with her occasional Monica Seles-like grunt, was cruising.

After allowing a two-out, third-inning single to Mary Wintle, Wardwell retired 11 straight Huskies heading into the seventh.

In the seventh, MCI threatened with Vaughan lining a one-out triple to center. Pinch runner Suzanna Barnes scored on Alison Cropley’s groundout to second and Wardwell struck out Dion Rossignol to end it.

“We’ve never beaten MCI in a playoff game so this one is sweet,” said Wardwell. “It’s extremely sweet. For us four seniors that have had two Eastern Maine championships taken away from us by that team, to win this is just great.”

Golden Bucks 2, Huskies 1

Maine Central Institute Bucksport girls

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

Wintle, 2b 3 0 1 0 Smith, 2b 2 1 0 0

J. Barnes, c 3 0 0 0 Ready, c 3 0 0 0

Walker, rf 3 0 0 0 Marzolf, ss 2 0 0 1

B.Vaughan, p 3 0 1 0 Wardwell, p 3 1 0 0

b-S.Barnes 0 1 0 0 Bakeman, rf 3 0 0 0

Cropley, cf 3 0 1 1 Sanna, cf 3 0 2 0

Rossignol, ss 3 0 0 0 Brown, lf 3 0 0 0

T.Vaughan, 3b 2 0 0 0 Tripp, dh 2 0 0 0

M.Ciancette, lf 2 0 0 0 Hoke, 3b 0 0 0 0

Cummings, 1b 1 0 0 0 Senter, 1b 2 0 0 0

a-C.Ciancette 1 0 0 0

Totals 24 1 3 1 Totals 23 2 2 1

a-struck out for Cummings in sixth

b-scored for B.Vaughan in seventh

Maine Central Institute 000 000 1 – 1

Bucksport 100 100 x – 2

E – Cummings 3, Wintle; Senter 3B – B.Vaughan LOB – MCI 2, Bucksport 5 DP – Senter to Smith SB – Wintle; Wardwell, Bakeman SF – Marzolf

Pitching Summary

PITCHER IP H R ER BB SO

MCI

B.Vaughan (L,12-4) 6 2 2 0 0 8

Bucksport

Wardwell (W, 14-1) 7 3 1 1 0 9

HBP – Smith (by B.Vaughan) WP – B. Vaughan PB – Barnes; Ready TIME -1:15