STANDISH — In high school softball, no player has a bigger role than the pitcher.

Unlike baseball, in which a pitcher must rest at least three days after throwing four or more innings, a softball pitcher can — and often does — go the distance in every scheduled game.

That was the story this season for Bucksport’s Cassidy Adams.

The junior righthander capped a superb season — 14 shutouts and only 10 runs allowed — with a two-hit shutout as the Golden Bucks downed the Dirigo Cougars 2-0 at St. Joseph College Saturday for the State Class C Softball Championship.

The Bucks and Adams proved to be equal to their toughest test of the season, preserving a perfect 20-0 record by scoring the only runs of the game in the fifth inning.

For the first four innings, the Bucks threatened but could not score against Dirigo righthander Alyssa Wade.

With two outs in the first inning, Bailey Blair and Jen Wight each singled and Kacie Hurd reached on an error to load the bases.

But Wade escaped the jam, getting Debbie Wight on a fly ball to right field.

In the fourth inning, Hurd led off with a ringing double and moved to third on a sacrifice by Debbie Wight.

But Hurd was cut down at the plate as Wade fielded Jen Wight’s bunt and tossed the ball to catcher Alyssa Charity for the tag.

Alanna Davis followed with a single, but again the Bucks left two runners stranded as Wade ended the inning with a strikeout pitch to Bri Bires.

The Bucks got the only runs they needed in the top of the fifth.

Shelby Redman stroked a one-out single, went to second on a ground out by Blair and to third on a wild pitch.

Sadie Wight waked and stole second, and Hurd tapped a slow roller to third baseman Gretchen Bradbury and beat the throw to first.

With both runners on the move, Bradbury threw home but her throw sailed over Charity’s head and Redman and Wight slid safely into the plate just seconds apart.

The Bucks again put two runners aboard in the sixth on two-out singes by Bires and Mindy Pye but Redman flied out to left to end the inning.

Meanwhile, Adams proved all but invincible, allowing just two hits — a slow roller down the first base line and a solid single — by Dirigo’s Mariah Larsen, striking out six batters and walking nobody.

The Bucks managed eight hits but veteran coach Mike Carrier expected more.

“I really thought we were going to break it open and just start pounding the ball,” he said. “The kids started pressing, I think, and getting under the ball and popping it up.”

But, as Carrier pointed out, you play for one run and hope you get more.

And Adams doesn’t require a big lead.

“She doesn’t walk people, and we play great defense behind her,” said Carrier. “Everybody knows she throws strikes and they still can’t hit her.”

Adams said after the game that she relied primarily on her curve and her fast ball to stifle the Cougars.

She also paid tribute to her defense. “We barely made any errors this year,” she said, “and without them, I wouldn’t be able to do it. They’re amazing.”

It was the fifth state softball championship for the Golden Bucks, who won Class B titles in 1984, 1986, 1987 and 2006 before being reclassified to Class C this year.

Senior catcher Mindy Pye of the Bucksport Golden Bucks is one of four finalists for the honor of Miss Maine Softball. Pye batted .606 this season, drove in 29 runs and hit five home runs for the Bucks. The award will be presented between two Senior All-Star Games at Cony High School on Thursday.

For more sports news, pick up a copy of The Ellsworth American.