MADISON — It happens every year, in every sport. A team will have an off game and the players and coaches will say that it’s better to get it out of the way early.

Unfortunately for Madison, the Bulldogs weren’t that lucky with their timing. Madison happened to play one below-average game this season, and it was Saturday afternoon against fourth-seeded Dirigo in the Western C softball semifinals. Dirigo was generally on its game, and defeated top-ranked Madison, 9-3.

“Sometimes things happen on days like that,” said Madison coach Al Veneziano, whose team finishes at 15-3. “They have, traditionally throughout the year, made the plays. I’m very proud of what they’ve done throughout the season.”

Dirigo outhit Madison only 10-9 and each team committed four errors. But the Cougars had six walks and ran the bases more effectively. With Dirigo ahead 4-3 in the top of the fifth inning, Tasha DeRoche drew a leadoff walk and caught Madison napping by continuing right to second.

In the seventh, Madison third baseman Nathalie Michaud fielded a grounder with a runner on first, but had no play because nobody covered second base. In contrast, the Cougars turned two ground ball double plays, which is a rarity in softball because of the short distance between the bases. Madison also made some nice plays — a fake-throw-and-tag play by Michaud, and a marvelous diving catch by left fielder Shelby Cutten — but not enough to change the momentum for good.

Perhaps most telling, Madison pitcher Emily McKenney had to throw 138 pitches, and Dirigo’s Alyssa Wade threw only 72. Wade struck out just one batter, but walked none, and never went to a three-ball count.

“She’s a control pitcher,” Dirigo coach Sara Thurston said. “She’s coming back from a bicep injury, so it’s a perfect time for her to start (saying), ‘I can handle it. I can do this again.’ “

Dirigo (12-6) scored three times in the top of the first on two walks, a double by Alyssa Charity and a sacrifice fly by Ambyr Wilson. Michaud (4 for 4) got one of those runs back when she beat out a bunt, stole second, went to third on another bunt and scored on McKenney’s single up the middle.

Madison tied the score at 3 in the third when Courtney Taylor came home on an error and Michaud scored on Sierra LeBlanc’s sacrifice bunt. Meanwhile, Dirigo was leaving a lot on the table. The Cougars had runners at first and third with no outs in the second, and second and third with no outs in the third, but didn’t score either time.

“I thought when we tied it up, the momentum was going to switch, and we would take over the game,” Veneziano said.

It was not to be. Dirigo went ahead for good in the fourth when Megan Bradbury chopped a double past Michaud at third and scored on Natalie Bolduc’s sacrifice fly. Bradbury’s sister, Gretchen, had three hits, including an RBI single in the fifth to make it 5-3. In the circle, Wade allowed only three hits — all singles — over the final four innings.

Madison graduates only two players, but both were big impact players. Michaud had seven hits in two playoff games, and Belanger batted cleanup all season and made first-team all-conference.

“I thought the kids played hard all season,” Veneziano said. “It’s a very young group. I thought the kids played very well.”

Matt DiFilippo — 861-9243

mdifilippo@centralmaine.com

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