STANDISH – Don Stanhope, the softball coach at Bangor High, looked at the roster of the Maine senior all-stars that played New Hampshire on Tuesday night at St. Joseph’s College and said to his assistant coaches, “Let’s travel the United States with this group.”
He was talking about one of the best senior classes of softball players Maine has had. And at the top of that list was one of his own: pitcher Samantha Bedore.
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Bedore was named the winner of the Miss Maine Softball Award on Tuesday night, ending a high school career that also saw her win the Maine Gatorade Softball Player of the Year award.
“This one feels awesome because I mean, it’s the top player in the state of Maine,” said Bedore. who was presented the award by Hannah Hill, last year’s winner from Fryeburg Academy. “I am a little surprised because there are a lot of amazing athletes in this class. It was an incredible senior class; to win this award is such an honor.”
Bedore, 18, will attend the University of Rhode Island on scholarship. She helped Bangor to its first Eastern Class A championship this season, going 18-2 with a 0.60 earned-run average. She struck out 230 batters in 1281/3 innings, walking only 37. At the plate, she batted .453.
She displayed all her talents in the 10-1 victory against the New Hampshire senior all-stars. She pitched the first two innings for Maine, striking out two. She didn’t allow a hit. She had a hit in her lone at-bat.
“This is a great honor for Sam,” said Stanhope. “It’s quite a group that she’s in. You saw this game; there’s talent all over the place.
“Sam really stands above a lot of the players she’s with, but you’d never know it the way she carries herself.”
Stanhope said she was unflappable and a great leader for his team: “She works hard. She brought that to our practices. She set the standard.”
Bedore gave up basketball after her freshman season to concentrate on softball.
She often traveled to Portland to play for the Frozen Ropes travel teams.
“Softball is what I love doing,” she said. “I would play it every day if I could.”
Theresa Hendrix of Cheverus was the other finalist for the award. She will attend Nyack College, a Division II school in New York, on scholarship.
“I’ve worked hard the last four years to become the best softball player I can be,” said Hendrix, who batted .651 for the Stags and also had an 11-4 pitching record. “And I guess being a finalist showed my hard work paid off.”
Staff Writer Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or at: mlowe@pressherald.com
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