BANGOR

When the Richmond High School basketball program made the switch last season to competing in the tough Mountain Valley Conference, those in the know wondered if this was a good move.

Was the smallish program that had played in the East- West Conference able to compete with the big teams of the MVC?

Up stepped senior Zach Small, who not only led the Bobcats to a solid campaign, but garnered MVC Player of the Year recognition.

How might Small top his basketball accolades?

How about pitching your team to a State Class D baseball championship?

That is exactly what the senior did, leading Richmond to an 11-0 whitewash of Fort Fairfield at Mansfield Stadium in Bangor on Saturday.

“I have been dreaming of this since I was 5-years-old,” said Small after celebrating with his teammates and posing for photos in front of the right-field scoreboard.

Behind Small flashed something he was unaware of — Small had just pitched a no-hitter! Yes, nothing for the Class D North champion Tigers, who often flailed at pitches in the dirt or stepped back from what looked like an inside pitch that sharply curved across the inside corner of the plate.

“I had no idea that I had a no-hitter until I got out here and saw the scoreboard. It was over five, but it sure feels good,” said Small, who struck out seven, walked one and hit a batter.

“When we gave Zach the ball, we felt that no one could beat us,” said Richmond longtime coach Ryan Gardner after Small led his Bobcats to an 18-1 record and the program’s first state baseball title since 2010. “He just brings confidence, and brings competitiveness. He brings the team up, saying ‘pick your heads up, come on we can do this.’ He is our engine.”

Disappointment

That ultimate feeling of winning a state title might not have occurred for Small and his Bobcats without disappointing losses over the past three years.

In Small’s freshman year, Richmond fell to rival Searsport, 13-3, in the Class D South regional final at Saint Joseph’s College in Standish. It was the first of three straight regional titles for the Vikings, who went on to win three consecutive State Class D baseball championships.

As a sophomore, Valley dispatched the Bobcats in the D South semifinals, and last year, the junior hurler was clearly frustrated after Searsport again ended Richmond’s season in the regional final, again at Saint Joseph’s, 6-2.

With all the success Small had enjoyed on the basketball court and the diamond, one thing was missing — a state championship!

Then came 2018, a season with much promise, with a senior-laden group ready to challenge for a baseball title this year.

A 14-1 regular season and postseason wins over Temple Academy and Greenville followed, setting up a third matchup in four seasons with rival Searsport in the regional final in Standish.

This year was different. This team was different. This was a Bobcats squad that realized the one thing missing was consistently at the plate.

“They hit, hit, hit, and hit some more in the two days leading up to the Searsport game,” said Gardner. “They realized after the Greenville game (a 3-2 win), that we needed to do more at the plate, and they took it upon themselves to work on it and get better.”

What followed was an offensive onslaught. The Vikings walked off the field stunned after Richmond scored five first-inning runs on Wednesday. Three times in that opening frame Searsport outfielders turned toward the outfield fence, chasing hard-hit line drives off of Bobcat bats, resulting in two triples and a double.

The end result … a 14-6 demolition of the defending champs and a spot in the state championship game.

Small was unable to pitch in the victory, instead watching classmate Matt Rines throw five innings for the “W.” Having thrown a complete game in the Greenville win, Small had to wait until Saturday to unleash his exploding fastball and wicked curve.

“You always want your ace in the state title game,” said Gardner 48 hours before Saturday’s impending tussle with Fort Fairfield.

For Small, he put the game into perspective.

“I told my coach, there were going to be nerves. But there was no question that this was going to be my last game, and I knew that I had to get in there, be comfortable, and use my stuff. I felt if I did that, we would be good,” the future University of Maine-Farmington student/ athlete said.

After his team once again staked him to an early lead (3-0), Small took over. He walked the first Tigers hitter, and Fort Fairfield put two balls in play. But Small settled in.

Prior to the game, while working out in the bullpen, senior catcher Trystin Shea predicted Small was going to turn in a memorable performance.

“He was spot-on in warm-ups. His fastball was on, he was throwing his curveball right where he wanted it. Everything seemed right,” said Shea.

Fort Fairfield had no answer for Small’s curveball. He began showing the big breaking pitch in the second inning. Often he started a pitch at a Tiger hitter. Each time, the pitch darted sharply to the inside corner of the plate for a called strike. Three Fort Fairfield batters were called out on strikes, while four more swung at pitches in the dirt, as Small finished with seven strikeouts.

“The way Zach threw was amazing. He did a phenomenal job,” said Shea. “When I called that first curveball, the kid couldn’t touch it. I knew it was the pitch to go to, and Zach executed it every time. He just threw amazing today, the perfect way to end our high school careers.”

“He was the fastest pitcher that we had seen this year, and he had a great curveball. He was tough,” said Fort Fairfield coach John Ala after his Tigers concluded their season with a 15-3 record.

Now, Small takes his skills to UMF, hoping to one day lead the Beavers to championship glory.

As far as baseball goes, “I will remember this moment for a long time,” concluded Small.

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