HAMPDEN, Maine — Mt. Blue junior shortstop Lauren Guppy believed her team hadn’t been producing offensively going into its game against Hampden Academy, but the Cougars broke out the bats Friday during an 8-0 victory over the Broncos in high school softball action.
“We needed to hit,” said Guppy. “We haven’t hit well the past couple games.”
Senior Rachel Bator gave the Cougars a lift, hitting a two-run home run in the top of the sixth and giving Mt. Blue an 8-0 lead.
“I felt pretty good about it,” Bator said of her home run which was sent over the center field fence. “I didn’t think it was going over.”
Junior pitcher Caitlin Kane kept the Broncos hitters off balance, pitching a complete game shutout. She allowed five hits while striking out two, and walked only one batter for her third win of the year.
Mt. Blue (4-6) got its offense going in the top of the second when junior Kayleigh Fontaine singled to bring home Bator. The Cougars broke the game open in the top of the third, scoring four runs and starting with Adrianna Brinkman’s double which scored senior Moesha Harrington.
Bator reached on an error in her first plate appearance to plate Brinkman, and later scored on an RBI single from sophomore Taylor Burke, extending Mt. Blue’s lead to 4-0. Burke would end up scoring on an RBI single from Caitlin Kane to complete the third-inning offensive onslaught.
Bator finished the game going 2 for 3, also hitting a triple while driving in two runs.
“They are finally playing the way I believed they were able to play,” said Mt. Blue head coach Charles Wallace. “They stepped in with confidence and they showed it today.”
The Cougars would get a run in the top of the fifth on another RBI single from Kane, pushing their lead to 6-0. Kane helped herself at the plate finishing 4 for 4 and driving in two runs.
“We had a very good practice after some hard losses,” said Wallace. “I think our practice yesterday carried over to today.”
The Broncos (2-8) had opportunities to score as they left eight runners on base but were unable to capitalize. The Broncos received a lift from second baseman junior Abby Lord who finished the game going 2 for 4 with a double.
Junior Mikala Leland pitched well in relief for the Broncos coming in the top of the third for sophomore starter Julia Sicard. Leland allowed just one run in two and two-thirds of relief, and struck out one.
Guppy believed Mt. Blue’s offensive production was the performance it needed for the rest of the season.
“We needed to come out together as a team,” she said. “No one was down on themselves today.”
Both teams are back in action on Monday as Mt. Blue looks to continue its offensive production on its home field against Brewer, while Hampden travels to Topsham to take on Mt. Ararat.