MONMOUTH — All Becky Bryant could do was watch and wait.

As the Monmouth Academy softball opened its season, Bryant wasn’t slated to pitch until the following day. So she had to be patient for her chance.

Wednesday, it was her time to shine and the junior hurler made the most of it.

“I don’t really get nervous,” Bryant said. “I get excited to pitch. I like pitching. I want to get out there and see what I can do.”

Bryant struck out 13 and allowed just three hits as the Mustangs earned their first win of the season, beating Mt. Abram 11-2.

“Becky threw strikes,” Monmouth coach Dave Kaplan said. “That was the key to the game. She threw strikes and she only walked (three).”

Monmouth lost to Mountain Valley Tuesday 12-5. Senior Paxton Lessard had the pitching duties, but the Mustangs struggled in the field. That wasn’t the case Wednesday. Monmouth had just one error and was solid in the field. Kylie Kemp at third and Caroline Bonenfant as short made some sparkling plays to lead the defense.

“(Tuesday) was the first time out and defensively, we struggled,” Kaplan said. “We were much better today. There are kids in new positions. They’re getting used to it now. We’ll get a few practices in now before our next game and we’ll tighten it up.”

It was the first outing for Mt. Abram and the Roadrunners had similar opening-day issues. Though Mt. Abram got a solid pitching performance from Katie Jordan, some misplays in the field led to an early seven-run inning for the Mustangs.

“I thought we played OK,” Mt. Abram coach Marc Keller said. “We’re so young. I lost so much from last year. Everybody in the infield is new. I don’t have a single returning starter in the same position they were in last year.”

Jordan scattered eight hits and struck out nine. Four errors in the second and five overall didn’t help Mt. Abram’s cause.

“She threw strikes and that’s half the battle,” Keller said. “She was around the plate. If we can give her a little leather here and there, we’ll be all set.”

Mt. Abram got two runners on in the first on walks but Bryant settled down and struck out two in the first. She then struck out the side in the second. Mt. Abram had just five base runners the rest of the way, three on hits, one on a walk and one on an error.

“It was the first game of the season and the first time I’ve pitched,” Bryant said. “I was just trying to hit spots. I was trying to work my different pitches a little bit. I wanted to see what happened and see what was working.”

Monmouth opened the lead in the second. Singles by Haley Fletcher and Bryant and Lessard getting hit by a pitch started the trouble.

Bryant’s single scored the first run when it was bobbled in the outfield, allowing Fletcher to score. After a run scored on a wild pitch, Bryant scored on an error on a Sabrina Beck grounder. Then another error on a Bonenfant grounder allowed two more runs to score for a 5-0 lead. Kylie Kemp followed with an RBI double. She later scored on a wild pitch.

“It’s the second time we’ve really played a game,” said Keller, whose team scrimmaged Richmond in the preseason. “We’ve got to get used to the game situations and atmosphere.”

Mt. Abram got two runs back in the fifth when Jordan singled in two runs. Olivia Ryan and Marya Beedy had the other hits in the game for the Roadrunners (0-1).

Monmouth (1-1) added four runs in the sixth. Kylie Kemp singled in a run and later scored on a wild pitch. Shannon Buzzell plated a run with a fielder’s choice and Lessard singled in a run.

“It’s something to make the week a little better,” said Bryant about the win. “It’s nice to know I have a good defense behind me and know I can let them hit it and they’ll take care of it.”

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