Pelletier has allowed just four runs all season, including a pair of unearned runs scored by the Eddies in the seventh inning. She struck out nine, walked one and gave up five hits.

“Kristen has a good mine set,” Messalonskee coach Leo Bouchard said. “A couple of times we got into trouble and she just comes back at you. Nothing rattles her.”

Messalonskee, the defending Class A state champions, improved to 9-0 while Edward Little dipped to 7-2. The Eagles opened the season with six straight shutouts.

“I can’t be more pleased with the way we played. We came out in the seventh, didn’t give up and scored a couple of runs,” Edward Little coach Elaine Derosby said. “We’ve had some great games and it’s going to be a fight to the end.”

Edward Little mounted threats in the second, fifth and seventh innings but each time Pelletier tightened her belt to shut the door.

Trailing 4-0, Maddie Thistlewaite lead off the seventh for the Eddies with a walk. Taylor Depot launched her second double of the game putting runners on second and third, but Pelletier reared back to register consecutive strikeouts.

With two outs, an infield error helped cut the Eagles lead to 4-2 before Pelletier garnered an assist on a comeback ground ball to end the game.

“We played a good defensive game but not quite like we have been,” Bouchard said. “We made a couple of errors, we have not been allowing a lot of runs and making very few errors.”

Messalonskee sent seven batters to the plate in the third inning to take a 2-0 lead. Madison Charest reached first on a hit-by-pitch before the Eagles struck for three consecutive singles off the bats of Pelletier (RBI), Sarah Labbe and Hannah Duperry (RBI).

Taylor Easler connected for a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth, launching a shot over the left center field fence for a 3-0 lead and what would prove to be the game winning run.

The Eagles’ Kelsey Dillon doubled down the right field line, moved to third on an infield error and scored on a wild pitch to push the lead to 4-0 after six.

Hard throwing Sarah Hammond turned in a solid effort for the Eddies. Hammond notched just two strike outs but managed to induce nine ground ball outs. She allowed eight hits.