LISBON — A couple of big innings propelled Dirigo to a 10-0 victory in five innings over Lisbon in a showdown of Class C South softball contenders Tuesday.
The Cougars scored five runs in the first and junior Lana Waite’s bases-clearing double highlighted a four-run fourth that gave Dirigo a 9-0 lead.
“I was trying not to think about the bases being loaded, because that’s a lot to think about, but I was relaxed in the box and got around on a pitch and waited for the perfect one to hit,” Waite said.
The meeting was the second of the season between the Cougars (9-4) and the Greyhounds (8-3). Lisbon won the first contest, 5-2 on April 28 in Dixfield.
Noticeably absent from the circle during Tuesday’s game was Lisbon’s ace pitcher, Mackenzie Eaton.
“She’s a phenomenal difference, she’s our X factor,” Lisbon coach Chris Bickford said. “So, when she’s pitching, that gives us our number one. Today she was unavailable.”
How the Cougars won
• The Cougars sent five batters to the plate in the first inning and loaded the bases three times.
• Stolen bases helped Dirigo generate runs off four of its seven walks.
Statistical leaders
• Lisbon: Ava Kottmann (2 hits).
• Dirigo: Lana Waite (3 hits, 1 double, 4 RBI), Leah Turnbull (four strikeouts), Aleiah Ward (1 double, 1 RBI, one run scored).
They said it
• “(Lana Waite) comes through for us all the time. When that kid has her swing on, that’s what she does and our catcher, (Aleiah Ward), they set the tone. We try to get the table set in front of them, because we know more than likely one of the two of them is going to produce.” — Dirigo coach Scott Robbins
• “This is the team we are, when we face a pitcher that lines up with our hitting, we’ve got some really good hitters and we’ve been on quite a little streak lately. We lost one the other day, but we won nine or 10 in a row other than that, so it’s just the team we are.” — Robbins
• “Sophia Bowie had a nice hit up the middle, I think defensively, Olivia Saunders made a great play, Brynn Chase made a great play. Offensively, it was kind of tough, we faced a good pitcher.” — Lisbon coach Chris Bickford
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