CUMBERLAND — Gray-New Gloucester High’s softball team has been streaky this year. Right now the trend is on the plus side – and just in time with the playoffs nearing.

The Patriots won their fourth game in a row Tuesday afternoon, getting an outstanding pitching effort from Alie Martell to defeat Greely 3-0. Martell allowed three hits and three walks to lift Gray-New Gloucester to a pivotal Western Class B win over the second-ranked Rangers.

The victory improved the eighth-ranked Patriots to 8-5; Greely dropped to 8-3.

“Great win, played hard, played solid,” said Patriots Coach Amanda Harmon. “Smart ball all the way around.”

Martell had to work out of a couple of jams early as Greely twice had a runner on third with one out. In the second, Evan Carrell singled, stole second and went to third on a groundout. But Martell struck out the next two batters.

In the fourth, Sarah Felkel led off with a bunt single then stole her way to third as Martell struck out the next batter. After a foul out and a walk, third baseman Nichole Lowell speared a line drive by Audrey Mann to end that inning.

The Patriots made a couple other outstanding defensive plays, including a running catch of a pop fly in short right field by Cara Waltz that ended the sixth with another Ranger on third base.

“We just got outpitched, outexecuted, outlucked,” said Rangers Coach Rob Hale. “We had some hard-hit balls but they were right at people. Hey, that’s baseball and softball.”

Miranda Moore matched Martell for the first four innings. But Waltz led off the fifth with a triple down the right-field line. Moore struck out the next batter, but the third strike was dropped and the batter broke for first. As the throw went to first, Waltz raced home and beat the return throw for the game’s first run.

“Smart base-running,” said Harmon. “We want to take advantage of every opportunity and always be smart and aware of everything we can advance with. Every pitch mattered … we wanted to take advantage of whatever we could.”

That was obvious in the top of the sixth when the Patriots scored twice. Kaelyn Woods hit a one-out single and ran all the way to third on a sacrifice bunt by Hannah Dixon. Maria Valente followed with an RBI infield single that dribbled just past the pitching circle. Valente ran to third when Waltz’s grounder was booted for an error and then scored on a ground single to left by Skye Conley.

That was more than enough for Martell. She located her pitches well and kept the Rangers off-balance with a nice change-up. “She was amazing,” said Waltz.

“I just felt confident in myself and my team,” said Martell.

Martell credited her defense, which had to make a couple of nice plays on balls that were affected by the wind howling across the field. Left fielder Grace Kariotis made a nice play on a pop fly in the seventh.

“The girls came focused and determined,” said Harmon. “We’ve been working on some things in practice and it showed today. Our momentum is carrying from the last couple of games and they worked hard as a team.”