BIDDEFORD — In its last two games – both losses – the Thornton Academy softball team totaled six runs and 15 hits.

To generate more offense, Coach John Provost decided to shake up the lineup Wednesday.

It worked. The Golden Trojans totaled 15 hits in a 9-4 victory against Biddeford.

Kaitlin Verreault, who is in her first season at Thornton after playing with Scarborough last year, moved to the top of the order and was 3 for 5, including two homers and a double. Jenica Botting contributed two singles, two doubles and a walk, and Olivia Howe finished 3 for 4 with a walk.

“We hadn’t been scoring runs and I wanted a spark in the top of the lineup,” said Provost. “And it seemed to help today.

“We changed the whole lineup. I pretty much made changes from (batters) 1 to 9. We just needed to try something a little different.”

Verreault said that she has the same approach regardless of where she’s batting in the lineup.

It didn’t take long for her to acclimate, leading off the game with a homer to center field. The next inning she launched a three-run shot to left for a 4-2 lead, one that Thornton would not relinquish.

The Trojans tacked on another run in the inning for a 5-2 cushion.

Verreault capped her performance with a double leading off a four-run sixth inning that gave the Trojans (4-2) a 9-4 advantage.

“I just came out ready to go. I didn’t know until the last second that I was leading off,” Verreault said. “I’m always excited to play.”

Biddeford (1-4), the defending Class A state champion but with a young team, kept close with Thornton Academy for five innings.

“We battled. The Verreault home runs were big early on,” Coach Mike Fecteau said. “We responded and we answered those big hits.

“As I told the team, it’s not how you start but it’s how you finish. Our goal is to get into the playoffs and we’ll see what happens after that. I’m happy with the way we’re gradually getting better.”

After Biddeford pushed two runs across in the second – on a Brook Davis groundout and Alex Chase RBI single – Thornton pitcher Louisa Colucci retired nine straight batters until Katie Stewart collected her second hit of the game to lead off the sixth.

Colucci then retired the next six batters, three by strikeout.

“That’s (Colucci’s) MO. She starts slow and then gets stronger in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings,” Provost said.

Colucci finished with nine strikeouts and one walk, allowing six hits and three earned runs.

“I think during that spurt (of nine retired in a row), we weren’t very patient at the plate,” Fecteau said. “We were swinging at a lot pitches out of the (strike) zone. We became defensive hitters instead of aggressive (hitters).

“Hats off to (Colucci). When she needed to pitch, she pitched. She helped her team to a victory.”