Savannah Brownell struck out seven and allowed just one hit as the Biddeford softball team rolled to its seventh win in a row on Monday. Brownell faced just 23 batters in seven innings and improved to 7-0 as the Tigers topped Westbrook, 3-0.

The Tiger offense scored twice in the fifth inning thanks to triples from Cady Gagnon and Erin Grover.

“Their pitcher was effective,” said Biddeford coach Leon Paquin of Westbrook’s Brittni Keites. “She is very deceptive. The ball got in quicker than it looked so we had to make adjustments. We had a couple hit in the gaps and we ran the bases hard.”

The Tigers got on the board quickly with a run in the top of the first. Justine McCurry led off the game with a single. Grover bunted her over to second. Aimee Mortensen grounded into a fielder’s choice that moved McCurry to third and McCurry scored on an error.

Brownell went to work in the first and made it look easy. She struck out Maria Romano leading off. Brownell then got Olivia Hebert to pop out and Cynthia Wescott lined out to the shortstop.

Keites settled down after allowing that run in the first. She retired the Tigers in order in the second and third innings and finished the day with nine strikeouts.

“Brittni did a great job pitching,” Wescott said. “She had nine strikeouts out of 21 batters in the game. Brittni is doing awesome. She is pitching phenomenally this year.”

The two pitchers put on a clinic during the middle innings of the game. Keites would surrender a hit here and there, but she was able to pitch around them. Brownell walked a batter in the second inning – the only base runner she allowed until the sixth. The Blazes were making contact and putting the ball in play, but the Tigers held them hitless thanks to some solid defensive play.

Still holding a 1-0 lead in the fifth, Biddeford added some insurance runs. Gagnon led off the inning with a triple that rolled to the wall. Jen Nantel grounded into a fielder’s choice and Gagnon was thrown out attempting to score. Grover then came to the plate with two outs and tripled to score Nantel from first. Grover then scored on an error and the Tigers had a 3-0 lead.

Ashlyn Bourgeois led off the bottom of the sixth for the Blue Blazes. She got ahead in the count and ripped a drive to deep left center. The ball rolled under the fence for a ground rule double and Westbrook had their first hit of the game.

Brownwell retired the next three batters to get out of the inning and she pitched around a one-out walk in the seventh to end it.

“Offensively the last couple of games we have been struggling,” Wescott said. “We’ve only let up 21 runs I believe this season in nine games. So our defense is pulling its weight. But offensively everything is so broken up with prom, senior nights and class nights. It’s tough to find time to get to the cages or do soft toss.”

With the loss the Blazes fall to 3-6. They were scheduled to travel to Portland on Tuesday. Meanwhile the Tigers are now 8-1 with the win. Paquin sees his team coming together as they approach the tournament and a chance to defend their state title.

Gorham is getting good pitching

With an 11-0 win over Massabesic last Friday, the Gorham girls softball team is 6-4 on the season.

Pitcher Tammy Arsenault led the Rams struck out five and she added four hits at the plate. Rachele Burns and Monique King were also repeat hitters.

Gorham also beat Thornton Academy by a 4-1 score on Wednesday, May 9, that snapped a two-game losing streak.

Burns scored on a passed ball in the first and Christina Jackson singled home Chantel Tijsson in the second. Kelsey Crowe struck out nine on the day.

Gorham faces Marshwood on Thursday.

Bonny Eagle rolls along

Bonny Eagle has soared to 8-3 on the season thanks to a four-game winning streak that was recently highlighted by a 12-2 win over McAuley.

Maddie Kluna led the Scots with two hits and two RBI. She also pitched extremely well, striking out 11 and only allowing four hits.

Coach Jan Corliss attributes much of the Scots’ success to their solid pitching.

“I’m happy with our pitching,” says Corliss. “And our defense is coming together well.”

The Scots shutout Sanford last Friday, winning 5-0. In four innings of work Kaitlin Williams struck out six with no walks.

Maddie Kluna hit a two-run single in the fifth inning and Sarah Violette and Devin Young both had an RBI and a run.

According to Corliss, their hitting success is not about just one or two hitters.

“I haven’t had the same batting order twice this season. Different people have stepped up at different times,” Corliss says.

Bonny Eagle is scheduled to face Cheverus on Friday and South Portland on Monday.

“Next week will be critical as we are playing the top three teams,” Corliss said.

Christi Brown contributed to this story.