SACO — Massabesic entered this season in rebuilding mode. Thornton Academy, the defending Western Maine champion, on the other hand, is just reloading. The two teams played as expected when they met on the softball diamond Wednesday, as the Trojans batted around in the fourth inning and topped the Mustangs 13-1 in five innings.

Massabesic (3-7) came into the contest having lost six of their first nine games against six of the top seven teams in Western Class A. The only team the Mustangs hadn’t face among the top seven: Thornton.

The Trojans ( 7-1) were coming off their hardest-fought victory of the season, as they needed nine innings to dispatch Sanford Monday. The extra workload showed a little bit early on, as the Trojans left the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, plating just two runs despite sending eight batters to the plate.

“It was a slow start,” said Thornton head coach John Provost. “I think it was just the follow-up from the Sanford game. That was a pretty emotional game two days ago; nine innings, extra frames, came from behind a couple times. I just think coming off that game sliding into this game just a slow start for us.”

Massabesic cut the lead in half with a single run in the top of the second off TA starter Bailey Tremblay. Kyra-Mei Cartwright led off with a fly ball to shallow right-center that TA center fielder Brooke Cross nearly made a diving catch on, but instead Cartwright ended up at second base. Sarah Guimond then hit an infield single to put runners on the corners, and Cartwright came home on a sacrifice grounder by Abby Staples. But Tremblay shut the door with a pair of strikeouts to get out of the frame.

“Bailey’s the real deal. We knew coming in we had to play some small ball, had to take some good hacks,” said Massabesic head coach Kevin Tutt. “Coming in, knowing we’re the extreme underdog, we came in looking to take as many hacks as we could, because that was our only chance.”

Tremblay allowed just one base runner the rest of the way ”“ a two-out infield single in the third by Olivia Ducharme.

Ducharme got the start in the circle for the Mustangs, but found life increasingly more difficult as the innings wore on against the Thornton lineup. Ducharme got the leadoff batter out in the second, as Louisa Colucci lined out sharply to left, but the next three batters knocked hits off the Mustang pitcher to plate one run. A sacrifice fly by Cross and a single by Kaylee Burns drove home two more.

“Up and down that order ”¦ they hit. They hit the ball,” said Tutt. “It’s tough to battle.”

Ducharme had an easy third inning, as she worked around a one-out walk with a pair of strikeouts and an inning-ending groundout. But the fourth inning was a much different story.

Ducharme faced 11 batters in the frame before being lifted with two outs. The first six all reached base ”“ on four hits, a bases-loaded walk, and an unsuccessful fielder’s choice ”“ before getting the first out, which still drove in a run. A run-scoring grounder got Ducharme a second out, but an error on an attempted sliding catch by center fielder Renee Dugas and a solid single by Tremblay spelled the end of Ducharme’s outing.

Ducharme gave up 13 runs on 13 hits, with three strikeouts and three walks in 3 2/3 innings.

“Ducharme did well. Again, she’s a sophomore,” said Tutt. “Worked the changeup in fairly well today, but when you have a team that is aggressive and just looks to pound the ball every time, you got to hit spots all day.”

Guimond came on in relief and got Cross to pop out on the first pitch. But by then the damage was already done, as the Trojans plated eight runs in the frame.

“Last year the big difference was seven through nine really was consistent for us, and usually just kept it moving. And we’ve been struggling in our seven and nine spots, but the last couple games they’re really doing a nice job of getting on base,” Provost said of his offense. “If we get that going, from six to nine, we’ll be fine.”

Tremblay made sure the game would end in the next half inning, as she struck out a pair before getting Dugas to ground out pop out to first to end the game.

Tremblay gave up just three hits while striking out eight and avoiding any walks in five innings.

“She’s looking great,” Provost said of Tremblay. “She keeps us in games, she’s a competitor, and just wants the ball every game.”

Tutt said despite the lopsided outcome, his team will be better for having played Thornton, as well as the other top teams in the SMAA.

“Seeing the way TA plays, that’s how these kids have to learn how to play. We’re definitely not at the levels of Scarborough and TA yet, but the kids are working hard and that’s really all I can ask from them,” said Tutt. “It’s tough. The league is full of really good teams.”

Thornton got three hits apiece from Tremblay and Libby Pomerleau, and two each from Cross, Burns and Maizie Lee. Keira Fitzgerald walked twice.

The 13 runs was a season-high for the Trojans, who are starting to round into the form that took them to the state final a year ago.

“They know what they did last year, and the anticipation of playoffs again this year,” said Provost. “The hope again, we just keep playing better, start playing better defense, and play well in the playoffs.”

— Sports Staff Writer Wil Kramlich can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 323 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @WilTalkSports.