GRAY — Kelsey Currier didn’t get to finish her at-bat in the top of the sixth inning Friday, and it turned out to be a good thing for Greely.

Currier instead led off the top of the seventh with a single that started a rally for the Rangers, who went from trailing by two to leading by a run.

Currier then finished off a pitching victory as the Rangers beat Gray-New Gloucester 4-3 in a Western Maine Conference game.

“We (tried stealing) and got caught, and I wasn’t upset because Kelsey would be leading off (the seventh),” Greely Coach Rob Hale said.

Hale added there was “no great speech” given to his 1-2-3 hitters prior to the seventh for the Rangers (2-1).

“We’ve been putting people on base, we just needed that one more hit. So just keep making contact and things will happen, and that’s what they did,” Hale said.

Alie Martell of the Patriots (2-1) worked out of jams all game, stranding runners at third in each of the first four innings, allowing one run on a passed ball. She struck out 11.

“We had a couple innings where they left second and third on, and Alie struck her out or we got that out,” Patriots Coach Amanda Harmon said. “I think that they do work hard and know that they have a team behind them, and they have that confidence that’s building that ‘we can get the out.’ ”

Martell had trouble retiring Currier, who reached base in all four plate appearances. The fourth and final time, Currier slapped a single into left-center to lead off the seventh. She then stole second and moved to third on Maddie Rawnsley’s single. Sawyer Dusch followed with an infield single to score Currier, Rawnsley scored on a wild pitch to tie it, and Dusch was safe at home with the go-ahead run after Audrey Boyle grounded to first.

“Just looking for a break and we got a couple breaks, balls hit in the right spot,” Hale said. “That’s the way softball is, put the ball in play and things happen.”

Currier, who Hale said isn’t a strikeout pitcher (she had five), got a couple assists from Dusch at shortstop to get the final three outs. Dusch made a running, leaping catch of a shallow pop from Martell to lead off the bottom of the seventh, then made a diving catch of an Isabelle Brindley liner for the second out after Currier walked Madi Pelletier. Currier then struck out Jordan Grant, with Rawnsley the catcher tossing to Boyle at first to end the game.

“That was really big because I was going to move (Sawyer) to second for that inning because she hurt her hand really bad in the previous at-bat,” Hale said. “She couldn’t grip a ball and I was afraid she’d have to throw it.”

SACOPEE VALLEY 13, LAKE REGION 1: Brenna Humphrey finished with two hits and two RBI, and Hayden Sawyer had a three-run double as the Hawks (3-0) cruised past the Lakers (1-2) in five innings at South Hiram.

Brynn Hink struck out six and allowed one run on two hits. Hink also had two hits.

WINDHAM 15, DEERING 1: Alex Morang drove in five runs on three hits, and Taylah Piazza had a home run and three RBI to led the Eagles (3-0) over the Rams (0-4) in five innings at Portland.

Whitney Wilson of Windham allowed one run and two hits, striking out six.

BASEBALL

LAKE REGION 6, SACOPEE VALLEY 4: Mark Mayo hit a two-run homer as part of four-run third inning as the Lakers (3-0) beat the Hawks (1-1) in a rain-shortened six-inning game at South Hiram.

Cody Allen and True Meyers each drove in a run for Lake Region, which led 6-2 after four innings.

OCEANSIDE 5, MEDOMAK VALLEY 4: Titus Kaewthong’s sacrifice fly in the ninth inning gave Oceanside (3-1) a come-from-behind victory over the Panthers (1-2) at Rockland.

Kaewthong forced extra innings with an RBI double in the seventh.

BOYS’ LACROSSE

DEERING 13, LEWISTON 11: Omar Contreras and Nick James each had four goals and three assists, and Payson Harvey added three goals and an assist to lift the Rams (1-2) over the Blue Devils (2-1) at Portland.

After falling behind 5-1 in the first, Deering outscored Lewiston 9-1 in the next two quarters to take a 10-6 lead.

Jayden Wilson finished with four goals and one assist for Lewiston.

THORNTON ACADEMY 11, CAPE ELIZABETH 10: Jack Webb scored with 45 seconds left in the second overtime from C.J. LaBreck as the Trojans (2-2) capped a comeback from an 8-5 deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Capers (3-1) at Saco.

LaBreck scored five goals, including four in a 2:30 stretch of the fourth quarter, to help give Thornton a 9-8 lead.

Thornton extended its lead to 10-8 but Cape Elizabeth scored twice late to force overtime.

LINCOLN ACADEMY 18, ST. DOMINIC 4: Nolen Michael had eight goals and three assists as Lincoln Academy (4-0) downed the Saints (0-2) at Auburn.

GIRLS’ LACROSSE

FALMOUTH 15, MESSALONSKEE 11: Caitlyn Camelio racked up five goals and an assist, and Eva Clement added four goals and two assists to lead the Yachtsmen (2-1) past Messalonskee (1-1) at Falmouth.

Camelio and Jo Stucker, who finished with three goals and an assist, each had two goals as Falmouth opened a 9-3 halftime lead.

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