CUMBERLAND — Buoyed by a solid pitching performance from Kelsey Currier, Greely gutted out its second one-run victory in 24 hours, beating Yarmouth 3-2 in a Western Maine Conference softball game Saturday afternoon.

Currier scattered six hits and struck out 14 with no walks.

“She and Maddie (Rawnsley), the catcher, were in sync,” Greely Coach Rob Hale said. “We didn’t tell them anything. They played throw and catch, and she hit her spots.”

“I don’t really try (to get strikeouts),” Currier said. “I rely on the team behind me because I have confidence in them and myself. I know if I mess something up, they are going to defend me.

“I was just trying to keep them off balance and try to make them do something that they don’t like to do. I threw it inside, or maybe outside, hoping they will swing.”

Greely was coming off a 4-3 comeback victory at Gray-New Gloucester in the rain on Friday.

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Yarmouth opened the scoring when Sophie McGrath led off the game with a single, stole second and came home on Tasha Powers two-out single to left.

The Rangers tied it in the bottom of the inning when Currier doubled off the center-field fence, moved to third on Sawyer Dusch’s grounder to the right side and scored on Audrey Boyle’s grounder to shortstop.

Greely manufactured two runs in the second inning to move into a 3-1 lead.

After Rawnsley was hit by a pitch, Lindsey Eisenhart shot a single up the middle. Hannah Johnston laid down a perfect bunt, attempting to advance the runners, and wound up with a hit when first base was left uncovered. A walk to Zoe Folce forced in the go-ahead run.

After the Clippers pulled off a 1-2-3 double play, Currier was walked intentionally to reload the bases. Dusch followed with a singled to center to bring in another run, but a strong relay throw from Hannah Merrill, the shortstop, reached the plate in plenty of time to get Folce.

“Everybody contributes in some way,” Hale said. “Everyone is doing something. No one is carrying us, and it’s not pretty.”

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Yarmouth scored its second run when McGrath and Lydia Guay hit back-to-back doubles, but Currier retired 14 of the next 16 batters.

It was the first game for Yarmouth’s new coach, Sandra Sanford.

“I thought we played some solid defense for the most part,” she said. “In the first game out, I was happy with most of our defense, (but) we’ve got some work to do.”

The Clippers were supposed to play their season opener against Greely on Wednesday, but that game was postponed because of rain. A game scheduled for Friday at Poland was postponed because of wet conditions.

“We’ve had a lot of hurry ups and waits, so it was great to finally get started,” Sanford said.

Sanford, who served as a volunteer assistant at Yarmouth last season, replaced Amy Ashley, who left to become athletic director at Cheverus.

“The transition is going super,” she said. “It is a great group and we’re having a good time.”


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