PORTLAND—The Eagles beat up the Bulldogs at Payson Park on Friday night, May 18, building to an 11-4 victory on a huge, seven-run first inning. Lauren Talbot, Erin Elder, Chloe Wilcox, Alex Morang and Megan Joy tallied the first five for Windham in rapid succession – before the team even suffered its first out, in fact.

“Our huge first inning was attributable to the girls having some hot bats,” Windham head coach Travis Demmons said. “They wanted to make Portland pay for not starting their ace pitcher against us – and they were very successful in their approach.”

Talbot walked onto base in the first at-bat of the game; Elder then lined toward left, reaching all the way to second on a Portland fielding error. Both girls zipped home when Wilcox singled into right.

Morang next clubbed a grounder toward center-left that bounced off the Bulldogs shortstop and into the outfield; Morang thus reached second and Wilcox third. Joy followed Morang with a single into deep center, bringing Wilcox home and shuffling Morang forward another 60 feet.

Taylah Piazza took off running on a dropped third strike by Portland catcher Elaina Legere; Legere recovered, and whipped the ball successfully to Bulldogs first baseman Callie Watson, catching Piazza out. Morang, however, seized the opportunity to spring away from third, momentarily touching home. 5-0.

Callie Fielding and Whitney Wilson also scored for Windham in the first: Fielding singled into left, stole second and arrived home on a Wilson double; Wilson, meanwhile, arrived home when Talbot returned to the plate two batters after her and also doubled.

The Bulldogs showed signs of life in the bottom of the first, with Kitiara Rosmus and Legere both making the complete circuit for 7-2. Similarly, Portland stepped up their defense at their next opportunity, keeping their guests from doing further damage in the top of the second.

Still, Portland trailed distantly, and would ultimately fail to come within striking distance of the Eagles. The Bulldogs replaced starting pitcher Sydney Gilbert with standout Jess Brown after Gilbert coughed up two more (to Talbot and Kaitlyn Troiano) in the top of the third; Brown slowed Windham down substantially, but even she couldn’t shut them up entirely.

“I knew that Portland would be very strong when Jess Brown was pitching, but I also knew that their offense took a step back from last year and that if we could limit extra outs and free bases, we should come out victorious,” Demmons said.

“Our top five hitters really excelled against Portland, with our catcher, Megan Joy, going 4-5, including 2-3 against last year’s Maine Gatorade Player of the Year,” Demmons said, referring to Brown. “Our top of the order has been very consistent for us this year; when we get offense from the bottom of the order too, we are pretty special.”

Asked about his girls’ defensive efforts, which looked plenty respectable against the Bulldogs, Demmons said: “Our defense has, surprisingly, been an area in need of improvement most of the season. We just have to continue to make the routine plays – if we can do that, then we will be successful.”

Windham piled on another run in the fifth: Elder singled, stole second and reached home on a Joy single. Likewise, they dropped a cherry atop the win with one last notch in the seventh, when Morang singled, then rounded all the way home on a Joy double to deep center.

Portland’s final two runs belonged to Brown (in the fourth) and Gilbert (in the sixth).

“Injuries have played a constant role with this team, but the girls continue to battle through and we’re playing pretty good softball right now,” Demmons said. “We can get better and, hopefully, healthier as we start playoffs in ten days or so. If we play clean, we can hang with anyone in Maine; I tell that to the girls all the time and I truly believe it.”

Talbot finished 3-5 for the Eagles, posting a double and two singles. Elder finished 2-5 with two singles; Wilcox went 2-5 with a double and a single, Morang 1-5 with a single, Piazza 1-5 with a double, Fielding 1-4 with a single and Wilson 1-4 with a double.

Elder pitched for Windham, turning in a complete-game, seven-strikeout effort.

The win elevated the Eagles to 8-5 on the season. Windham hosted South Portland on Monday the 21st; they travel to Scarborough on the 23rd. The Eagles and the Storm have established a rivalry in recent years, though Scarborough has gotten the better of Windham thus far.

Adam Birt can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @CurrentSportsME.

Lauren Talbot inches off third in the top of the first, ready to score for the Eagles.

Callie Fielding scored Windham’s sixth run in a seven-run top of the first.

Windhamite Whitney Wilson scoots off second in her girls’ big win over Portland.

Erin Elder started on the mound for Windham; Elder contributed a complete-game, seven-K outing.

At short for the Eagles, Lauren Talbot reels in a grounder.

Windham rightfielder Shyler Fielding snags a fly ball.