SANFORD — It was going to be difficult for Sanford’s Jen Jones to reciprocate her performance in the circle from her previous game, when she recorded 20 strikeouts during a perfect game against Westbrook. But the result was still the same for Jones and the Spartans against Biddeford Monday: a win.

Jones struck out 13 batters and allowed just three hits ”“ and more importantly earned the win ”“ as the Spartans edged the Tigers 2-1 in an SMAA softball game at Witham Street Field.

“I got to hand it to Jen Jones, she looked real good today,” said Biddeford head coach Ray Magnant. “If you’re going to win states you got to hit that kind of pitching.”

The Class A state championship game is almost two months away, and Biddeford (1-1) is just two games into its season, but the Tigers found themselves in a playoff-type game Monday.

Jones combined to strike out 35 batters against just two hits during the Spartans’ (3-0) first two games, meaning the margin of error at the plate was likely going to be small for the Tigers.

Jones was on point in the top of the first, striking out the first two batters before Abbie Paquette put a ball in play ”“ a solid fly to right fielder Isabelle Johnston.

Jones got two quick outs in the second, but Brittany Roy drew a full-count walk to extend the inning and mark Jones’ first base runner in two games.

Roy stole second, then third, then came home on Charlotte White’s double to deep left, putting Biddeford up 1-0 and giving the Spartans their first deficit of the season.

Sanford answered right back in the bottom of the frame, however, as Jones led off with a single to right. Morgan Coleman followed with a walk before Marli Wilson popped up for the first out.

Courtney Camire struck an infield single off Biddeford pitcher Kirsten Lebreux’s glove to load the bases, then Johnston hit another infield single to second to tie the game 1-1. Emily Begin followed with a sacrifice fly that put the Spartans on top.

“That was huge. It was huge for us to come back and answer right off the bat,” said Sanford head coach Mike Bailey.

Both teams created scoring opportunities in the third, but failed to plate runs. Jones stranded Erin Martin at third by striking out the side in the top of the frame, while a long running catch by Roy at short led to the Tigers getting out of a small jam in the bottom.

The teams again wasted chances in the fifth. Jones again used the punchout to her benefit, as she sandwiched a pair of strikeouts around a groundout after issuing a leadoff walk.

“She competed every single batter and never let anything get to her, which is huge,” Bailey said of Jones. “We had a good defense behind her and when she allowed them to hit the ball, we played well behind her.”

Biddeford again got out of a jam with some timely defense. Lebreux put a pair of runners on with a walk and a single, but Jocelyn Moody snagged a liner in center and Paquette snared another liner at second before a short flip to first for an inning-ending double play.

“We played great defense. There’s a couple times if we didn’t play good D, they could have broke it open. They had a lot of girls on base where we buckled down,” said Magnant.

Despite Jones’ dominance, the game was still in doubt right until the end. But just as she started strong, she finished even more so, retiring the final nine batters ”“ five on strikeouts.

“Jen Jones pitched a heck of a game. And when you have a pitcher like that, and she’s striking people out, it hurts. We need to put the ball in play better,” said Magnant whose team scored 13 runs in its first game of the season and was hitting well after a preseason trip to Florida.

Sanford managed just six hits off of Lebreux, who was making her first start of the season, but scored just enough to keep its hot start to the season going. But Bailey said a win over the Tigers was even bigger than the first two ”“ against Massabesic and Westbrook.

“I think these girls have made a big step today,” said Bailey, who has just one senior on his roster (Begin). “But the biggest challenge is going to be tomorrow in practice for them to come back and compete. I told them that we have to come back and work just as hard in practice as we have every day this year.”

Both teams are back in action Wednesday, as Biddeford hosts Massabesic and Sanford travels to Portland.

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