FAIRFIELD

In order to win Wednesday’s Eastern A preliminary softball playoff game, execution was going to be key.

For the Mt. Ararat Eagles, who entered the contest as the No. 9 seed in the Eastern A Heal Point Standings, the call of duty was answered, coming out with an 8-0 victory over No. 8 Lawrence in an Eastern A preliminary round game.

Both teams had an equal shot at winning the game if looking at the numbers. The Eagles (7-10) managed to pound out 13 hits, the Bulldogs committed five errors and Mt. Ararat left 15 runners on base.

The host Bulldogs (6-11) took advantage of a three Eagles’ errors to get on base, but the visitors’ starting pitcher Rhiannon Hersey felt no pressure, forcing Lawrence to strand 11 and limiting the offense to just four hits.

“We have in the past had one inning or two innings where we’ve let our guard down and the errors got the best of us,” Eagles’ coach Brooke Cox said after the game. “But this game, we had a few mistakes but they weren’t one after the other and we were able to recover and hold them from scoring.”

Alana Weaver reached second on a throwing error to lead things off, but was left stranded to start the first inning. On the flip side of the inning, the Bulldogs put runners at second and third with one out, but Hersey retired the remainder herself, once on a ground out back to the mound and a strikeout to end the inning.

Eagles’ first baseman Kate Guerin got her team on the board first in a huge way, leading off the second with a solo blast to left field for a 1-0 lead. Later with one out, Piper Ingle blooped a singled into right field and reached second on a bunt single by Mikaila Cloutier. A walk to Weaver loaded the bases and Ingle scored the second run of the game on an infield single that ricocheted off Bulldogs’ pitcher Lilly Herrin.

Over the course of the next two innings, Lawrence threatened with multiple base runners. Lauren Watson reached second on a fielding error batted by Herrin. In the third, the Eagles’ defense kept a pair of runners from advancing past second, including a fielder’s choice play for the second out.

Despite a slim lead and pressure on the base paths, Hersey (seven innings, six strikeouts) continued to work, appearing to be unfazed on what was going on behind her, including getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth inning after recording a strikeout for the second out and getting help from a diving grab by shortstop Katelyn Cox to end the inning.

“She did a very good job and we were toying with the idea of switching (pitchers),” Brooke Cox said. “I said ‘Rhi and Alana you talk it over and let me know how you’re feeling.’ (Our catcher) Kayleigh (Temple) said ‘Rhi is right around the plate, she had a couple of close calls, but she’s right on so let’s stick with Rhi,’ and I said ‘all right, let’s do it.’ Rhi and Kayleigh pulled it out.”

Mt. Ararat’s offense kicked it into high gear over the final two innings, scoring three runs in each to put the game away. Temple, Katelyn Cox and Sara Lamb strung out three straight hits, with Cox doubling to score Temple, and a throwing error putting her at third. Lamb’s single brought in Cox, while later scoring after getting to third on a fielding error and a single by Zoe Stilphen.

In the seventh, the same three crossed the plate again. Temple singled to center and came in to score on a Cox triple to right-center field. Lamb followed by reaching on an infield knock, trotting into second on a passed ball, followed by a wild pitch getting her to third. Ingle collected her third hit of the day, scoring Lamb.

The win propels the Eagles into the quarterfinals against No. 1 Messalonskee today at 4 p.m. With rain washing out the prelim game on Tuesday and forcing it to be played on Wednesday, the Eagles have a short turnaround.

Messalonskee took both contests in the regular season, 16-1 and 5-0, but Coach Cox says that Wednesday’s performance has given her team confidence going in.

“We just have to keep the bats going,” she said. “Defensively when we’ve played Messalonskee before we’ve been OK, but our hitting hasn’t been there and their pitcher, Kristen Pelletier, is very good. We just have to hit her. We have to go up there with confidence like we did today and continue to swing the bats. Hopefully the balls fall and we get runners on.”

No. 9 Mt. Ararat 8, No. 8 Lawrence 0

At Lawrence High School in Fairfield Eastern A Softball Prelim

Mt.	Ararat	—	020	023	3	—		8-	13-3
Lawrence		—	000	000	0	—	0	–	4-5

Rihannon Hersey and Kayleigh Temple; Lilly Herrin, Sam Marshall (6) and Haley Holt. Double — (MtA) Katelyn Cox. Triple — (MtA) Katelyn Cox. Home run — (MtA) Kate Guerin. Repeat hitters — (MtA) Kaleigh Temple (3), Piper Ingle (3), Katelyn Cox, Kate Guerin. Records — Mt. Ararat 7-10, Lawrence 6-11. Up next for the Eagles — Eastern A quarterfinals at No. 1 Messalonskee, 4 p.m.