ADDISON COUNTY — In local high school softball action earlier this week, Otter Valley knocked off rival Fair Haven at home, Middlebury lost twice, and Mount Abraham fell on the road.
Mount Abraham also visited Vergennes on Tuesday for a key Division II game — see story on Page 1B.
OTTERS
On Tuesday, OV snapped the Slaters’ seven-game winning streak with a 9-2 victory. The Slaters took a 2-0 lead in the first inning with a rally keyed by Timi Carone andKayla Stoodley singles, but OV pitcher Taylor Aines shut the door the rest of the way. Aines allowed seven hits and struck out six in the complete-game win.
OV got two unearned runs in the second; they took the lead in that inning when Amy Jones singled home a run after another Slater miscue. OV added three runs in the third after loading the bases on two walks by Slater pitcher Anna Fabian and an error. Maia Edmunds singled home two runs, and Olivia Bloomer scored on a passed ball to make it 6-2.
In the fourth, OV shortstop Cortney Poljacik cranked a two-run homer to make it 8-2. It was her seventh homer in seven games and one of her three hits on Tuesday. Aines homered off reliever Abby Ferrara in the sixth for the final OV run. Brittany Bushey added two hits for OV, as did Marissa Lamoureux for FHU. OV improved to 7-3, and the Slaters dropped to 7-4. 
TIGERS
On Monday, undefeated host Essex topped the Tigers, 8-0, as pitcher Allie Rutz tossed a four-hitter. Hannah Lawrence had three of the Tiger hits, and losing pitcher Payton Buxton fanned eight Hornets.
On Tuesday, visiting Milton pounded out an 11-9 win over the Tigers. Abby Lane doubled and singled twice to lead the MUHS offense, and Justina Baker took the pitching loss as the Tigers dropped to 2-6 with their fourth loss by two runs or fewer.
EAGLES
On Monday, host Mount Mansfield (5-4) dealt the Eagles only their second loss of the spring, 8-1. Kelsey Haskins and Kendra Thompson led Mount Abe with two hits apiece, and Rachael McCormick was the losing pitcher. The Eagles dropped to 8-2 heading into Tuesday’s game.