ADDISON COUNTY — In high school softball action late last week, Mount Abraham won, Otter Valley split two very different games, and Vergennes came up short on the road.
EAGLES
On Saturday, the Eagles defeated host St. Johnsbury, 4-1, as Rachel McCormick tossed a complete-game two-hitter, striking out five. Mount Abe improved to 4-2 with the win at Division I St. J (3-3).
The Eagles also played at Middlebury on Thursday, winning in extra innings; see story.
OTTERS
On Thursday, the Otters won, 17-16, in 10 innings vs. visiting Leland & Gray. Freshman Gabby Poalino capped a day in which she doubled three times and drove in six runs by lofting a game-winning sacrifice fly in the 10th. Poalino also hit a two-run double in the eighth to help erase a 15-12 Leland & Gray lead.
OV senior catcher Laura Beth Roberts, pitching for the first time since elementary school, earned the win with two innings of relief, allowing only an inherited runner from starter Hannah Williams to score in the ninth.
OV took an 11-6 lead in the fifth with four runs on hits by Amy Jones, Roberts, Megan Santell, Maia Edmunds and Poalino, but L&G took a 12-11 lead into the bottom of the seventh, when OV’s Dani Eddy singled in Edmunds to force extra innings.
On Friday, host Hartford edged OV, 2-1. Jones homered to lead off the game, but Hartford’s Brooke Hurd hit a two-run homer in the sixth to help her team even its record at 2-2. OV slipped to 2-5 despite Williams’ complete-game pitching effort.
COMMODORES
On Thursday, host Essex (6-0) blanked the Commodores, 8-0 as Hornet ace Allie Rutz tossed a one-hitter. Felicia Armell recorded the safety for the 0-3 Commodores, and Meg Martin took the pitching loss.