ADDISON COUNTY — Middlebury defeated Vergennes for the first time in recent years to highlight local high school softball action earlier this week. In other games, Mount Abraham split a pair of games, and Otter Valley came up short at Fair Haven.
VUHS VS. MUHS
The Tigers outlasted the Commodores, 4-1, on Tuesday to break into the win column after opening the season with two tough, extra-inning setbacks. Payton Buxton earned the complete-game victory, striking out nine, and catcher Hannah Lawrence drove in a pair of runs to spark the Tiger attack.
Taylor Aunchman went the distance for VUHS, striking out four and walking none. Center fielder Kayla Charron plated the run for the Commodores, who dropped to 0-5.
EAGLES
On Monday, Audrey Shahan tossed a one-hit shutout, striking out four, as the Eagles blanked host Burlington, 12-0. Dani Forand (two hits) and Rachael McCormick scored three runs apiece for Mount Abe.
On Tuesday, visiting Milton (5-2) snapped the Eagles’ three-game winning streak with a 5-1 decision. Milton’s Katie Rayner tossed a three-hitter, whiffing 11, to outduel McCormick, who went the route and fanned nine. A three-run sixth inning proved decisive. The Eagles slipped to 5-3.
OTTERS
On Tuesday, host Fair Haven took advantage of 19 walks issued by OV pitchers to defeat the Otters, 17-0. Meanwhile, Slater hurler Louise Bowen threw her second consecutive one-hitter, fanning eight batters in the five-inning game and allowing only a Maia Edmunds double in the fourth. Hunter Buxton,Johanna Morse andJenna Alexander had two hits apiece for FHU (5-2), which will visit OV (2-6) on Saturday.