ADDISON COUNTY — In high school softball earlier this week, Mount Abe took a big step toward the top seed in Division II, and Otter Valley won to move over .500, but Middlebury’s hopes of a top-four seed took a hit.
Teams are playing their final regular season games this week, and the Vermont Principals’ Association will release playoff pairings on Monday morning.
EAGLES
The Eagles won at D-I St. Johnsbury, 11-5, to improve to 10-4 and pick up key points to solidify its lead over Lyndon in the race for the top spot for the playoffs.
Winning pitcher Rachael McCormick allowed six hits, no walks and two earned runs, and her four hits included a home run and two doubles. She drove in three runs and scored twice. Erika Tracey drove in four runs with a pair of hits, and Katelynn Ouellette added two hits and scored twice.
Mount Abe’s game at OV on Monday was moved to Saturday at 4 p.m. The Otters will host Hartford at 11 a.m. first that day. The Eagles will also visit Spaulding on Thursday.
OTTERS
OV pitcher Courtney Bushey tossed a four-hitter as the Otters topped host Springfield, 9-1, to improve to 7-6 and crest .500 for the first time this spring.   
Springfield errors accounted for several OV runs, but Bushey had two hits, including an RBI double, and Alyssa Falco singled home two runs.
The Otters are set to visit Fair Haven on Thursday before Saturday’s morning-afternoon home doubleheader vs. Hartford and Mount Abe.
TIGERS
Host BFA-St. Albans rallied late to defeat the Tigers, 4-1. Tiger hurler Payton Buxton kept the Comets off the board until the bottom of the sixth, when the Comets rallied for all four of their runs. In all, she allowed five hits and struck out nine vs. the 9-6 Comets. BFA’s Alexa Ross also tossed a five-hitter, and she struck out seven; she allowed a double to Darcy Staats. 
The loss allowed Essex (10-3) to pass the Tigers for fourth place in the D-I standings, and MUHS (11-4) had to defeat visiting Burlington on Wednesday and hope for help elsewhere in order to move back ahead of the Hornets.