FREEPORT

Carrie Green’s first foray into Western Maine Conference high school softball coaching was a solid one as her Freeport squad hit several balls hard, and the pitching of Leigh Wyman kept Yarmouth hitters off-balance as an on- again, off- again pesky rain came pouring down.

But, the hardest hit ball of the afternoon by the Clippers just slipped past the dive of center fielder Dani Perry to score two runs, and Freeport liners were caught and turned into inning- ending double plays as Yarmouth came away with a hard-fought 4-3 victory on Thursday.

“I’m proud of the kids for making contact, and that is all I’m asking of them,” said Green, whose 0- 1 squad returns to action on Saturday in the Lisbon Round Robin. The next WMC contest is slated for April 23 at Cape Elizabeth. “Today, it just didn’t go our way. I’m trying to figure out what jazzes them up, and they are trying to figure me out as well. All in all, it was a great effort today.

The difference in this one was the two- run double by Yarmouth’s McKenzie Gray in the fifth inning. With Alexa Sullivan and Julia Amastos in scoring position, Gray hit a liner that sliced toward the left- center field gap. Perry dove, with the ball glancing off her glove as the Clippers took a 3-1 lead.

“We knew it was going to be tough competition,” said Gray, who was 2-for-4 at the plate and pitched a six-hitter for the mound win. “The support behind me was great, and they made the plays. We received some timely hits toda, with runners on base. This is a good start for us and gives us some confidence.”

Wyman got stronger as the game went along, finishing with eight strikeouts and permitting just five hits and three walks. Two of the runs she allowed were unearned.

Freeport takes lead

Wyman staked her Falcons to a 1-0 lead in the home half of the first inning. Perry doubled along the left-field line to open the frame, and one out later Wyman drove a Gray offering to the outfield for an RBI double.

Yarmouth answered in the second. Mellissa Leviason reached on an error after dropping a bunt, and Teagan Snyder laid down a bunt and just beat the throw to first, with the ball bouncing into right field as both runners moved up a base.

Monica Austin’s grounder scored Leviason to tie the game.

Both pitchers settled down, with Wyman allowing just one runner over the next two innings, while Gray pitched out of trouble in the third and fourth innings, escaping as Freeport hit two balls on a line that were caught and turned into double plays.

Freeport threatened in the fifth, loading the bases on a single, walk and hit batsman. But, Gray escaped as second baseman Amastos made a nice play on a grounder by Lexi Dietrich, tagging Wyman to end the frame.

Yarmouth tacked on a run in the sixth. Austin doubled with two outs, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball for a 4- 1 Clippers edge.

Freeport rallied in the seventh. Perry walked with one out, and Wyman ripped a long triple for her second RBI. Dietrich followed with an RBI single to make it a 4-3 game, but Gray retired the last batter on a flyball to end it.

“This game was a good confidence booster today for us as we put the bat on the ball, and the defense was excellent throughout,” said Green. “There are things we could fix from this game, but overall it was a good job.”

Wyman led the Falcons at the plate, reaching three times.

Lauren Cormier and Jessica Perry each singled.

Gray finished with two strikeouts and five walks as Freeport left eight runners on base.

Yarmouth 4, Freeport 3

Yarmouth — 010 021 0 — 4-5-0
Freeport — 100 000 2 — 3-6-2
McKenzie Gray and Hallie Hutchinson;
Leigh Wyman and Jessica Perry.
Doubles — (Y) McKenzie Gray, Monica
Austin; (F) Leigh Wyman, Dani Perry.
Triple — (F) Leigh Wyman.
Repeat hitters — (Y) McKenzie Gray; (F)
Leigh Wyman.
Records — Yarmouth 1-0, Freeport 0-1.
Next for the Falcons — April 23 at Cape
Elizabeth, 4 p.m.