SOUTH PORTLAND — The Thornton Academy softball team has proven in three games that it can produce wins via blowouts ”“ or with a close score.

But after Wednesday’s 2-0 win over South Portland, on the backs of a big play by freshman Brooke Cross and a no-hitter by senior Julia Geaumont, the Golden Trojans have already separated themselves from the rest of the SMAA pack. They have also firmly entrenched themselves as one of the few teams in Southern Maine that can unseat Scarborough as the Western Maine Class A power in 2012.

“I think we’re definitely gaining a lot more confidence,” Geaumont said. “Even just as a team, having each other’s backs. We’ve seen an array of pitching, and we’ve shown we can hit the slow pitching, we can hit the fast pitching. We can hit the girl with movement. We’re adjusting.”

And they can pitch.

Geaumont allowed no hits while striking out 11 batters. South Portland had three base runners all day ”“ one walk and two on errors committed by the Trojans. Geaumont also went 2 for 3 at the plate with a triple. Geaumont didn’t realize she achieved the feat until after the game, when head coach John Provost told her.

“It’s awesome, I’m a little surprised,” Geaumont said. “It’s not my first one, but it’s one that I’m definitely going to remember.”

“We know we’ve scored a lot of runs, but we knew today was going to be a defensive game, and we needed to play defense,” Provost said. “Defense is what will take us to the next step.”

Geaumont’s counterpart, South Portland’s Erin Bogdanovich struck out 10 batters, allowing one walk and one hit batsman.

Neither team could get an edge on the other until Thornton scored the only two runs of the game in the fifth inning. Jordan Agger reached first on a walk, then stole second moments later, setting the stage for Cross, who smacked a long drive to right field. It appeared right fielder Kelsey Morton was ready to make the catch, but the ball grazed off her glove and onto the field, plating Agger and moving Cross to third on the error. Morgan Dube scored Cross moments later on a fielder’s choice.

“I think it’s awesome that our younger players are stepping up,” Geaumont said. “It just proves if you put your nerves aside, you can really do it.”

South Portland threatened to score in the fourth inning, when Laurine German reached second with no outs on an error in the outfield by Thornton. German reached third base on a passed ball, but Geaumont struck the next two batters out and induced a groundout to end the inning. The Riots got another runner on base in the seventh inning when Danica Gleason reached base on an infield error, but Geaumont then induced two more groundouts and a foul pop-up to first base to end the contest.

“Julia pitched as well as we’ve seen this year,” South Portland head coach Ralph Aceto said. “She mixed her pitches well, kept us off-balance all game. Just when we thought we figured her out, she changed up a little bit more. She pitched a gem. You just have to tip your hat to her and say ”˜Good job.’”

Thornton hosts Gorham in its next contest, scheduled for Friday at 4 p.m.

— Contact Dave Dyer at 282-1535, Ext. 323.