FREEPORT — An early-season three-game Western Maine Conference winning streak had the Freeport High School softball team looking up, with long-awaited wins over Traip Academy, Wells and Greely giving the Falcons a 3-1 record. 

However, the past three games have brought Freeport back down to earth a bit. After falling to York (12-0) on Saturday, Cape Elizabeth handed the Falcons a pair of five-inning setbacks on Monday at Hunter Road Fields, 12-4 and 15-1.  

The losses have Freeport sporting a 3-4 mark heading into Wednesday’s visit to Old Orchard Beach. Head coach Jason Daniel sees his squad on the rise despite the past three outings.  

“I have a playoff team, and we just have to push a little bit harder in certain games,” said the Freeport coach. “You can’t get down when the ball is hit in the gap. Our pitchers have to count on our defense. We’re there, and I feel that we should be there.” 

In Monday’s opener, the story was Cape Elizabeth pitcher Anna Cornell. She struck out the first eight Freeport hitters, including six on called third strikes. She held the Falcons to just one hit through four innings and finished with 12 strikeouts.  

“I haven’t pitched in a bit, and today I was able to hit the corners,” said Cornell. 

She received plenty of offense, as the Capers (5-1) struck for a run in the first when Cornell lifted a sacrifice fly ball to center field, scoring leadoff hitter Julia Torre.  

Cape Elizabeth tacked on three more runs in the second, with Katherine Blackburn (fielder’s choice), Jessica Robicheaw (sacrifice fly) and Cornell (single) each picking up an RBI.  

The Capers put the contest away with an eight-run fourth. Cornell completed her four RBI game with a two-run single as 14 Cape Elizabeth hitters came to the plate.  

“Sometimes it gets stuck in their head, that it is Cape and we have struggled with Cape,” said Daniel. “They were hitting the gaps with their hits and we made some errors. Against Traip, Wells and Greely, we played really well. Today, we struggled to hit.  

“I had never beaten Wells and Greely in my five years, and we played really good ball in those games, with good pitching, defense and key hits. Their hits didn’t find the gaps like Cape’s did today.” 

“Offensively, everyone had hits and contributed today,” said Cornell, who finished the opener 2-for-3. “We have worked on a lot of hitting in practice, and it showed today.” 

Freeport broke through against Cornell with four runs in the fifth. Brook Pawlowski, Annika Thomas and Brooke Toothaker each singled to load the bases with one out, and Abby Brier and Alexys Langley each drove in a run.  

Game 2 

Freeport starting pitcher Alexa Koenig matched Cape’s Robicheaw through two scoreless frames. Koenig struck out one and permitted just one hit, while Robicheaw had three strikeouts, with only Jac Burke picking up an infield hit.  

The Capers broke it open in the third. Clara Parker reached on an error. Torres walked and Blackburn singled to load the bases. Robicheaw grounded to third base, with the throw coming to the plate. However, Parker was able to slide underneath the tag for the game’s first run.  

The floodgates opened from there. Cornell, Esme Song, Torres, Blackburn and Robicheaw each drove in a run as Cape Elizabeth tallied 10 runs in the inning for a 10-0 lead.  

Robicheaw held the Falcons at bay until the fifth when Toothaker scored on a Langley infield single for Freeport’s lone run. The righty struck out nine and walked three in earning the mound win.  

Robicheaw and Cornell were 3-for-4 in the contest and 5-for-7 in the twinbill. Cornell finished the day with seven RBIs.  

Toothaker was 1-for-2 in both games for Freeport and scored two runs.