Cheverus players celebrate after Hailey Lamontagne hit a home run during the Stags’ 6-2 softball win Monday at Windham. Purchase this image

WINDHAM — In the season series between the state’s top two softball heavyweights, Round 1 went to the Cheverus Stags.

Addison DeRoche allowed two hits while striking out 11 and hit a two-run homer, and Cheverus topped Windham, 6-2, on Monday in a rematch of last year’s epic Class A South final.

Hailey Lamontagne had a momentum-turning home run and Abby Kelly also went deep for Cheverus, which improved to 5-0.

“It’s really fun to play over here,” Cheverus coach John Eisenhart said. “Just a fun atmosphere, kind of a playoff-like atmosphere, and it’s fun to see how the kids react.”

Windham (4-1) got hits from Oakley McLeod and Yani Kostopoulos, and scored two unearned runs in the sixth.

How it happened

• In the fourth inning, DeRoche was denied extra bases, if not a home run, when Windham’s Kyla Harvie made a running catch at the fence to pull the ball back in, prompting a loud cheer from the Windham players and fans. The joy, however, was short-lived, as Lamontagne hit a ball two pitches later well over the right -field fence for a solo shot and 1-0 lead.

“I just like to keep it simple. See ball, hit ball, and obviously that felt really good,” Lamontagne said. “If I think ‘Hit it far,’ it never goes far. I have to simplify it.”

• One inning later, Kelly, the No. 9 hitter, got ahold of a full-count offering and hammered it to left for a 2-0 lead. Then, after Kylie Lamson doubled, DeRoche drilled a shot to right field to put Cheverus up 4-0.

• In the sixth, Anna Kennedy-Jensen, Kelly and Delia Tremble had three straight singles, and Lamson singled past shortstop to make it 6-0.

• It was more than enough support for DeRoche, who didn’t allow a hit until the sixth.

“I felt fine today. Not my best, not my worst,” she said. “They did a nice job adjusting, and … I was just working through it and feeling my pitches out.”

Different approach

• Fans expecting a seven-inning battle of aces between DeRoche and Windham’s Kennedy Kimball got a pitching-by-committee approach from the Eagles, who had Kimball go for 21/3 innings — one trip through the lineup — before bringing in Addie Caiazzo for 12/3 innings and then Lacey Higgins for the rest of the way.

Kimball was excellent, striking out five of the nine batters she faced, but Windham coach Darcey Gardiner said with perhaps two rematches with Cheverus coming up, she didn’t want the Stags to get too good a look.

“I’ve changed my mind about 35 different times,” said Gardiner, who employed a similar strategy two years ago against Biddeford by pitching Kimball instead of Brooke Gerry. “That probably surprised some people, but (Cheverus) saw Kennedy Kimball one time through the lineup today, and then the last time they saw her was two years ago. I was really proud of how my team stayed up and supported our No. 2 and No. 3 pitchers.”

Individual statistics

• Cheverus: Addison DeRoche (seven innings, 11 strikeouts, two hits; 1 for 4, home run), Hailey Lamontagne (4 for 4, home run), Abby Kelly (2 for 3, home run); Kylie Lamson (2 for 4, double, two RBI)

• Windham: Yani Kostopoulos (hit, run), Oakley McLeod (hit), Addie Caiazzo (run).

Notable quotes

• “One of the first things they said was (that) this was the most fun that they’ve had in a really long time. That’s what I need them to remember, they play softball to have fun.” — Windham coach Darcey Gardiner, on the post-game meeting.

• “I was swinging at very high pitches. They were throwing very good rise balls, they were pretty nasty. I guess I just like the high pitches, but I laid off them in my second at-bat.” — Abby Kelly, on the strikeout before her home run.