WESTBROOK – The weather wasn’t the only thing that warmed up quickly Tuesday as the Westbrook softball team opened the season by hammering the Deering Rams 17-1 at Payson Park in Portland.

The Blue Blazes’ bats spoke loud and often as they smacked 17 hits while scoring 17 runs to start the season on a winning track in a game that was stopped after five innings.

The Blue Blazes started strong and never looked back as Nicole Nutter, Katie Clark and Haley Berry got the ball rolling with three consecutive singles.

Following an error by Deering’s shortstop, which allowed Kerrigan Demers to reach base, the Blue Blazes followed up with three more hits, including a bases clearing double by Kayla Tibbetts to make it 5-0.

The Blue Blazes would add three more before the excruciating top of the first came to an end for the Rams with the score 8-0.

The early eight-run cushion was plenty for Tibbetts, who pitched a complete game, two-hitter, while recording six strikeouts.

The Blue Blazes added to their first inning barrage in the top of the second, adding five more runs thanks to RBI triples by Clark and Tibbetts to make it 13-0.

The Blue Blazes would tack on four more runs over the next three innings to coast to a satisfying opening victory.

The Blue Blazes will get back to work on Saturday when they take on the Noble Knights at home at 11 a.m.

Westbrooks Kayla Winton slides into third for a triple, one of 17 hits for the Blue Blazes in their 17-1 rout of the Deering Rams.