TOPSHAM

Mt. Ararat High School softball co-coach Al Graffam has been around Eagles softball for the better part of a decade. On Tuesday in his team’s third game of the young season, he tried to remember back to a time when Mt. Ararat stayed close with Cony, much less beat the Rams.

Cony came out strong, jumping to a 5-0 first-inning lead. But there was no panic from the veteran Eagles, who scored the game’s final 10 runs for a come-from-behind 12-7 Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference victory.

Mt. Ararat is off to a stellar start, now at 3-0 with a visit to Lewiston scheduled for today at 4 p.m.

“Cony can always hit and play the game,” said Graffam of the Rams, who fell to 1-2.

There was little that went right in the top of the first for Graffam’s team, as the Rams loaded the bases on two errors and a walk from Mt. Ararat starter Alana Weaver. Carly Lettre singled up the middle for the game’s first run, and Alexis Couverette just missed a grandslam home run, with the ball hitting the top of the leftfield fence for a two-run double.

Cari Hopkins lifted a sacrifice fly ball for the fourth run, and Couverette beat a throw home on a bunt by Allee Cloutier to complete the Cony first.

Mt. Ararat threatened in its first swings, as Zoe Stilphen walked and Weaver singled. But, Ram pitcher Hopkins retired Katelyn Cox, Kayleigh Temple and Belle Benner to keep the Eagles off the board. It was the only time in the contest that the Rams were fortunate to get through the middle of the tough Mt. Ararat lineup.

“We told them after that first inning that this is a gut check,” said Graffam.

Weaver pitched well after the first, keeping Cony at five runs through three innings.

Mt. Ararat found the scoreboard in the third. Stilphen laced a double to begin the inning, and Cox singled and stole second to put two runners into scoring position. Temple followed with a two-run, ground-rule double.

More rallies

Cony scored two runs in the fifth. Delaney Keithley launched a home run to center field, and after Couverette tripled, Hopkins rolled a ground ball to first to make for a 7-2 contest.

It didn’t take Mt. Ararat long to respond. With one out in the bottom of the frame, Weaver and Cox each doubled, followed by a long home run by Temple to get the Eagles to 7-5.

“Kayleigh’s home run seemed to get them going. The game balls certainly took a beating today,” said Graffam after the teams combined on nine extra-base hits in the contest.

“It felt fantastic,” said Temple of her home run to left-center field. “I felt that the momentum had changed. My game goal was to get a home run and it happened. It is so nice to have a lineup that we feel confident in.”

Hopkins (4 1/3 innings, eight hits, two strikeouts, one walk) was relieved by Gaby McGuirey after Temple’s home run. An error kept things going for Mt. Ararat, and Kate Guerin picked up a two-out RBI single to get the Eagles to 7-6.

Weaver pitched five innings with six strikeouts and one walk. Holly Temple took over on the mound for Mt. Ararat to begin the sixth. She struck out two in a 1-2-3 frame and watched as her teammates rallied in the home half of the sixth.

The top of the order came through once again. Stilphen singled and moved to second on a McGuirey wild pitch. Weaver’s ground rule double tied the game. Cox singled and Kayleigh Temple walked to load the bases. Benner gave the Eagles their first lead with a two-run single to left field, and Holly Temple, Guerin and Sam Gonyea each singled to complete the rally.

“They know how to play the game. They didn’t panic,” said Graffam after watching his team pound out 16 base-knocks. Stilphen, Weaver, Cox and Kayleigh Temple combined to go 10- for-15 with nine runs scored and six RBIs in spots 1-4 in the lineup. “We have confidence in all of them, and most have been around three or four years.”

Cony put two runners on in the seventh, with Couverette (3-for-4, two runs, two RBIs) singling behind Lettre, who was hit by a pitch. But, Holly Temple (two innings, three strikeouts, one hit) watched as Guerin retired the final Rams hitter at first base to complete the 12-7 win and 3-0 Eagles start.

“We have a lot of experience under our belt, and we never gave up,” said Cox, who was 3-for-4 at the plate. “We have a lot of talent on our team.”

Guerin and Holly Temple each had two hits for the Eagles.

Mt. Ararat 12, Cony 7

At Topsham

Cari Hopkins, Gaby McGuirey (5) and Allee Cloutier; Alana Weaver, Holly Temple (6) and Kayleigh Temple. WP — H. Temple; LP — McGuirey. Doubles — (C) Alexis Couverette; (MtA) Zoe Stilphen, Kayleigh Temple, Alana Weaver (2), Katelyn Cox. Triple — (C) Alexis Couverette. Home runs — (C) Delaney Keithley; (MtA) Kayleigh Temple. Repeat hitters — (C) Alexis Couverette (3); (MtA) Alana Weaver (3), Katelyn Cox (3), Kayleigh Temple, Zoe Stilphen, Holly Temple, Kate Guerin. Records — Mt. Ararat 3-0; Cony 1-2. Up next for the Eagles — Today at Lewiston, 4 p.m.