Addison DeRoche of Cheverus blasts a double against Kennebunk in the second inning. Purchase this image

KENNEBUNK — Addison DeRoche was getting ready to lead off the fourth inning of the Cheverus softball team’s game with Kennebunk when she was given news by her coach, John Eisenhart. She had just notched her 300th career strikeout.

Or so everyone thought.

“The next inning, I came in after a strikeout and he said, ‘That was actually your 300th K,” she said. “That was funny. … I was like, ‘No way, that’s crazy.’ I had no idea at all.”

The sophomore standout reached the milestone by striking out 15 and pitching a one-hitter in a 10-0, six-inning victory over Kennebunk on Wednesday. The Stags improved to 10-0, and the Rams, who didn’t pitch star Julia Pike, fell to 9-3.

DeRoche needed 127 innings to reach the milestone. For the season, she’s 7-0 with a 0.17 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 42 innings.

“It’s not like she’s pitching every game, but when she’s pitching, she’s dominant,” Eisenhart said. “She works so hard, she deserves everything she’s going to get because of her work ethic and attitude.”

How it happened

• After leaving the bases loaded in the first, Cheverus’ bottom of the lineup sparked the rally in the second. Kylie Lamson (3 for 4), batting seventh, doubled to left, Bella Napolitano-Aberle reached on an error that scored Lamson and Anna Kennedy-Jensen singled up the middle. Two batters later, Ashley Connor hit a two-run single to right, making it 3-0.

• After DeRoche doubled, Hailey Lamontagne went the opposite way to left for a single that scored Connor, making it 4-0. Two more runs came in on an error that made it 6-0.

• Cheverus added three more runs in the fourth as Anna Goodman drove in a run with a single and Napolitano-Aberle drove in two more with a hit.

• DeRoche notched 11 of the first 12 outs by strikeout, the last of which finished the fourth inning and lifted her to the milestone. She took a no-hitter into the fifth until Kate Orendorf singled with two outs.

“The really great ones have that competitive edge,” Eisenhart said. “You talk to her, she’s like the nicest kid. But when she gets in that circle, she is a fierce competitor.”

Duel denied

• The matchup was a tantalizing one on the schedule, due to the likelihood of a showdown between DeRoche and Pike, a Division I University of Albany commit and three-time Varsity Maine All-State selection.

Kennebunk coach Eddie Pike, however, started Chloe Rousselle, a move he said was made more as a result of the Rams’ busy schedule than a desire to limit Cheverus’ opportunity to get reps against his ace with a rematch in two weeks.

“We had a plan this week where we had South Portland yesterday and then we’ve got Marshwood coming up on Saturday, and then our week gets a little difficult next week when we have Thornton and Scarborough, and we know we’re going to need Jules,” he said. “We’re just playing the averages and all that stuff. It’s a decision that we made several weeks ago.”

How did Julia, who instead played center field, take the news? Eddie Pike chuckled.

“She was not happy,” he said.

• It’s the second time the Stags have been denied a chance to see an all-conference pitcher. Windham only let Kennedy Kimball pitch two innings against them in a 6-2 loss May 12.

“I just take it as an opportunity to see all their pitching,” Connor said. “We’ll obviously see them eventually, so we’re ready whenever they want to let us see them.”