BRADFORD, Vt. — It took until the fourth inning for the defending champions to get rolling in their season opener, but the Oxbow High softball team turned things on in a big way on Tuesday, scoring 14 runs across the fourth and fifth to beat visiting Blue Mountain, 14-2, via the run rule.
The Olympians (1-0), who won the VPA Division III state title a season ago, started with junior Briana Gray in the circle, then turned to freshman superstar Anastase Bourgeois in the third after the Bucks pushed across a pair of unearned runs. Bourgeois retired all seven batters she faced the rest of the way.
Oxbow scored its runs on a series of walks, singles and failed fielder’s choices, collecting just three hits but putting plenty of pressure on Blue Mountain pitcher Maggie Emerson. Bourgeois had by far the hardest-hit ball of the afternoon in the fourth, but it was sent directly to the left fielder.
“We started off slow,” Olympians head coach Chuck Simmons said. “Our girls started warming up, and they started making more contact and the got more patient as the innings went on. The pitch selection was better. They did a great job rebounding from the first few innings.”
Oxbow is at Lyndon on Thursday.
DERRY, N.H. — The Bears improved to 6-0 with a hard-fought win on the road over the Astros.
Eleanor van Aalst, Natalie Feyrer, Mackenzie Liu and Noura St. Hilaire all won singles matches for Hanover, giving the visitors a 4-2 edge in singles play. Liu and Feyrer then partnered for the match-deciding win in doubles.
The Bears play again on Wednesday, hitting the road to battle Exeter.
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — The Hurricanes continued their strong start to the season with a shutout win over visiting St. Johnsbury.
Tarin Prior earned the shutout in goal for the Canes (2-0). Joseph Barwood led the attack with three goals. Gordon Willey added two goals. Ryan Spaulding and Ezra Mock had a goal apiece.
Hartford visits Otter Valley on Saturday.