Leavitt’s offense pounds out 14 hits.

AUBURN – It was a bit like night and day for the Leavitt bats Wednesday.

After being shutout and held to just two hits in a 4-0 softball loss to Brunswick Tuesday, the Hornets reversed their offensive output in a 7-2 win over Edward Little at Tribou Field.

“We just hit the ball,” said third baseman Alanna Leonard. “We did not hit (Tuesday), and we finally hit today and it was much better.”

The Hornets (6-2) pounded out 14 hits. Leonard led the offense with four hits and three RBI while Sam St. Hilaire drove in two runs with four hits. Annie Dyer also had a pair of hits.

“The pitcher (Brittany Short) was a little bit quicker than the Brunswick pitcher,” said Leavitt coach Pete Higgins. “The Brunswick pitcher was a little bit slower, and we weren’t timing it well. They were used to the faster pitcher and it worked out better.”

Though EL (1-5) tried to stay close, it was a four-run fifth that opened up 1-run game. Leavitt had five hits and took advantage of two EL errors.

“We’re playing better,” said EL coach Gene Keene. “I thought we gave it a good effort. We just can’t allow a big inning like that.”

Leavitt took a 1-0 lead in the third on a Leonard RBI single. That run was set up by an error to start the inning.

In Leavitt’s fifth, a dropped throw to first on a grounder led to St. Hilaire scoring the first run.

Then Leonard doubled in Beth Ellis and Laura Pratt for a 4-0 lead. A Jess Paladino fielder’s choice allowed Leonard to score.

“You’ve got to play good defense,” said Keene. “We were in a good close game until that fifth inning. We made some errors, and you can’t give extra outs to anybody.”

EL got two runs back in the bottom of the inning. Christie Sasser, who had two hits for the Red Eddies, singled in Nicole Wotherspoon. Then an error on an Ally Keene grounder scored Lindsey St. Hilaire. EL had the bases full with just one out, but that was all the damage done by the Red Eddies.

In the seventh, St. Hilaire tripled in Brittany Gurney and Annie Dyer to pad the lead.

“I think this is really big for us,” said Leonard. “(Tuesday) was a really rough game. We felt really bad, and I think we were ready for today.”