By Kevin Mills,Staff Writer

AUBURN – Before the first pitch was even thrown Wednesday, there were plenty of frayed nerves to go around for the Edward Little softball team.

A funny thing happen though along the way to EL’s 6-3 win over Waterville at Tribou Field. As nervous as EL was beforehand, the Red Eddies showed plenty of composure when it mattered most in a season-opening victory.

“Sometimes young teams can go either way,” said EL coach Elaine Keene. “They can really fall under pressure or they can not know what it feels like anyway. They just go out and play. We really push them in practice. So I don’t think they’ll necessarily buckle under pressure because they’re ready. They know we have the confidence in them, and they need to have confidence in each other.”

EL has just four regulars back from last year’s 4-12 season. The Red Eddies have a new pitcher, a new coach and a whole lot of inexperience, but none of that mattered as EL opened a 4-0 lead in the second inning.

“It’s a big win,” said first baseman Kate Dargie. “We weren’t real successful last year. Going into the season with a first win, it definitely gives us a lot of momentum for the future.”

Junior Katelyn Chamberlain gave up six hits and walked just four while striking out five. She put down Waterville cleanup hitter Bethany Karter-O’Brien three times to end threats, including two strikeouts.

“I tried to keep the ball low so she couldn’t pop it up,” said Chamberlain, who pitched on the JV team last year but is still relatively new to the job.

She got some fine defensive plays from April Gerry at third and Lyndsey St. Hilaire at short. Catcher Sam Nickerson helped out throwing a runner out at second on a steal attempt. Allie Sasser and Ashley Pepin led the offense with two hits each.

Chamberlain blanked Waterville through the first three innings, allowing just two hits. She even got out of a jam in the third, stranding two Purple Panthers on base.

“I’m always good after the first inning,” said Chamberlain about the nerves. “It helps getting runs first.”

Dargie drove in the first run in the second with a single up the middle that plated Chamberlain.

“I kind of surprised myself,” said Dargie. “Last year, I struggled a little bit at the plate. Coming out and getting that first hit, I just knew I had to get it done.”

A Nickerson ground out scored Allie Sasser, and Dargie came in on an Ashley Pepin infield hit. Pepin later scored on an error on a Christie Sasser grounder.

Waterville got as close as 4-2 after single runs in the third and fifth, but EL upped the lead to 5-2 in the fifth when Chamberlain scored on a Gerry ground out.

Waterville got another run in the sixth, but EL made it 6-3 in the bottom of the inning when Christie Sasser scored on a Kendra Butcher fly out.

Waterville put two runners on in the final three innings but managed just two runs. With the tying run at the plate, Chamberlain struck out Karter-O’Brien to end the game.

“I thought we played great today,” said Dargie. “We played as a team, and that’s why we were successful. Everyone played their role.”