DXFIELD – Things came together quickly for the Mountain Valley softball team.

The Falcons jumped on top by scoring seven runs in the first two innings, and Shelby Moore threw a two-hitter en route to an 11-6 win against Dirigo on Thursday at windy Marble Park.

Mountain Valley (3-2) sent a message when Tanya Martin led off with a solid hit off the fence in centerfield. The Falcons refused to let up, scoring four runs in the first inning. The key blows were a two-run single by Kim Clark and a Kelly Palmer RBI single. The teams each had mixed results against a common opponent this week. Mountain Valley beat Hall Dale 9-6 on Wednesday, and Dirigo lost to the Bulldogs 9-1.

Mountain Valley scored three runs in the second inning to take an insurmountable 7-0 lead. Elaina Waite led off with a walk and raced home on Palmer RBI single. Shawnee Akers hit a shot to third base and two runs scored on a throwing error.

“That way a key for us,” Mountain Valley coach Brian Mills said. “Scoring seven runs right away gave the team confidence, and the defense made the plays. We’ve also been hitting the cover off the ball.”

Moore, a freshman, experienced trouble finding the plate at times, however, the freshman pitched out of several potential issues. The right-hander walked eight, but had three-inning ending strikeouts.

Dirigo stranded nine base runners, including two each in the third, sixth and seventh. The Cougars tried to rally by scoring three runs in the fifth to trail 7-5. Shannon Daley drew a bases-loaded walk, and Abby Fenstermacher scooted home on Dani Thompkins sacrifice fly. Katie Hutchinson scored on a dropped ball, but Moore struck out Sam Webster with the sacks full.

“Shelby threw well,” Mills said. “When she did get in trouble, she was able to pitch out of it. I’ve got four pitchers, and that’s nice to have.”

Mountain Valley responded with four runs in the top of the sixth on Akers RBI single and Clark’s RBI ground out. Martin led the Falcons with three hits and three runs, and Abby Mills, Palmer and Waite each scored two runs.

This was Dirigo’s third game in three days, and the Cougars simply couldn’t put things together. Hutchinson also had control troubles with three hit batters. The Cougars’ Lanette Bryant scored on Daley’s sacrifice fly, and Katrina Pulk singled in the seventh.