AUBURN – It was an equal opportunity first inning Friday evening.

Both softball teams had runners on and chances to take early command of the second meeting between cross-town rivals. It was Edward Little that made the most of that opportunity. The Red Eddies scored twice in the first inning and never looked back in a 5-1 win over Lewiston at Auburn Suburban.

“It’s really big because it’s easier to play from ahead than to play from behind,” said EL pitcher Alyssa Levesque. “We’re more confident.”

While EL (7-3) got a pair of runs in the bottom of the first, Lewiston put the first two runners on but came up empty. For the winless Blue Devils, the difference was a chance to take the early lead only to have to play from behind.

“We stranded two in the first inning and that hurt us,” said Lewiston coach Fred Royer.

Levesque scattered six hits and got some superb defense behind her. Jena Dubois made a nice running grab in left. Kayla Cummings had a few sparkling plays at first, and Melissa Paione had a fine catch at second.

“I have a really good fielding team behind me, and I’m really lucky to have that,” said Levesque.

Lewiston’s Mariah Conway pitched well for the Blue Devils. She allowed just seven hits and was plagued by four errors in the field.

“That’s a good effort by Mariah Conway,” said Royer.

Lewiston threatened in the first when Carley Denis and Erica Morin each singled to start the game. Denis had a pair of hits for Lewiston and was stellar defensively at short. A sacrifice by McKenzie Sullivan put runners in scoring position, but Levesque got a ground out and a strike out to end the inning.

“We’ve allowed runners on in the last couple games,” said EL coach Elaine Keene. “We’ve made the plays that have stopped the momentum. They worked really hard this week, and they’re staying focused. They’re fighting adversity. If you let runners on, you have to come back and do the exact same thing.”

In the bottom of the inning, Levesque had an infield hit, and Dubois reached on an error, allowing Levesque to score. Dubois later scored on a Miranda Martin fielder’s choice.

“Once somebody starts to hit, we all just start,” said Levesque.

EL added to the lead in the second when Kim Lawrence doubled and scored on a Levesque single. In the third, Cummings doubled and scored on a Megan Hussar fielder’s choice.

Lewiston got within 4-1 in the fifth when Denis doubled in Conway, but EL scored in the bottom of the inning. Lawrence plated a run with a sacrifice fly.

“It’s difficult when you’re out of your routine,” said Keene of the later start and game at a different home field. “I was proud that they were able to get in here and be off our routine a little and play on a completely different field. We never practice here. They came in and did the things they needed to do.”

Lewiston had chances in the fifth and sixth to trim the lead. The Blue Devils had two hits in each inning and stranded a runner in both innings.

“We had a couple of miscues here and there,” said Royer. “They earned it. They played well. They made some good defensive plays. With the exception of a couple spotty plays, it was an evenly played ballgame.”