The Gray-New Gloucester Senior League softball team turned heads at the New England regional with a pair of early-round victories.

Maine downed a tough Connecticut team, 4-0. Defense was outstanding for Maine. Sam Libby threw a bullet from center field to home to nail a runner out trying to score in the first. Heather Chapman made an amazing running shoe-string catch in right, and Emily Harlow gunned out a runner trying to steal second.

Gray scored a run in the first when Alex Thompson reached on an error, advanced to third and scored on a fielder’s choice. Maine added three more runs in the fifth. Maria Valente walked and Katelyn Tucker and Sam Libby singled to score one run. Taylor Whaley then crushed a double to center to plate two more runs to finish the scoring.

Tucker was phenomenal on the mound. She only allowed four hits and two walks against last year’s regional champion.

The Maine girls improved their record at the Eastern Regional tournament with a convincing 15-4 victory over Rhode Island.

Maine scored five runs in the first. Sam Libby, Maddie Elliott and Anna Knapp singled. Taylor Whaley hit a double, and two errors by Rhode Island allowed the runs.

Maine added two more in the second when Sandy Ricardi tripled, Libby doubled and Katelyn Tucker singled.

For Rhode Island, hree batters singled, followed by a double and fielder’s choice to produce four runs. But Maine kept the pressure on, pounding out eight more runs in the bottom of the fourth to seal the win.

Defensively, Alex Thompson made an amazing diving stab on a ground ball up the middle, then tagged second base to force an out.

Libby was in stellar form on the mound. She pitched the entire game, allowing just five hits and two walks with five strikeouts.

Next up for Maine is host Worcester, Mass., at 10 a.m. Wednesday.