LISBON — Two straight days on the softball field for both Lisbon and Dirigo seemed odd after a spring full of rain.

For three innings Thursday, this Mountain Valley Conference contest stayed close, with the host Greyhounds scoring two second-inning runs on a pair of Dirigo errors.

But, Lisbon found its groove in the final two frames, tallying 10 runs for a 12-0 mercy-rule victory, giving the Greyhounds a 2-1 record.

“I think that this team is a team that has all the potential in the world to be that team that we were at the end of this game,” Lisbon coach Terri Tlumac said. “This was the softball team that I was waiting to see. It was nice to see it today.”

Playing on consecutive days was not lost on Tlumac, with her squad slated to ramp up its schedule next week, beginning Monday at Telstar. Wednesday’s 10-3 loss to Monmouth showed the rust that came with being stuck inside a gymnasium for most of the spring season.

“We have not seen a lot of balls thrown at us, and I can throw balls to them in the outfield or in the gym, our pitchers can throw balls, but it is different on the field,” Tlumac said. “It was important to play back to back. Game situations only come during games. You can mock it in drills, but it is nothing like the real thing.”

For Dirigo and first-year coach Scott Underhill, he watched his young Cougars play solid for three-plus innings before six errors over the final two frames did in his squad.

“Lisbon’s infield is really good, strong arms, and for us we just didn’t make the plays in the outfield, and is something we will have to remedy,” Underhill said.

Lisbon pitcher Alyssa Hall worked her way in and out of a first-inning jam as lead-off hitter Ashley Perrault worked a walk and Alexa Varnum doubled to right field to put two runners in scoring position with one out. A strikeout and a groundout allowed Hall to keep the Cougars off the board.

Perrault faced a two-on, no-out jam in the first, but the Cougar right-hander struck out back-to-back hitters and watched as left-fielder Katie Morse ran down a hard liner by Giana Russo to keep the game scoreless.

In the Lisbon second, a walk to Jasmin Le and a single by Morgan Fenderson was followed by consecutive throwing errors for the Cougars. Le scampered home on a miscue, and Fenderson scored on a ground ball by Ali Sult for a 2-0 Lisbon edge.

Hounds break out

The contest remained close until the fourth. Lisbon sent 11 batters to the plate and took advantage of three dropped fly balls to score five runs for a 7-0 lead. Fenderson and Hall singled to open the frame. The first error allowed Fenderson to score, and after Kipri Steele bunted for a hit to load the bases, another error brought home two more Lisbon runs for a 5-0 lead. Mallory Fairbanks singled in a run, and the inning’s final Dirigo error scored Brittany Norman.

“Against Monmouth, we didn’t hit as good as we wanted to, but today we did better,” said Fairbanks, who was 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. “It has been tough practicing in the gym or in the outfield. Playing some games was good.”

Lisbon’s base running led to more scoring opportunities in the fifth. Often the Greyhounds took advantage of uncovered bases.

“We are not able to get a lot of reps, and it is something that we need to do,” said Underhill. “As a coach I am constantly teaching the game, things like running the bases and game situations. I’m having to teach them those game situations on the spot. I give it a year, and they will be playing the game the way that I am teaching them. They will get better and do well.”

The Greyhounds sent nine more hitters to the dish in the fifth, with the key hits coming from Fairbanks (two-run double) and Carly Drischler. The game ended on a ground ball by Le, with Russo coming home.

Fenderson, Steele and Drischler each had two hits to back Lisbon’s 10-hit attack.

On the mound, Hall tossed a three-hitter on five strikeouts and three walks.

Of the 12 runs Perrault allowed, only two were earned as Dirigo committed eight errors in all. She struck out three and walked two.

Rebecca Dailey reached base twice for the Cougars (single, walk), while Perrault was 1-for-2 with a walk.

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