MONMOUTH — Rachel Bernier expected some growing pains this season.

So far, the Monmouth softball coach has just watched her team grow.

Though Monmouth boasts one of the top pitchers in the Mountain Valley Conference, the Mustangs also field a very young squad around her. Still, Bernier’s club is unbeaten after Monday’s 4-0 win over Dirigo.

“We are inexperienced,” said Bernier, who has two freshmen starting in the infield at third and short, a sophomore second baseman playing varsity for the first time and a sophomore at first. “They’re making plays behind (pitcher Reen Kahl). To be honest, I didn’t expect us to be right where we’re at because of the inexperience. When they come across the street (from the middle school), the intensity is totally different.”

Kahl allowed just three hits and struck out 12. The Cougars only had four base runners during the game, all in different innings.

“They’ve been known to be a good athletes,” said Kahl. “So I needed to be a little bit more aware in throwing it in there. I just couldn’t let them break my concentration when I’m throwing. It was just me and (catcher) Daisi (Poole) here. We’ll let the fielder’s take care of it.”

Monmouth made one error in the field but was otherwise solid. Kahl made five plays herself on balls hit back to her.

“I pride myself on being able to field it,” said Kahl. “They were connecting well, but I have fielders to make the plays.”

Kahl also had three hits while Kylie Kemp had a pair  and drove in a run. Caroline Bonenfant and Shannon Buzzell also had RBI for the Mustangs (3-0).

It was another hard-luck loss for the Cougars (1-4). Dirigo has lost two games by one run and another by two.

Dirigo got some solid pitching from Ambyr Wilson and a fine defensive effort, led by Gretchen Bradbury at third and Tasha DeRoche at short. The Cougars lost senior pitcher Alyssa Wade to arm soreness last week. She was playing first and feeling better but a return to pitching is uncertain.

“Defensively, I couldn’t have been more proud of the girls,” said Dirigo coach Sara Thurston. “They did a really great job. They had a lot of hard hit balls down the third baseline. We made the plays when we could.”

Monmouth got the 1-0 lead in the second. The Mustangs loaded the bases but managed just one run. Bonenfant singled with two outs to scored Angie Bechard.

The Mustangs loaded the bases again in the third but came up empty. Then Monmouth had four hits and scored three runs in the fourth to open the 4-0 lead.

“Those runs came with two outs,” said Bernier. “The kids battled back when they had two strikes, and we had some key hits.”

With two outs, Sabrina Beck doubled. Kahl followed with an infield single. Dirigo had a chance to get Beck at third but dropped the ball on the tag, prolonging the inning. Kemp’s infield hit scored Beck.  Paxton Lessard, running for Kahl, scored on a wild pitch. Then Buzzell doubled in Kemp.

“They’re definitely a competitive team,” said Kahl. “We had to capitalize on what we could. A 4-0 lead didn’t mean anything because they’re so competitive.”

Dirigo couldn’t overcome the deficit. After Wilson reached on an error in the first, the Cougars didn’t get a hit until Wilson singled in the fourth. Alyssa Charity had a single in the fifth and Natalie Bolduc singled in the sixth.

“We just needed to get our bats on the ball,” said Thurston. “By the end of the game, they were catching up with her, which is great but it was three innings too late. We had a lot of hard swings but not a lot that contacted the ball.”

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