AUBURN — It was a good thing for Edward Little that its two-run lead held up for four exasperating innings against an adamant Mt. Blue softball team at a chilly and wind-swept Sweetser Field on Thursday afternoon.

The teams were evenly matched with two talented pitchers holding down the circle, but the Red Eddies (6-4) held off the Cougars (5-4) and slipped away with a 5-3 victory.

“We pulled together today a little better than we have been,” EL coach Elaine Derosby said. “I am proud of them that they came in focused today.

“The last two games have been pretty emotional in terms of mental toughness and how we had to come from behind in both games.

“So today, to get out in front and just stay in front and making sure we were relaxed throughout the whole thing, I am proud of how the came out of it.”

Mt. Blue pitcher Adelle Foss (four Ks) and EL winning pitcher Chantel Ouellette (seven strikeouts) grew stronger as both offenses came to a halt. Foss gave up nine hits, while Ouellette allowed six.

“Chantel has had some rough outings,” Derosby said. “She started some games really strong. Defensively, we struggled a little behind her. I am happy for her because she needed a complete game for herself and her confidence in her pitching.”

Mt. Blue coach Ron Smith was also proud of Foss for standing her ground in the circle.

“She had a lot of pitches the first couple of innings and then she kind of settled down. She has pitched well all season. She has had some tough losses this year, but she has pitched very well.”

The Cougars got on the board in the top half of the first inning. Lead-off hitter Samantha Ellis walked, stole second base and came home Rylee Briggs’s RBI single.

Mt. Blue’s 1-0 lead was short-lived when the Red Eddies put together a five-hit, three-run response in the bottom half of the first.

Outfielder Emmy Lashua, catcher Jordan Cummings and shortstop Taylor Depot all singled to load the bases for EL. First baseman Anna LeBlanc ripped a two-run single, sending Lashua and Cummings home. Depot crossed the plate on Abby Russell’s RBI double to give EL a 3-1 lead going into the second inning.

“Gave up five runs in the first two innings,” Smith said. “They were some seeing-eye singles, little bloopers and stuff like that.

“We were probably playing too deep. This field is hard to judge. This field is a lot deeper than we play. It took us an inning to adjust and that hurt us.”

After clamping down on the Cougars in the top half of the second, the Red Eddies pushed across two more runs in the bottom half.

With one out, Lashua walked and Grace Beaudet (two hits) singled. Both players scored when Depot smacked a two-run single to drive in Lashua and Beaudet, giving the Red Eddies a 5-1 lead.

The Cougars creeped up on the Eddies in the third inning with two runs. Ellis, who got on with hit, came home Aislynn Provencher’s fly ball to right field. Jacelyn Daggett scored when she got on with an error and scored on Macey Phillips’ double.

But the rest of the game became a pitcher’s duel.

Macey Phillips of Mount Blue flips the ball to teammate Wiley Post as base runners from Edward Little High School advance on a hit to center field in Auburn on Thursday. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)

Samantha Ellis of Mount Blue beats the throw to Edward Little catcher Jordan Cummings during the first inning in Auburn on Thursday. Ellis’ run put the Cougars up 1-0. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)

Mount Blue High School infielder Ashley Wiles makes a catch against Edward Little High School in Auburn on Thursday. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)

Abby Russell of Edward Little High School makes the out on Gracie Foss of Mount Blue High School  at third base during the second inning in Auburn on Thursday. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)

Grace Beaudet of Edward Little High School reacts after hitting one of her two singles against Mount Blue on Thursday. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)