Edward Little’s Abby Russell dives back to first before Oxford Hills’ Brooke Carson can put a tag on her during Monday’s softball game at Auburn Suburban. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)

AUBURN — After allowing Edward Little to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh, Oxford Hills pitcher Lauren Merrill had to bounce back at the plate in the eighth.

She did enough to help the Vikings to earn the key KVAC softball win over the Red Eddies, 6-3 in eight innings.

Merrill grounded out for the second out of the top of the eighth, but moved Kenzie Kahkonen to second base. Tied at 3-3, Merrill was hoping for any kind of help for when she stood on the mound in the bottom half of the eighth.

The next batter was Kaisa Heikkinen, who hit a grounder towards the left of Edward Little (4-4) pitcher Hannah Smith, who was also in her eighth inning of pitching. The ball tipped off Smith’s glove, and a throw to first was high, leading to a score by Kahkonen to make it 4-3 Oxford Hills (6-1).

Haley Dillingham was next up and hit the first pitch she saw into the outfield for a triple, scoring Heikkinen. A single by Kori Kahkonen drove in the final run of the inning to make it 6-3, giving Merrill a solid lead heading into the bottom of the inning, and ultimately the win.

“I was hoping that someone would get a hit or something, and we ended up pulling it together so that made me a lot happier,” Merrill said. “Of course, I had a little bit of panic in me but I needed to know how to fight and I needed to pull that through my mind and I needed to believe myself. I still kept in my mind that they could easily score three, so I needed to hit my spots.”

In the bottom of the inning, Edward Little faced an uphill battle. Merrill sat them down in order and sent the Eddies packing while picking up the Vikings’ sixth consecutive win.

“My dad was over there and he was just making sure, saying, ‘You need to believe in yourself and not be worried,’” Merrill said. “Same with my coaches. They were very happy with how I threw, I believe.”

Errors have plagued the Eddies this season with just 15 of their 41 runs this season being earned, according to coach Elaine Derosby.

“Hannah has been pitching well,” Derosby said. “We had strong defense behind her. It might be our strongest defensive lineup with her in the circle. … She had been making pitches and if that ball doesn’t tip off her glove then Cece (Caroline Hammond) is right on it and we don’t have those two hits that come.”

Both pitchers were shutting down their opponents to start the game. Smith had a no-hitter working into the fifth inning, while Merrill had four strikeouts in the first four innings. That all changed in the fifth when Kori Kahkonen got on base with the Vikings’ first hit of the game.

Brooke Carson followed up that single with one of her own, and an infield single later by Madison Starbird drove in Kahkonen. Another single by Madison Day drove in two more to make it 3-0.

The Eddies scored two runs in the bottom of the frame via a double from Taylor Depot to put pressure on the Vikings. After leaving two on in the sixth, Edward Little was able to tie the game at 3-3 when a single from Jordan Cummings knocked in Emmy Lashua, who went 3-for-4 on the day.

Knowing her team, Oxford Hills head coach Cindy Goddard wasn’t worried about her team’s resolve.

“That’s what sports are all about,” Goddard said. “You have a lead, they tie it up and what is your response going to be? It’s not always perfect, but that was a good response. Always a battle with EL. Winning by 12 is fun, but this, this is fun.”

Despite the loss, Derosby was excited about the way her team competed.

“I think this is going to be a good step for us in the next eight games and into the playoffs,” Derosby said. “It was another game that we outhit the opponent. We have four losses and in three of those four loses we outhit the other team.”

Oxford Hills’ Madison Starbird gobbles up a grounder before throwing out the batter during Monday’s softball against Edward Little. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)

Edward Little outfielder Emmy Lashua snags a line drive for an out during Monday’s softball game against Oxford Hills. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)

Oxford Hills pitcher Lauren Merrill winds up for a pitch during Monday’s game against Edward Little at Auburn Suburban. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)