Jill Whynot clubbed a three-run home run to lead the visiting Hall-Dale Bulldogs to a 20-4 win over Wiscasset Middle High School in Mountain Valley Conference softball action.

It was sunny but chilly with a blustery wind when these two longtime rivals took to the diamond Monday afternoon, May 9. A good crowd was on hand to watch the game.

The Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. The lead-off batter singled up the middle, stole second and moved around to third base on a passed ball. She scored after the next batter grounded out.

The Wolverines threatened in the home half of the inning aided by the Hall-Dale pitcher who hit the first two batters, Maeve Blodgett and Stephanie Jones. Grace Webber then grounded out but advanced Blodgett and Jones to second and third. The inning ended after Lindsey Gordon popped out to the pitcher and Sydnie Thayer popped up to the third baseman. Wiscasset’s hitters were making good contact with the bat most of the game but the Bulldog infield made some fine defensive plays.

Hall-Dale scored seven more runs (three unearned) in the second. They put two more runs on the scoreboard in the fourth and three in the fifth. The visitors then exploded for seven runs in the final inning, three coming on Whynot’s blast that sent center fielder Grace Webber all the way to the outfield fence.

Earlier, Webber made an awesome defensive play gloving a towering fly ball to end the second inning but not before the Bulldogs had run up an 8-0 lead.

The Wolverines ended the shutout after Jones tripled and scored on a passed ball. Jones’s blast was to deep left field, the ball carrying over the fielder’s head.

Another highlight came in the fifth inning. Wolverine left fielder Leah Potter caught a line drive and very alertly threw the ball to second baseman Blodgett for the game’s only double play.

WMHS picked up its other three runs in the fifth inning. Lindsey Gordon accounted for all three. After doubling to left field driving in Blodgett and Jones, a bad relay throw sent Gordon to third base. After rounding the bag she kept going and scored.

Wolverine pitcher August Moore set the Hall-Dale batters down in order in the third and sixth innings. Gordon worked two-thirds of an inning pitching in relief.

At the midway point of the season the Wolverines are 1-7. They lost 13-1 on May 6 to Dirigo at Dixfield. The Wolverines were scheduled to travel to Mt. Valley Wednesday and then return home to face Madison Area High School on Friday, May 13.