HAMPDEN – The Hampden Academy softball team had an inauspicious start to its matchup against Mount Desert Island Thursday, what with the Broncos’ two first-inning strikeouts, both looking, against MDI’s Nia Megquier.

But Hampden would make things happen soon enough.

Four bunts, including one sacrifice, plus a groundball single, all in the third inning, helped boost the Broncos to a 3-1 victory over the Trojans at the Weatherbee Complex field.

Hampden, now 9-2, also benefited from error-free defense, a three-hit pitching effort from starter Erika Veinote, and two timely hits later in the game.

But the small-ball strategy would provide the winning runs as Hampden struggled to get the big hits early.

“Whenever we’re not getting it done with the bats [Hampden coach Rodney Wells] tells us to just bunt, just get people around and that’s exactly what we did,” said Nellie Woods, who was struck out in the first inning but redeemed herself later.

Lisa Johnson led off the two-run third with a bunt, followed by Woods’ bunt to put runners at first and second. Michelle Wells sacrificed the runners along and then Jenna Shue’s bunt resulted in a throwing error that allowed both runs to score.

“Our bats have carried us this whole year and if we don’t hit it that’s a big part of our game that’s down the drain,” Veinote said. “Once someone picks up their first hit we get into the groove and everyone can make contact.”

MDI senior shortstop Emma Stanley said the Trojans got caught off guard by the bunts.

“We haven’t really worked on them enough, obviously,” Stanley said. “I guess we weren’t really prepared for it. And they were awesome bunts, too. So that hurt us.”

MDI’s run came in the fifth when Iris Meehan hit a one-out single, advanced to second on a hit batter and scored when Chelsea Dow flared a single to left-center. The Trojans left the bases loaded in that inning.

The Broncos found their swing in the fifth as Woods hit a leadoff triple and scored on a Wells single for the insurance run.

Veinote induced eight groundouts and five flyouts in five innings. Lacey Littlefield pitched two hitless innings with four strikeouts and one hit batter.

Meehan also singled in the second and was hit by a pitch in the top of the seventh, but Littlefield struck out the final three batters of the game.

“We had a few good rips and they made some nice plays, but we have to get our bats going more,” Stanley said.

Megquier had a solid outing with five strikeouts and no walks.

BRONCOS 3, TROJANS 1

MDI (7-5) Hampden (9-2)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Stanley, ss 2 0 0 0 Woods, rf 3 2 0

Shuster, cf 3 0 0 0 Wells, 2b 2 0 1

Megquier, p 3 0 0 0 Shue, ss 3 0 0

Bowden, c 3 0 0 0 Veinote, p 3 0 0

Ingalls, 2b 3 0 0 0 Growe, cf 1 0 0

Meehan, rf 2 1 2 0 E. Shannon, cf 2 0 0

Hamblen, 1b 2 0 0 0 Kiser, c 1 0 0

Smith, ph 1 0 0 0 Gott, c 2 0 0 0

Vaux, 3b 2 0 0 0 M. Shannon, 3b 2 0 0

Dow, dh 3 0 1 1 Plowman, ph 1 0 0

Tinker, rf 0 0 0 0 Thompson, 1b 2 0 0

Palmer, ph 1 0 0 0

Johnson, lf 2 1 1 0

Libbey, lf 0 0 0 0

Totals 24 1 3 1 Totals 25 3 6 1

MDI 000 010 0 – 1

Hampden 002 010 x – 3

E-Stanley 2, Vaux; LOB-MDI 5, Hampden 5; 3B-Woods; S-Wells; SB-Wells

MDI IP H R ER BB SO

Megquier (L, 7-5) 6 6 3 3 0 5

Hampden IP H R ER BB SO

Veinote (W, 4-1) 5 3 1 1 1 2

Littlefield (S) 2 0 0 0 0 4

HBP-Vaux, Meehan (by Veinote); WP-Megquier 2; T-1:15; ATT-75 (est.)