HAMPDEN – The defending Class A state softball champion is already in mid-season form – for now, anyway.

“Right now we’re seeing the ball well. Come the middle of the season, things might change,” said Messalonskee of Oakland coach Leo Bouchard. “But right now the girls are hot. They’re seeing the ball and hitting it hard.”

The Eagles looked sharp on both offense and defense, coming up with clutch hits and 10 strikeouts from Amanda Barker en route to a 4-0 victory over Hampden Academy Friday at the Weatherbee Complex.

Messalonskee, now 2-0, was pleased to come away with a win against a young but talented Bronco squad.

“Today it seemed like we played more like a team,” said second baseman Chelsey Boulette, who had a two-run double in the third inning. “We played together and talked a lot.”

Hampden, which goes to 1-1, managed just four hits against Barker, who didn’t walk anyone.

And with no errors, the Broncos didn’t have many chances to move around the bases and create runs.

Three of Hampden’s four hits, including a sixth-inning triple by Liz Kiser, came with two outs.

“Great teams like that, they take advantage of your mistakes,” Hampden coach Rodney Wells said. “We didn’t have any opportunities to take advantage of anything. But it’s early in the season. We knew what we were up against.”

Even though the Eagles had just two hits more than the Broncos, three of Messalonskee’s hits drove in runs. Hampden starter Lacey Littlefield also gave up two walks, one of which eventually scored.

The Eagles scored a first-inning run on Lauren Suttie’s RBI single and added two more in the third thanks to Boulette’s double to deep center field.

The run in the first was enough, however, as the Broncos couldn’t seem to keep up with Barker’s riseball and fastball.

“It’s a relief to have something [a lead],” said Barker. “I don’t like pitching when we’re down. It makes a big difference.”

Hampden’s Kate Peverada, who singled twice, lofted a leadoff single into left-center in the third but she was caught stealing.

The Eagles had a two-out rally in the fifth as Lauren Blake drew a walk and advanced to second on a single by Chelsea Barker, Amanda Barker’s twin sister. Ciara Corbett doubled to plate Blake.

“We had to be confident coming in,” Amanda Barker said. “We had our bats ready.”

Hampden’s Michelle Wells pitched two innings of hitless relief in the sixth and seventh.

EAGLES 4, BRONCOS 0

Messalonskee (2-0) Hampden (1-1)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Blake, ss 3 2 1 0 Libbey, ss 3 0 0

C. Barker, 1b 4 0 1 0 Kiser, c 3 0

Corbett, cf 3 1 1 1 Wells, 2b-p 3 0 0

Suttie, lf 3 1 2 1 E. Shannon, cf-lf 3 0

Boulette, 2b 3 0 1 2 M. Shannon, 3b 3 0 0

Currier, c 3 0 0 0 Plowman, rf 3 0 0

Ray, rf 3 0 0 0 Peverada, lf-2b 2 0 0

Perry, 3b 2 0 0 0 Belcher, 1b 2 0 0

A. Barker, p 2 0 0 0 Littlefield, p 1 0 0

Loveitt, ph 1 0 0 0 Growe, cf 1 0 0

Totals 27 4 6 4 Totals 24 0 4 0

Messalonskee 100 210 0 – 4

Hampden 000 000 0 – 0

E-Wells, Belcher; LOB-Messalonskee 4, Hampden 2; 2B-Boulette; 3B-Kiser; DP-Currier-Boulette; Littlefield-Wells-Kiser; S-C. Barker; SB-A. Barker

Messalonskee IP H R ER BB SO

A. Barker (W,2-0) 7 4 0 0 0 10

Hampden IP H R ER BB SO

Littlefield (L,1-1) 5 6 4 4 2 3

Wells 2 0 0 0 0 0

WP-Littlefield; T-1:27; ATT-75 (est.)