READFIELD — Sarah Boynton wasn’t perfect Tuesday afternoon, but the Maranacook Community High School senior pitcher was oh-so-close.

Boynton shook off a wild first inning in dominating fashion, holding rival Oak Hill hitless in a 6-1 Kennebec Valley Athletic Confernce Class B softball victory.

“When I go out there, I just think green light and I just go,” said Boynton. “Our defense was the best it’s been so far this season and our hitting was pretty good, too.”

So was Boynton.

She struck out 13 and retired 17 of the final 18 hitters she faced.

“She was consistent,” Maranacook coach Don Beckwith said. “She’s capable of doing this.”

Boynton struggled early. She walked two batters and threw a pair of wild pitches in the first inning that allowed Oak Hill (1-2) to take a 1-0 lead.

But that was all the Raiders could muster off Boynton, who effectively mixed in a changeup with a fastball.

“I think I was nervous in a way,” said Boynton. “I knew I just had to come back.”

First-year Oak Hill coach Allyson Collins said Boynton only got stronger as the game went on.

“It was a good effort by her,” she said. “She was throwing heat. Any time you throw a no-hitter, you are doing something right.”

Maranacook (2-1) wasted little time erasing the deficit. The Black Bears scored two in the bottom of the first, including one on the first of two RBI singles from freshman Kaitlyn Chick.

“It felt good to get in there and help us get some runs,” Chick said.

Added Beckwith: “She’s been hitting the ball really well for us. She’s been one of our best hitters, and I think she leads the team in RBIs.”

An unearned run gave the Black Bears a 3-1 in the second.

“That got me real comfortable out there,” Boynton said. “I didn’t feel that much pressure.”

The score stayed that way until Chick and the offense sprung to life again in the fifth. Jessie Smith led off the inning with a line-drive triple to left and she came home on a wild pitch.

After Ashley Belanger walked and took second on a sacrifice, Chick came up and lined an RBI single up the middle to make it 5-1. She later scored on a Mariah Vining RBI double.

“It was good to see us hit,” Boynton said.

Chick finished 3 for 3 with two RBIs and Smith was 2 for 4 for Maranacook. Oak Hill junior pitcher Kortni Michaud struck out six and walked two.

Bill Stewart — 621-5640

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