AUGUSTA — One of the Cony softball team’s many strengths is its starting pitching, with Sonja Morse and Arika Brochu proving a formidable one-two punch.

The top-seeded Rams relied on both Thursday in an 11-2 Eastern A quarterfinal victory against No. 8 Hampden.

Brochu pitched four scoreless innings in relief of Morse and Cony broke open a close game with a seven-run sixth inning to reach the regional semifinals.

“It’s so comfortable to have these two,” Cony coach Rocky Gaslin said. “They both throw hard.”

Brochu struck out seven and allowed just two hits to earn the victory.

“I think I do a lot better in pressure situations” she said. “I thrive a lot in close games with everyone watching.”

Cony will play No. 5 Oxford Hills (12-5) in a semifinal game at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Nicole Rugan and Alyssah Dennett hit long home runs for the Rams (17-0), the latter a two-run shot in the sixth inning. Rugan hit her 10th home run of the season in the bottom of the first, a line drive to straight-away center field.

The Broncos gave the Rams all they could handle before a large crowd at Cony Family Field.

Hampden, which finished 9-9, took advantage of a wild Morse to take leads of 1-0 and 2-1. The game was tied at 2 before Cony put it away with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth and seven more in the sixth.

Olivia Deeves hit a tie-breaking RBI single off Ashley Danforth before No. 9 hitter Cecilia Fuller scored on a delayed steal from third in the fourth.

“The base hit, it felt good because I haven’t been hitting lately,” Deeves said. “I have to make them count. I was a little nervous in the beginning. It was close.”

Fuller would add a two-run double in the bottom of the sixth to give Cony a 6-2 lead.

Deeves and Fuller each went 2 for 3, hitting eighth and ninth, respectively.

The runs were more than enough for Brochu, who settled what was a wild game early with four shut-down innings.

Morse struggled early with her control. She hit leadoff hitter Kayla Gagner twice and walked three in the first three innings alone.

“She wasn’t really comfortable out there,” Gaslin said. “I was planning splitting them anyway.”

The Broncos scored a run in each of the first two innings, although both were unearned. They sent seven batters to the plate in the top of the first and grabbed a 1-0 lead when Gagner came home on a bases loaded walk.

Rugan pulled the Rams even when she smacked a home run to straight-away center.

Hampden regained the lead in the top of the second when Elise Arsenault scored on an error.

Bill Stewart — 621-5640

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