Skowhegan baserunner Layla Clark, left, slid safely into home before Edward Little catcher Elizabeth Galway can make the tag during the River Hawks' 9-3 win on Thursday in Skowhegan. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

SKOWHEGAN — Coach Lee Johnson has been shuffling the Skowhegan softball lineup in each of the team’s first six games.

On Thursday afternoon, Johnson may have found the right one.

The River Hawks recorded 14 hits and every player in the lineup reached base in a 9-3 win over Edward Little in a Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class A game.

Skowhegan (5-1) was led by the top of its batting order. Senior second baseman Ryleigh Carey went 3 for 4 with a double, a triple and an RBI. Senior catcher Natalie Gilman was 3 for 3 with a double and two RBI, and junior shortstop Lydia Jones went 2 for 4 with an RBI.

“Today looked good, but every day is different for us,” said Johnson. “We never know from day to day what we’re going to be, but today was a good day.”

Lexi Kelsea was 2 for 4 with a double, while freshman catcher Elizabeth Galway went 2 for 3 with a double and two RBI for Skowhegan.

Sophomore first baseman Kya Fairley hit a two-run bloop single to left in the bottom of the first inning as the River Hawks tied the game at 2-2. Skowhegan added two runs in the second inning, highlighted by an RBI single by Jones, then added two runs in the fourth inning and three in the sixth to seal the win.

“It feels good (to win),” Carey said. “We’re a young team, so it feels good that we’re all coming together and putting the ball in play.”

How did they do it?

• Contact. The River Hawks had three hits or more in four innings. It’s the second straight game in which Skowhegan’s offense performed well, after clubbing its way to an 11-0 victory over defending Class B champion Nokomis on May 5. It’s an impressive start for a team that carries just three seniors on its roster, and 10 players who are either freshmen or sophomores.

“It’s something we’ve been trying to build toward, not that we’ve got it all figured out yet,” Johnson said. “We’re trying to build (our lineup) up so we’re not sacrificing our defense, but also build our offense at the same time. … I think our young group is heading in a good direction.”

• Edward Little had early success at the plate, but Skowhegan sophomore pitcher Abi Carey kept the Red Eddies hitless in the final two innings, striking out two of the final six batters. She finished with five strikeouts.

“Abi looked good today, made me a little nervous in the first inning. But she found herself, settled in and did a good job competing against the hitters, and we had good defense,” Johnson said.

They said it

• “(What worked) was having confidence (at the plate), getting a piece of (the ball) and putting it in play.” — Skowhegan second baseman Ryleigh Carey, on her day at the plate.

• “Skowhegan is a well-coached team. (Johnson) says they’re young, but he’s at the helm and he can get them to do certain things. We’re still figuring out our identity. The fact that we have gotten down in most of the games we have played and continued to battle, I’m super proud of them for that.” – Edward Little head coach Elaine Derosby

Statistical leaders

• Skowhegan: Ryleigh Carey (3 for 4, 2B, 3B, RBI), Natalie Gilman (3 for 3, 2B, 2 RBI), Lydia Jones (2 for 4, RBI)

• Edward Little: Lexi Kelsea (2 for 4, 2B, 2 runs), Elizabeth Galway (2 for 3, 2 RBI)

Up next

• Skowhegan: vs. Mt. Blue, 4 p.m. Friday

• Edward Little: vs. Oxford Hills, 4 p.m. Friday