AUGUSTA — It seemed, at least early on, that the Cony-Gardiner softball showdown on Tuesday afternoon would be a tight contest between unbeaten rivals.

But by the fourth inning, though, Gardiner was in firm control as it ran away with an 11-5 victory.

Molly Takatsu, a sophomore, earned the win in the circle for Gardiner (4-0), allowing five runs on three hits while striking out 10 and walking five. She was also 2 for 5 at the plate and scored three runs.

“It’s great, it’s the best feeling ever,” Takatsu said. “Winning, and against (Cony)? It’s amazing.”

Cony (2-1) was led by Caelyn Lebel, who went 1 for 3 with an RBI.

Down 1-0 entering the fourth inning, Gardiner scored eight runs on six hits, highlighted by a two-run double by senior Sophia Marrone and a two-run single by senior Brynnlea Chaisson.

It’s the third consecutive game in which the Tigers have scored 10 or more runs. They won 18-3 against Waterville on April 29 and 15-5 over Lawrence on May 1.

“We’ve got a young group that’s hitting well, real well right now,” said Gardiner coach Ryan Gero. “We started a bit slow with the bats today, but they came alive in the third and fourth innings. We’re averaging anywhere between 12-15 hits a game right now.”

How did they do it?

Gardiner produced a whole lot of offense, highlighted by the eight-run fourth inning, which also included an RBI single from freshman Livy Cleary and an RBI walk from senior Abby Prue.

The Tigers added three more runs in the sixth and seventh innings, including a two-run single from freshman Lexi Ouellette.

“We’ve been really focused on hitting line drives, not bunting the ball on the ground, just working on line drives, every day,” Gero said.

The offensive output helped calm Takatsu. After striking out seven batters in the first four innings, she ran into some trouble in the fifth, giving up three runs. She managed to keep her composure, though, and didn’t allow a hit in her final two innings.

“I just had to shake some things off, but thankfully my team is behind me, which is always nice,” Takatsu said. “It makes me confident when they’re making plays, so it’s not all dependent on me.”

What does this mean?

The Tigers entered the game ranked No. 4 in the Class B North Heal point standings. After the win, they had moved into the No. 1 spot.

“We’re back,” Gero said. “This is the kind of softball I like. We had a rough year last year. But this year, we’re coming.”

It’s a welcome start to the week for Gardiner, which plays Class C South contender Monmouth Academy on Wednesday and B North contender Belfast on Friday.

Cony is currently No. 7 in the B North standings. The Rams started the season with wins over Lincoln Academy and Lawrence.

Statistical leaders

Gardiner: Molly Takatsu (10 Ks, 3 hits allowed; 2 for 3 at the plate), Zoey Sullivan-Brennan (2 for 3, 3B, 2 RBI), Sophia Marrone (1 for 3, 2B, 2 RBI)

Cony: Caelyn Lebel (1 for 3, RBI), Jieselle Mills (1 for 5, RBI)