By Marc Thaler
Staff Writer

MANCHESTER - Hosting Pittsfield on Tuesday, April 26, the girls varsity softball team at the Derryfield School worked through a few flaws to post a 9-5 win.

In the process, the Cougars improved to 5-1 in Class S competition.

Due to a handful of DS fielding blunders with Pittsfield runners on base, the game remained close throughout the afternoon.

"We're going to make some mistakes. It's just a matter of how we bounce back after making them," said DS assistant coach Michelle Coombes, filling in for ailing head coach Veronica Hupper. "The girls don't let each other get down. They work each other up."

DS took a quick 3-0 lead on a Tory Starr three-run blast to right field in the home first, plating Melissa Law and Kelly Schwarz. But the locals allowed a pair of unearned runs to cross the plate in the second, trimming their lead to 3-2.

The girls quickly regained their composure - and their three-run edge - in the home half of the second, turning a pair of walks into runs.

With one out, Natalie Coviello worked a bases on balls, later touching home on Amanda Kutz's fielder's choice. One batter later, Schwarz knocked in Stacie Foote, who also earned a free pass.

Once again, however, the Cougars' lead was short lived. In the top of the third, the visitors pushed three more unearned runs across to knot the game, 5-5.

Although the miscues were costly, Coombes said she waspleased to see the team rebound from its slow start in the field.

"It was important that the girls didn't let the errors psyche them out," Coombes said. "They know they can push runs across. And that's what they did."

In the final four frames, Derryfield's defense stifled Pittsfield. Behind the completegame pitching performance of Law, the Cougars shut down their guests.

So far in 2005, the Cougars haven't had many problems at the plate, scoring a shade over 12 runs per contest. And as the team defense continues to develop, DS should be a tough matchup for any of the divi- sion's top clubs.

"Next week will tell us a lot," said fellow assistant coach Ed Lemire. "We're going to begin playing against some of the top teams in the state, now that we.ve hit a lot of the rebuilding teams early."

Along with Derryfield's veteran group of seniors Kutz, Law and Starr, DS includes juniors Stacie and Stephanie Foote, Molly Lyford and team manager Jess Friedenberg; sophomores Coviello, Annie Jenney and Whitney Powers; plus freshmen Sarah Barlow, Charlotte Evans, Julia Maldonado and Schwarz.

"We're still a young team even though we have that (veteran) corps," Coombes said. "Hopefully we.ll peak at the right time. We have a lot of talent. It's still a matter of how to use it best, who works best (at certain positions).

"We have yet to put it all together," she added. "The whole picture should be a great one. We'll get there."