EAST PROVIDENCE — Host East Providence High School put a scare into unbeaten Moses Brown for six innings Friday night, May 12, in the teams' Division I softball contest before the visiting Quakers pulled away late for the 5-1 victory.

Janel Gamache was the winning pitcher for Moses Brown, which remained atop the league standings with a 13-0 record. The junior went all seven innings in the circle, allowing one earned run on two hits while striking out five.

Taylor Babcock took the loss for the Townies, who dropped to 7-5 in the D-I ranks. The sophomore threw rather well while giving up just four hits, but lacked a bit in support from her defense. Two key E.P. miscues led to three of the Moses Brown runs.

"I'm proud of the way we battled today. That team is averaging 10 runs a game and allowing one. I thought at the beginning of the game, they were enjoying themselves, but by the fifth or sixth inning they weren't. But then they got the couple in the seventh to open it up," said EPHS head coach Rob Traverse.

The Quakers scored a run in the top of the third to break the ice then added another in the fourth to build a two-run edge. One of those tallies came courtesy of an E.P. throwing error.

In both the bottom of the fourth, the Townies put a runner in scoring position, but came away empty. Gamache ended the threat when she snared a sharp liner off the bat of the Townies' Katie Atwell.

E.P. finally broke through in the home half of the fifth. Sadie Patterson led off with a single, was sacrificed into scoring position by Emma DaSilva then scored on a squeeze bunt by Madison McDonald.

The Townies had a chance to tie the score in the bottom of the sixth, but couldn't get the key knock. Amber Drainville opened the frame with a walk, moved to second on a sac-bunt then to third on a passed ball. But Gamache got off the hook when Alyssa Guarino laced a line drive directly at the Quakers' center fielder for the final out.

As an aside, Guarino may have been robbed of a hit, but the Townies' junior catcher had a superb night behind the dish, throwing out a pair of would-be Quaker base stealers.

Moses Brown then broke things open in the top of the seventh with three runs. A single, bunt and an error brought the first run around. Later, a two-run base hit gave the Quakers the commanding four-run lead.

East Providence is back in action Tuesday night, May 16, when the Townies host North Kingstown at 6:30.