TAUNTON – In what seems to become an annual affair, Taunton and King Philip faced off for Hockomock Kelley-Rex Division supremacy midway through the regular season.

Both teams came in undefeated on the season as the Tigers (9-0, 8-0) outlasted the Warriors (10-1, 7-1), 3-1, in what turned out to be a pitchers’ duel.

Sam Lincoln picked up the win with a complete game three-hitter while first-year hurler McCoy Walsh finished with 10 strikeouts after the big game jitters got the best of her early in the game.

All of Taunton’s runs came off the bat of Ava Venturelli as the Louisville-bound outfielder crushed two home runs in her first two at bats to give Taunton the 3-0 lead after three innings of play. Venturelli’s first blast was a two-run shot that cleared the 220-foot marker in center field with no problem.

Venturelli followed it up with her second homer on a 2-2 pitch to left center that was also a no-doubter in the third inning to give Lincoln all the support necessary for the win.

“The kids came energized to play and when they are up, they play well as a team. It was a true, entire team overall win defensively, offensively and I think they all did great,” said first-year head coach Michelle Raposo, who took over the helm for the defending Division 1 state champions. “Sam did a great job holding her composure all game, she didn’t get some of the calls, but she came back and fought hard and buckled down when she needed to.”

After the second home run cleared the fence, Walsh also settled down and retired ten of the final twelve batters she faced along with getting Venturelli looking on a called third strike. Only a single in the fifth and a four-pitch walk in the sixth prevented Walsh from being perfect the rest of the way.

“This was definitely her first big game, but Taunton just has such a formidable lineup. Their one-through-nine plus they probably have three on the bench that could come in at any time and hit,” said King Philip head coach, Kate Fallon-Comeau. “I couldn’t be prouder of (Walsh), and I really think she did get stronger as the game went on. She got more confident in her changeup and the good news is (we) will be hungry, they are going to work hard.”

Lincoln cruised into the seventh with a one-hitter inside the circle allowing only one runner to reach scoring position in the second inning on a wild pitch.

But King Philip did not fold up the tents and loaded the bases with one in top of the seventh as Ava Kelley singled, Charlotte Raymond doubled, and Taylor Regan reached on a hit by pitch.

Lincoln took a deep breath after plunking Regan and was able to induce an RBI groundout by Maddy Paschke and the junior hurler recorded the final out to end the game with her ninth strikeout.

“Anytime we play KP it’s a great game and at the end of the day, and the score is on our side, it’s a great win,” said Raposo. “We are focusing on the little things we need to work on and defensively we had a big turnout today. This was a big win for us especially against a great, competitive, never-ending King Philip team that doesn’t give up very easily.”