After starting its season with a close loss against Stratford, the Greenwich High School softball team was involved in another tight game versus visiting Westhill on Tuesday, as it trailed by just one run, heading into the fifth inning.

Yet a three-run fifth inning, enabled the Vikings to gain some separation from the Cardinals on their way to posting a 7-2 road victory in an early-season FCIAC matchup.

Sophomore right-hander Cameron Clark got the start on the mound for the Cardinals and pitched a complete game, striking out seven batters, while issuing three walks.

“I thought Cam did a good job of pitching, but we made too many errors,” Greenwich coach Mary Beth Fratello said. “It was close for a while. We are young and we’re going to have to work through stuff, but the errors are hurting us.”

Westhill pitcher Brianna Cardona struck out 13 batters in a complete-game effort to earn the win. Cardona limited Greenwich to six hits and also helped her own cause.

The Westhill right-handed pitcher did so by hitting a two-run home run off Clark in top of the first inning, giving the Vikings a 2-0 lead.

In the fourth inning, the Cardinals closed to within 2-1. Sophomore outfielder Sophia Blois reached on an error, advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches and scored on a fielder’s choice by junior shortstop/captain Mia Giangi, cutting Westhill’s advantage to 2-1.

Visiting Westhill padded its lead with a three-run fifth inning, keyed by a run-scoring double. Along with Cardona, Riley Sullivan and Ava Smeriglio each delivered key hits for the Vikings.

“I think it was a really good game,” Castro said. “During the fifth inning, we let a lot of runs come in. But we didn’t give up toward the end, we put the ball in play. Even though we didn’t win the game, we kept trying to get base hits. Everyone was hitting, we just need to score.”

After Westhill scored an unearned run in the top of the fourth inning, Greenwich responded with a run in the bottom half of the inning, making it 3-2

Castro hit a double to left center field and after sophomore Gianna Toscano, who plays third base, drew a walk from Cardona, junior co-captain/outfielder Megan Geiger singled, scoring Castro.

Geiger went 2 for 3 with an RBI, Casey Natale, who plays second base, had a single, Cameron Clark doubled and singled and Castro had a double for the Cardinals (0-2).

Natale, Cameron Clark, Castro and Toscano each walked once for GHS. In Greenwich’s senior-opener at non-conference foe Stratford on Monday, the home team topped the Cards, 10-7.

Toscano paced Greenwich’s offense, going 2 for 4 with one RBI. Geiger had one hit and one RBI, as did Gangi for the Cardinals.

“It was a very close game, we got the ball in play, which is really good,” Castro said of the season-opener. “This year, we’re getting offense, which is good to see.”

Up next for Greenwich is a game at New Fairfield on Saturday at 11 a.m. The Cardinals’ next home game is Tuesday against Brien McMahon at 4:15 p.m.

“We’ll keep working, we have 18 more games to go,” Fratello said. We hit yesterday (Monday), but the bats didn’t come alive today.”