The host Homer softball team defeated Soldotna 13-5 on Monday in Northern Lights Conference action.

The Mariners move to 6-0 in the league and 9-10 overall while Soldotna falls to 4-3 in the league and 4-4 overall.

“Both of us were playing pretty well at times, and both of us didn’t play so well at times, and that’s what opened up the game,” Homer coach Bill Bell said.

The Mariners led 8-0 after three innings.

“When you leave runners on base and make a couple of mistakes in the field it’s tough to come back against a well-coached team like Homer,” Soldotna coach Kelli Knoebel said.

The Stars did their best, striking for five runs in the top of the fourth inning. But Homer came back with five runs in the bottom of the fourth and held the Stars off the board in the fifth for the victory.

Bell said the game was closer than the final score indicated, and said games like this show how close the conference tournament should be.

Annalynn Brown went the distance for Homer, giving up five runs — three earned — on nine hits while striking out four and walking two. Bell said Brown and the defense did a good job working out of jams.

For Soldotna, Taralynn Frates took the loss, giving up 13 runs — nine earned — on six hits while whiffing two and walking 11. Knoebel said Homer had great discipline to drive up that walk total.

Grace Godfrey did the bulk of the damage for Homer’s offense, going 3 for 3 with five RBIs and two runs.

“She’s been slumping a bit but this was a breakout game for her,” Bell said. “I’m pretty happy.”

For Soldotna, Ashley McDonald was 2 for 3 with a huge double, Casey Earll was 2 for 3, Casey Card was 2 for 3, Frates was 2 for 3 and Janna Krieger was 2 for 3.