From the first pitch of Franklin County Technical School’s first inning at the plate, it was apparent that the Eagles were going to have a productive day.
Sam Scopa smashed that initial offering well over the outfielders into the left-center-field gap for a solo home run, then Tech proceeded to pile up 16 hits en route to a 14-4 victory over Hopkins Academy in independent softball action Wednesday at Gifford Field in Turners Falls.
The Eagles (1-0) scored three times in the opening frame and added another run in the second.
The Golden Hawks cut the lead in half with two in the third, but Cassie Harris’ triple and Emily Sullivan’s two-run single during a three-run third upped the Eagles lead to 7-2, then Harris and Ashlee Townsley each smacked two-run singles in fourth to break it open, 11-2.
Harris led the offense with four hits, while Sullivan had three hits and three RBIs. Townsley and Sam Macomber each finished with two hits and three RBIs, Scopa and Teagan Valeski both had two hits, and Shayla Demers drove in a pair of runs.
Rachel Shearer earned the win in the circle. She struck out eight and walked three.
“She had good command of the strike zone today,” said Eagles head coach Michael “Bubbles” Blanchard. “She’s been working on a couple different pitches in the offseason and it seems they’re working pretty well.”
Taylor Robbins (double) and Macy Ring led Hopkins with three hits apiece.
Pioneer 27, Dean Tech 1 (5) – Pioneer Valley Regional School scored early and often on its way to a five-inning, 27-1 win over Dean Technical High School in independent softball action Wednesday in Holyoke.
The Panthers – who bashed out 30 hits — took the drama out of this one early with 10 runs in the first inning and nine in the second.
Lizzie Fuller had career day with six hits, including a double, and two RBIs. Amelia Marchand rapped out five hits, Shelby Avery added four hits, and Logan Anderson (double, four RBIs), Kailee Gibson (two RBIs) and Sophia Peduzzi-Nelson all chipped in three hits.
Johanna Santiago doubled and had the only RBI for the Golden Hawks.
Gibson had seven strikeouts and four walks in three innings, and Fuller struck out three and walked two in her two innings of relief.
Pioneer (1-0) heads to Frontier Regional School Friday at 4 p.m.
Mahar 36, Sci-Tech 0 – Mahar Regional School took advantage of 18 walks and eight errors to beat Springfield High School of Science & Technology, 36-0, in a five-inning independent softball game Wednesday at Blunt Park in Springfield.
Sarah Graeff led the Senator offense with five hits and four RBIs, and Alexis McClure finished with three hits, including a double, and two RBIs. Kacy Ninetau, who doubled, and Lani DeDiego both added four RBIs.
Sophia Smith struck out eight and walked two over three innings for the pitching win.
Greenfield 5, St. Mary’s 0 – Greenfield High School didn’t drop a single set as it rolled to a 5-0 win over St. Mary’s Parish School in Tri-County League boys’ tennis play Wedneday at the Davis Street Courts in Greenfield.
The Green Wave dominated the first two singles matches, as George Felogloy downed Will Armstrong, 6-1, 6-0, at No. 1, and Stefan Walker blanked Zach Mastalerz, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 2.
Elijah Xeno finished off the singles sweep with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Patrick Boyle at No. 3.
Greenfield (1-0, 1-0 TCL) also won easily at doubles, as Victor Ivancev and Josh Cady whitewashed Matt Bruno and Garrett Almieda, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 1, and Fahrah Day and Connor Pedigree bested Remie Guevrenont and Joe Wilcox, 6-1, 6-1, at No. 2.
St. Mary’s fell to 0-2 in the TCL.
Greenfield travels to Westfield High School Friday at 4 p.m.
Sabis 3, Turners 2 – Nathan Reed earned the decisive point at No. 2 singles to help Sabis International Charter School edge Turners Falls High School, 3-2, in a TCL boys’ tennis match Wednesday at Hubbard Park in Springfield.
Reed clinched the match for the Bulldogs with his 6-2, 7-5 win over the Indians’ Avery Palmer.
Turners (1-1) earned match wins at third singles, where Ricky Craver upended Matthew Elmasian, 6-1, 6-2, and second doubles, where Jovanni Ruggiano and Brian Poirier downed Michael Elmasian and Zach Thomas, 6-1, 7-6 (7-3).
Sabis also won at first singles, where Anh Nguyen cruised past Jimmy Vaughn 6-0, 6-0, and at first singles, where Roberto Tatro and Chris Calvanese bested Mason Whiteman and Nick Morin, 6-1, 6-1.
Turners is right back at it today when it journeys to Lee High School at 4 p.m.
Belchertown 5, Turners 0 – Turners Falls played the first of four difficult matches Wednesday afternoon, and powetrful Belchertown High School played a near flawless match en route to 5-0 independent win over the Indians at the Bourdeau Complex in Turners Falls.
“Considering they’re a league above us and their No. 1 is a college-level player, all in all we had some tight matches with a lot of games going to deuce,” said Indians hed coach Vic Gonzalez. “(But) they’ve all got the serves and all the strokes, and they place the ball well.”
Gonzalez said he was pleased by the play of Kaili Lynch, who played several long games against Julia Tan before Tan eventually posted a 6-1, 6-0 win at first singles. He also liked the effort of No. 2 singles player Kortney Thurber, who battled hard but eventually fell to Jorydyn Paul, 6-2, 6-0.
Turners travels to Lee today at 4 p.m.
Quabbin 121, Athol 23 — Emily Casella tied a school record in the discus during Athol’s 121-23 loss to Quabbin Regional High School in an independent girls’ track and field meet Wednesday in Barre.
Casella tied the record with a throw of 116 feet, 7 inches. It was one of three event wins for the senior, as she also picked up firsts in the shot put (35-3¾) and 200 meters (28.5).