GRANBY — In a game marked more by gaffes than great plays, momentum swung Pioneer Valley Regional School’s way last as the 10th-seeded Panthers beat No. 7 Granby High School, 9-5, Thursday in the first round of the Western Massachusetts Division III Softball Tournament.
In addition to the game’s 11 errors, most of which played a direct or indirect role in scoring, there were mental miscues, a wild pitch on an intentional walk, funny bounces and other assorted blunders.
“I’m happy they hung in there, stayed as calm as they could even though we weren’t making our best plays out there,” said Pioneer coach Joel Cole, whose team committed five errors. “We have no seniors. It was the first tournament game for 70 percent of them. That’s over with. That’s good.”
Pioneer (11-10) advanced to face No. 2 seed and defending state champion Turners Falls High School Sunday at 7 p.m.
“We played three types of teams this year. Some we definitely should beat. Some it’s a 50-50 toss and some we had to bring our A-game,” Cole said. “Turners is one where you have to bring your A-game, and then some.”
After Granby scored in the bottom of first with the help of an error, Pioneer answered with a bobble-aided tying run in the second and two more in the third to give the Panthers a 3-1 lead.
The teams traded single runs in the bottom of the third and top of the fourth to put Pioneer ahead 4-2.
Senior first baseman Jordan Kennedy stroked a single to start the Granby fourth. She advanced to second when Abi Beauregard was safe on a fielder’s choice on a indecisive throw. Julia Gauvin reached on a error to load the bases.
Lexi Strycharz bounced to the pitcher, who cut down Kennedy at the plate. After Abi Beauregard scored from third on a wild pitch to make it 4-3, Megan Lempke struck out. But the catcher didn’t squeeze strike three and Lempke took off for first. Instinctively, Shelby Avery threw to first, allowing Gauvin to scoot home from third with the tying run.
Mallory Beauregard reached on an error to bring home Strycharz and put Granby up 5-4, chasing Panther starter Kaylee Gibson from the game.
Abi Beauregard set down the first two batters in the top of the sixth before Logan Anderson started the two-out rally with a double to left and Alexus Vergobbe followed with a two-bagger of her own to tie it.
Brianna Jobst went the other way with the same result, doubling home Vergobbe to put Pioneer up 6-5.
Granby drew two walks in the bottom of the inning but Liz Fuller, who worked the final three innings for Pioneer, struck out the side to escape unscathed.
Another Pioneer two-out rally, aided by two Ram errors and a wild pitch, gave the Panthers three insurance runs in the seventh.
Granby, which left nine runners on base, loaded the bases in the seventh but couldn’t close the gap.
Southwick 11, Frontier 10 — Southwick-Tolland Regional High School took advantage of a defensive meltdown to score nine runs and had to hold off a late rally to beat Frontier Regional School, 11-10, in a first-round WMass Division II Softball Tournament game Thursday in Southwick.
The fifth-seeded Red Hawks had just scored twice in the top of the fifth, but the fourth-seeded Rams benefited from a series of walks, errors and hit batsmen to score its nine and take an 11-4 lead.
Frontier (12-7) responded with six of its own in the top of the sixth, highlighted by McKenzie Patterson’s two-run double and Mindy Esposito’s run-scoring single. But Rams reliever Nikki Willey took over for starter Emily Lachtara and shut the door for the save.
Willey also had three of Southwick’s nine hits and knocked in a run.
Sarah Meunier led Frontier with two doubles and two RBIs. Esposito also doubled twice.
Lachtara struck out 12 and walked 9 in six innings.
Lauren MacDonaldm, who fanned three and walked three in four-plus innings, suffered the loss.
“We’re young, and we’re losing two starters,” said Red Hawks head coach Carrie Fydenkevez. “They’re resilient. They’ll bounce back and learn from it, hopefully.”
Lee 3, Frontier 2 — Kate Delsignor and Anna Wang won a three-set thriller as Lee High School handed Frontier Regional School its first loss of the year, defeating the Red Hawks 3-2 in a WMass Division III girls’ tennis match Thursday afternoon in South Deerfield.
Delsignor and Wang, playing at second doubles, defeated previously unbeaten Anna Zera and Tori Speth, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, for the deciding match point.
“The girls played extremely well for both teams today,” said Frontier head coach Steve Barrett “We were a couple breaks of serve away from winning the match, but you can’t be disappointed in this team. They did everything I asked of them and they competed right up until the last point.”
The seventh-seeded Wildcats won their first point of the match at second singles as Sarah Winston defeated Allie Zera, 6-4, 6-2, and the second point of the match for the Wildcats came at first doubles, where Angelique Nejaime and Maddie DeSantis edged Frontier’s Ericka Poissant and Tori Bowen, 7-5, 6-4.
Celia Speth led the way for Frontier at first singles, defeating Ava Martin 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), while Ashley Barrington won at third singles, edging Sandra Ortega, 6-0, 6-2.
The Wildcats will await the winner of today’s match between No. 6 Mohawk Trail Regional High School and No. 3 South Hadley High School.
Laskoski medals
Pioneer Valley Regional School’s Tori Laskoski finished eighth overall in the girls’ pole vault during the MIAA State Division II Track and Field Championships Thursday at Westfield State University.
Laskoski, who entered the competition seeded ninth, cleared 9 feet, 6 inches to garner a medal. She’ll be the second alternate for the New England Championship on June 11 in New Britain, Conn.