One day removed from a huge upset win over undefeated Greenfield High School, Athol High School continued its winning ways on Thursday.
The visiting Red Raiders stormed out to an 8-2 lead in the second inning and survived a late rally from Frontier Regional School en route to a 12-9 victory in Franklin County League play Thursday at Zabek Field in South Deerfield.
The home run was again a weapon for Athol (6-3, 5-2 FCL). After clubbing five homers against Greenfield, the Raiders drove three more out of the park on Thursday. Brej Geise, Hailey Bigwood and Hannah Arsenault registered bombs for Athol, which totaled 12 hits on the day. Bigwood and Geise’s three hits led the way, while Abby Leadbetter and Jess Soucie had two hits each in the win.
Frontier (3-5, 2-4) trailed 12-6 entering the bottom of the seventh before pushing three runs across. Bigwood, who came on in relief of Soucie, was able to hold on however, moving the Raiders into a statistical tie for first-place in the FCL with Greenfield and Turners Falls High School.
Frontier’s Lexa Boyden led her team with three hits and two RBI in the loss, while Maddie Fifield, up from JV, had two hits, including a solo home run, for the Red Hawks. Kelsey Jarvis had two hits and drove in three runs.
Soucie earned the win in the circle, tossing four innings while striking out two and walking five.
Frontier hosts Pioneer Valley Regional School on Monday while Athol hosts Southwick Regional High School on Saturday.
Mahar 11, FC Tech 2 — Sarah Graeff doubled and tripled and drove in two runs to lead Mahar Regional School to a 11-2 win over Franklin County Technical School in an independent softball game Thursday in Turners Falls.
Mahar scored 11 runs on 11 hits as seven different players had at least one hit, and nine players had at least one RBI. Graeff was the only Mahar player with more than one RBI. Joslyn O’Brien singled, doubled and drove in one run for Mahar, while Lani DeDiego and Megan Rich each had two hits and one RBI. Hannah Britt, Jasmine Vautour and Jordan Berry (double) each had a hit and an RBI. Rich struck out six and did not walk a batter in the win.
Ashlee Townsley had two hits and one RBI in the loss, and Cassie Harris added two hits. Hailey Larned and Rachel Shearer each had one hit, and Shannon Kurkulonis drove in a run.
Shearer walked three in seven innings in the loss.
Central 4, Turners 1 — Lightning didn’t strike two years in a row for the Turners Falls High School boys’ tennis team.
After pulling off what coach Steve Touloumtzis called “the miracle win” a year ago against Springfield Central High School, the Powertown was unable to match the feat Thursday. The visiting Golden Eagles avenged last year’s defeat, earning a 4-1 victory in an independent contest in Turners Falls.
The lone win for Turners (6-4) came at third singles, where freshman Brian Poirier rebounded after suffering just his first loss of the season on Wednesday. Poirier defeated Aaron Bogin at third singles, 6-4, 5-7, 10-8, in a tight match to account for the lone point.
The second doubles tandem of Will Turn and Josh Gaulin were edged 7-5, 6-3, while first-doubles partners Jovanni Ruggiano and Nick Morin fell, 6-4, 6-2.
Turners is off until Wednesday when it tangles with St. Mary’s Parish School.
Greenfield 3, Chicopee Comp 2 — Fahrah Day came back from a set down at first singles to win his match and pick up the decisive point in Greenfield High School’s 3-2 win over Chicopee Comprehensive High School in independent boys’ tennis action Thursday in Chicopee.
Day dropped the first set to Iliya Ivanov by a 6-3 score but came back to score a 6-3, 6-1 win in the next two sets and earn the victory and the deciding point to send the Green Wave to the victory.
“It was a tight match with a lot of great points,” Greenfield coach Andrew Varnon said. “It was a battle of attrition between two players who put a lot of balls back in the court. I think Fahrah had more legs.”
Greenfield also won at second singles, where Victor Ivancev defeated Jason Martin, 6-2, 6-2. Brandon Siow and Aaron Do also won at second doubles with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Roger Desrochers and Eric Bayer.
“I’m really proud of our guys,” Varnon said. “Chicopee is in the league above us and coming here and giving them a forfeit and still getting a win is really good for us.”
Greenfield forfeited third singles. Chicopee also picked up a point at first doubles, where Chris Maleko and Darren Kibler topped George Balis and Connor Pedigree, 6-2, 6-2, after the Green Wave players were forced to play doubles despite not usually playing together.
Palmer 3, Turners Falls 2 — Host Palmer High School captured the clinching point at first doubles, holding off Turners Falls High School, 3-2, in an independent girls’ tennis match Thursday afternoon.
The Turners tandem of Kaili Lynch and Amber Taylor won the first set before falling at first doubles, 0-6, 6-4, 7-5 to Palmer’s Alexa Bigda and Samantha Herring.
The Powertown captured wins at first and second singles on the day. Senior Alysha Wozniak was a 6-0, 6-2 win at No. 1 over Palmer’s Amber Costa, while Kortney Thurber claimed a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 2 over Kimberly Huynh.
Turners hosts Pioneer Valley Christian School on Monday.
Chicopee Comp 4, Greenfield 1 — Sophomore Lilya Georgista was a straight-set winner, earning the lone point for host Greenfield High School in a 4-1 loss to Chicopee Comprehensive High School in a Tri-County League North girls’ tennis match on Thursday at the Davis Street Courts.
Georgista cruised to a 6-3, 6-0 win over Comp’s Aliza McLeish at No. 2 singles for Greenfield, which fell to 1-5 overall, 0-5 in the TCL North.
Junior Leah Bosco played a tight match at third singles, where she fell in three sets via a 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 score. The first doubles tandem of Alyssa Garvin and Ngawang Tridytsang also dropped a three set match, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.
Greenfield next hosts Mohawk Trail Regional High School on Tuesday.