A six-run top of the eighth inning created all the separation visiting Lenox Memorial High School needed on Tuesday.
The Millionaires broke open a 4-4 tie to capture a 10-4 extra-inning victory over Turners Falls High School in an independent baseball game at the Bourdeau Fields Complex.
The back-and-forth affair saw Turners take a 3-2 lead with a run in the bottom of the sixth, only to watch Lenox push two across in the top of the seventh for a 4-3 advantage.
The Powertown (8-5) tied the game in the home half, forcing extra innings with the score even at 4-4. But Lenox exploded from there, putting things out of reach and securing the road win.
Turners starter Mike Babcock turned in a solid outing but did not figure into the decision. He tossed six innings, striking out three and not walking a batter while allowing six hits and four runs (three earned).
The offense was paced by Tionne Brown’s pair of hits out of the leadoff spot. He also drove in a run and stole a base, and was on base three times after being hit by a pitch. Kyle Dodge, Jon Fritz and Babcock recorded hits and RBI in the losing effort.
Turners travels to South Hadley High School today in a key Hampshire League West contest at 4.
FC Tech 3, Westfeld Tech 2 (10) — Nate Pelletier finished with four hits and none were bigger than his one-out, RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift Franklin County Technical School to a 3-2 win over Westfield Technical Academy in a Tri-County League North Division baseball game Tuesday in Turners Falls.
In the 10th, Sam Bobala and Caileb Milton each worked one-out walks before Pelletier came to the plate and delivered with an RBI single to right to end the game.
“Pelletier’s a very good baseball player and he is still only a sophomore,” Franklin Tech coach Brian Winslow said. “I’m proud of him. Last year, he was on varsity as a freshman but didn’t get a lot of at-bats. He is doing the very best this year to make the most of his opportunities.”
Prior to the 10th inning, all the runs scored in the game came in the sixth and seventh innings, as starters Damion Willor (Franklin Tech) and Andy Daniels (Westfield Tech) kept the game scoreless until the top of the sixth inning. Westfield Tech struck first when Cody Garwicki hit an RBI single to put the Tigers ahead, 1-0, but the Eagles (5-6) came back in the bottom of the sixth with a pair of runs.
Sam Bobala started things off with a one-out walk and Caileb Milton followed with a walk. Pelletier singled to load the bases and Seth Aldrich worked the third walk of the frame to force in the game-tying run. Tim Fritz then hit a grounder back to the pitcher that was fielded and thrown home for the force out. The Westfield Tech catcher attempted to throw Fritz out at first. Fritz beat the throw to first but rounded the bag and got tagged out for the final out of the frame, but before the Tigers could apply the tag, Pelletier had come all the way around from second base to score the go-ahead run.
“It was a great heads-up baserunning play,” Franklin Tech coach Brian Winslow said.
In the seventh, Westfield Tech got a one-out triple from Nick Clegg and he scored the tying run when Chris Boyden lifted a fly ball to center that was caught for a sacrifice fly.
Fritz pitched 3⅓ innings of scoreless relief to earn the win, striking out one and walking none. Willor struck out seven and walked three in 6⅔ innings for the no-decision. Milton added a double for the Eagles, Michael Patnode registered his first career single, and Dan Momaney and Fritz each added a hit.
Clegg suffered the loss in relief with two walks in ⅓ of an inning. Daniels struck out nine and walked three in nine innings in the no-decision. Clegg also had three hits for the Tigers.
Franklin Tech hosts Duggan Academy today at 4.
Turners 6, Pioneer 1 — Peyton Emery struck out 10 and allowed just a first-inning solo home run to lift visiting Turners Falls High School to a 6-1 win over Pioneer Valley Regional School in a Franklin County League softball game Tuesday afternoon in Northfield.
Turners (8-2, 6-1 FCL) jumped out to a 2-1 lead in the top of the first before Pioneer’s Kaylee Gibson cut the deficit in half with a solo home run to lead off the bottom half of the inning.
That was all Emery allowed, however. The Powertown tacked on single runs in the fourth and sixth innings before tacking on a pair of insurance markers in the seventh en route to the win. The junior right-hander scattered five hits over seven innings, striking out 10 and walking one.
Turners’ offense was paced by Emery, who finished with a pair of triples at the dish. Abby Loynd had two hits and an RBI, Cassidhe Wozniak continued her consistent spark at the top of the lineup, with a hit and an RBI, and Melissa Hersey had a hit and an RBI.
“Our outfield made a lot of plays out there,” offered Pioneer coach Sue Fuller. “They were busy.”
Sophomore Olivia Rowe had two hits for Pioneer (4-7, 3-5), which returns to action with a home game against Hopkins Academy today. Turners hosts Frontier Regional School under the lights at home tonight.
• In JV action, Turners captured a 13-5 win over Pioneer on Tuesday.
Jade Tyler picked up the win in the circle for Turners, and she added a triple and a pair of singles offensively. Julianna Rode also had a triple and two singles in the win.
Pioneer was paced by Abby Briggs, who registered a pair of hits.
Greenfield 9, Frontier 2 — Contributions from the bottom of the lineup paid huge dividends, as Greenfield High School made it 2-for-2 to start the week with a 9-2 victory over Frontier Regional School in FCL play Tuesday night at Veterans Memorial Field.
Junior Kirsten Ward had a breakout game offensively for the Green Wave (7-1, 6-1 FCL). She paced Greenfield with three hits, all doubles, and drove in four runs, while Katie Haselton had a hit and a pair of RBI.
“The bottom of the order came up big,” said Greenfield coach Rian Lovett. “Kirsten, that’s the biggest night she’s had. She hit the ball well, roped some line drives. It was nice to see a mix of different girls hit the ball.”
Frontier (4-6, 3-5) tied the game 2-2 in the top of the third inning on a monster home run from junior McKenzie Patterson. She laced a 1-2 pitch over the fence for the solo blast that pulled the visitors even.
“She hit a bomb,” said Lovett of Patterson’s homer.
The Wave responded immediately however, scoring three times in the bottom of the frame to take a 5-2 lead. They would tack on four insurance runs in the sixth to pull away.
Audrey Bresciano had a hit and two RBI for Greenfield, while Patterson’s two hits paced Frontier. Sarah Meunier had a hit and an RBI for the Hawks.
Olivia Joy earned her seventh win of the season in the pitching circle. The sophomore right-hander struck out eight and walked a pair in the complete-game win.
Greenfield, which beat Mohawk on Monday to open the week, plays its third consecutive home night game tonight against Mahar Regional School. Frontier stays on the road for a night game at Turners Falls High School.
Tech 13, Renaissance 1 — Rachel Shearer struck out nine in five innings of one-hit ball and also had three hits and two RBIs at the plate to help Franklin Tech to a 13-1 win over Renaissance School in a Tri-County League softball game Tuesday in Turners Falls.
The Eagles (8-4, 8-0) outhit the Phoenix, 13-1, in the five-inning affair and led 12-0 before Renaissance got its only run of the game in the fifth inning. Shayla Demers had two doubles, a single and an RBI. Hailey Jackson had a single, triple and RBI, and Brooke Adams had two hits. Haley Hurkulonis drove in two runs, and Kelsey Winship, Courtney LaCosse and Cassie Harris each had a hit.
Alexandra Brandofino had the lone hit in the loss. Anissa Nieves took the loss, walking nine and not striking out one in four-plus innings of work.