Trailing 4-2 with the game dwindling, the Mohawk Trail Regional High School offense came to the rescue just in time.
The Warriors scored seven times in the bottom of the sixth to continue their winning ways with a 9-4 victory over Frontier Regional School in Franklin County League softball play Tuesday in Buckland.
Mohawk (11-4, 7-3) managed just two hits into the sixth inning against Frontier (4-9, 3-8). But the Warriors exploded in the frame, as Ashley Walker doubled to lead off the rally. Caitlin Johnston singled while Lilly Lesieur came through with a two-run home run to enable the hosts to take control.
Walker and Ashley Reynolds paced the Warriors with two hits each, while Reynolds drove in a pair of runs. Morgan Roccio also had two RBI, while Shelby Sinistore and Johnston added RBI.
Frontier, which led 3-0 in the third inning, has powered by Kelsey Jarvis’ two triples. Maddie Fifield drove in two of the Hawks’ four runs, finishing with a single and a double.
Lesieur picked up the win in relief, striking out four in four innings of action in the circle. Starter Emily Page struck out four in three innings.
Frontier hosts Mahar Regional School Thursday afternoon while Mohawk travels to Pioneer Valley Regional School Thursday night.
Greenfield 3, Pioneer 0 — Olivia Joy struck out nine and allowed two hits and two walks in a complete-game shutout to lead Greenfield High School to a 3-0 win over Pioneer Valley Regional School in a FCL softball game Tuesday night at Veterans Memorial Field in Greenfield.
The Green Wave (13-1) offense did not fare much better against Pioneer pitcher Lizzie Fuller, who allowed just three hits in five innings, striking out seven and walking three. It’s the second time that Greenfield has scored just three runs against Pioneer this season.
“Fuller is quicker than she looks,” Green Wave coach Rian Lovett said. “She’s good. She hits her spots and we popped a lot of balls up.”
Greenfield scored once in the third when Katie Haselton reached after a dropped third strike and came around to score after a pair of Pioneer errors. The Wave added two more in the fifth as Audrey Bresciano singled, Raegan Hickey walked and Molley Duclos hit a fielder’s choice erased Hickey at second base. Bresciano scored on a passed ball, and Samantha Smith hit an RBI single to score Duclos.
Greenfield travels to Turners Falls Thursday night in a game that will likely decide the FCL title. That game can be heard on Bear Country, WPVQ-FM (95.3). Pregame is at 6:45 p.m. and the game starts at 7.
Athol 18, Mahar 4 — Clinging to a 5-4 lead in the fifth inning, visiting Athol High School exploded for the game’s final 13 runs Tuesday. The result was an 18-4 win over rival Mahar Regional School in FCL action in Orange.
“They’re a good-hitting team,” lauded Mahar coach Jerry Duguay of Athol. “They came alive in the fifth (inning) and didn’t look back.”
Jess Soucie smacked five hits, including the 100th of her career, to pace Athol (9-5, 7-4 FCL). She drilled a home run and drove in five runs, while also going the distance in the pitching circle. The senior struck out five and walked two on the day.
The Red Raiders totaled 26 hits in the win, with Abby Leadbetter (four RBI), Hailey Bigwood (home run, four RBI) and Brej Geise (three RBI) finishing with four apiece. Hannah Arsenault and Hope Parker had three hits each, while Angelica Baptista registered a pair.
Lani DeDiego totaled three hits to pace Mahar (5-9, 2-7), and she added an RBI. Hannah Britt drove in a pair of runs, while Megan Rich had two hits and an RBI.
Mahar hosts Turners Falls High School in FCL play today in Orange.
Turners Falls 10, Hopkins 1 — Gabby Arzuaga drilled a three-run home run in the top of the seventh, putting the cherry on top of another Turners Falls High School victory as the Powertown collected a 10-1 win on the road at Hopkins Academy in FCL action Tuesday in Hadley.
Turners (12-2, 9-1) jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first and made it 4-0 with two more in the third. It was 7-1 in the seventh when Arzuaga connected for her sixth home run of the season.
Aly Murphy, Abby Loynd and Cassidhe Wozniak had two hits apiece in the win, with Wozniak smacking a pair of doubles. Loynd drove in two runs, while Jordyn Fiske, Hailey Bogusz, Olivia Whittier and Melissa Hersey all registered RBI.
Junior Peyton Emery picked up her 12th win of the season in the pitching circle. She struck out three over six innings, allowing just one run, before eighth-grrader Jade Tyler, making her varsity debut, finished up with a scoreless seventh (two strikeouts).
FC Tech 26, Pathfinder 1 — Ashlee Townsley had four hits, including three doubles, and drove in seven runs to lead Franklin County Technical School to a 26-1 mercy-rule-shortened Tri-County League softball victory Tuesday afternoon in Three Rivers.
The Eagles (9-7) moved to within one win of qualifying for the tournament and also got back into the win column after dropping two TCL games in a row.
Franklin Tech had just 10 hits on the day but used 11 walks and four errors to help plate all the runs. Summer Gadreau doubled and drove in three runs, Rachel Shearer had a hit and three RBIs, and Cassie Harris and Hailey Larned each had a hit and one RBI. Shearer picked up the win with six strikeouts against four hits and one walk in five innings.
The Eagles can clinch a berth and move back into the postseason race on Friday when they host Putnam Vocational Technical Academy.