Brett Gratz singled home Matt Bouley with the eventual game-winning run in the top of the sixth inning, and Liam Pitrat went seven strong innings on the mound as Smith Academy edged Greenfield High School, 3-2, in a Hampshire League crossover baseball game Monday night at Vets Field in Greenfield.
Greenfield (5-1) led 2-1 in the sixth inning before the visiting Falcons (3-3) rallied with two runs in the frame. Bouley tied the game with an RBI single, and after Greenfield cut down a run at the plate, Smith Academy powered through with Gratz’ single for a 3-2 advantage.
Pitrat held firm from there, striking out four and walking just one over seven innings.
“Pitrat pitched very well,” lauded Greenfield coach Tom Suchanek of the Smith Academy starter. “He kept us off-balance, threw some off-speed stuff. We struggled to really put anything together.”
Greenfield trailed 1-0 before finally breaking through offensively in the bottom of the fifth. The Green Wave scored a pair, with Colin Cloutier recording an RBI in the frame. Cloutier and Hunter Campbell had two hits apiece to pace Greenfield’s eight-hit attack.
Joel Peabody was the tough-luck loser on the bump for the hosts. Peabody struck out 10 and didn’t issue a walk in seven innings. Smith struck for four of its five hits in the game in the two-run sixth inning that proved to be the difference.
Greenfield is on the road at Mahar Regional School Wednesday.
Mahar 9, Turners 2 — Sam Paul allowed just two hits over seven innings, and the senior hurler struck out eight to help visiting Mahar to a 9-2 win over Turners Falls High School Monday at the Bourdeau Fields Complex.
Mahar (2-4) got off to a strong start, staking itself to a 3-0 lead after half an inning. The lead was 3-1 into the sixth, when the Senators put the game out of reach thanks to a six-run frame.
Jacob Berry registered three RBI in the win, while Charlie Barnes had two hits and an RBI. Mahar totaled 10 hits on the day.
Riley Watroba and Brian Murphy had the two hits for Turners (2-3) — both RBI singles. James Robinson took the loss, striking out three in five innings on the mound.
Frontier 12, Athol 2 — After Greenfield’s loss, Frontier Regional School is the last remaining undefeated baseball team in the area.
The Red Hawks continued to roll Monday, scoring 11 runs in the fifth inning to take care of business in a 12-2 victory over Athol High School at G.T. Valiton Field in South Deerfield.
“I’m definitely satisfied with how the boys have played up to this point,” explained Frontier coach Chris Williams. “It starts to get real Friday when league play opens up.”
Frontier (5-0) led just 1-0 before the huge fifth-inning broke the game open. Dylan Apanell had a two-run single in the frame, while pinch-hitter Alec Jordan drilled a two-run double to help open the floodgates.
Kalen Evans, Connor Waitkus and Matt Hildreth had two hits each in the win. Ben Arnold tossed five shutout innings to earn the win, striking out nine and walking two.
Athol (2-4) scored both of its runs in the top of the sixth. Robbie Nelson recorded an RBI, while Nick Bousquet had two of the Red Raiders’ five hits. Bousquet took the loss, as the lefty threw the first three innings and left with Athol trailing 1-0.
Frontier heads to Easthampton High School Wednesday and Athol hosts Belchertown High School.
Mohawk 18, South Hadley 9 — An eventful top of the first inning provided plenty of offense for Mohawk Trail Regional High School.
The Warriors tallied five hits and took advantage of five South Hadley High School errors to score nine times in their first at-bat. The visitors never looked back en route to a convincing 18-9 victory in an independent baseball game Monday in South Hadley.
Mohawk (4-3) stormed to the 9-0 lead in the top of the first against South Hadley starter Evan Levrault. Luke Viens had two hits in the inning, as Mohawk batted around and then some. Viens had a two-run single his second time through the order, while Jon Schuetze had a pair of RBI singles in the frame.
The lead grew to 16-3 in the fourth before South Hadley (1-4) cut the final margin down a bit with three in the fourth and three in the fifth. The Tigers actually outhit Mohawk, 15-11, but committed a whopping nine errors.
Viens smacked three hits and drove in four runs out of the lead-off spot for Mohawk. Schuetze had two hits and four RBI, while Brian Allen and Rueben Bassett had two hits and two RBI apiece.
Levrault lasted just one inning in taking the loss for the Tigers. Wyatt Bandy-Page earned the win, striking out three, before Jackson Hicks closed things out with three strikeouts as well.
Mohawk hosts Hopkins Academy Wednesday.
FC Tech 10, Duggan 8 — It certainly wasn’t pretty, but Tri-County League wins don’t come with bonus points for style.
Visiting Franklin County Technical School received enough pitching from a pair of inexperienced hurlers before giving way to Sam Bobala for the final three innings, and the Eagles held off Duggan Academy, 10-8, in a TCL South baseball game at Hubbard Park in Springfield Monday.
Chris Taylor earned the mound win for Franklin Tech (3-4, 2-1) as he tossed two frames of relief after Max Leh started and went two innings as well. The pair combined for five strikeouts.
“It was nice to see two younger guys keep us in the game with Chris and Max,” Tech coach Brian Winslow offered. “They gave us a boost before we were able to give the ball to Bobala for the last three (innings).”
Bobala struck out six over the final three stanzas, earning the save for Taylor.
Sim Maniatty had two hits and three RBI to pace the Eagles offense. Travis Cutting amassed two hits, including a triple, while Hunter Sessions had two hits and stole five bases. Spencer Telega contributed a triple.
“It’s always nice to get a league win on the road,” said Winslow, whose team returns to action Friday against Smith Vocational & Agricultural High School.
Hopkins 9, Pioneer 0 — Another Jon Morrison start, another Jon Morrison gem.
The Hopkins Academy senior, who is headed to the University of Rhode Island to play ball next year, put it all together on Monday. The tall right-hander struck out 17 batters in seven innings, tossing a no-hitter to give the Hawks a 9-0 shutout of Pioneer Valley Regional School in an independent contest in Hadley.
Morrison walked four batters to keep him off a perfect game. He added a single at the dish, while the Hawks (2-2) scored six runs in the second and three in the third to give him plenty of support.
Jacob Quinn started and went the first two innings for Pioneer (2-3), striking out one and walking three. Cody Letourneau tossed the final four innings, walking one batter.
Pioneer looks to rebound Wednesday when it welcomes South Hadley to Northfield.