One day after a disappointing performance in a 9-0 defeat to Easthampton High School, the Pioneer Valley Regional School baseball team bounced back in a big way Tuesday.
The Panthers moved just a win away from postseason qualification thanks to a dominant 10-0 shutout of South Hadley High School in an independent baseball game in Northfield.
Pioneer improved to 9-8 overall on the season, needing just one win in its final three games to earn a WMass Division IV Tournament berth.
“It was really nice to be able to bounce back after a tough loss and get to that ninth win and sit there with three games left,” offered Pioneer coach Jordan Branson. “Hopefully we can pull one of these out and get back to the tournament.”
Eight different Panthers recorded hits, with Zach Renaud leading the way with three singles and two stolen bases. Troy Emond had a hit and two RBI, while Jack Loud, Jared Ackerman and Cam Baird all had a hit and an RBI.
Jacob Hubbard continued to lead the staff as the team’s No. 1 pitcher, striking out five and walking two in four innings of work to nab the victory. Quinn sealed the shutout with three scoreless innings, as South Hadley (5-12) managed just six singles offensively.
“Hubbard has been our No. 1 all year and he’s doing great,” Branson said. “We’re hoping to be able to use him a couple more times and try to get that last win.”
Pioneer’s 10 hits were all singles. The hosts broke the game open with a six-run fourth inning during which 13 batters stepped to the plate.
“The guys had a nice, patient approach at the plate and were willing to take the walk when it came,” said Branson, referring to South Hadley starting pitcher Corey Roux’s seven walks in three-plus innings.
The Panthers can clinch a postseason spot tonight when they host Athol High School at 6 p.m.
Turners 7, FC Tech 6 — Thunder Road has been lined with winners for the Turners Falls High School baseball team thus far.
The Powertown moved to 2-0 since adopting the new nickname, and the squad continued its revenge tour Tuesday with a 7-6 win over neighbor Franklin County Technical School in an independent game on Industrial Boulevard.
The win secured a season-split for the Thunder (4-12) against Franklin Tech (11-7), after the Eagles defeated them for the first time in 13 years just three weeks ago. It was Turners’ second win in as many nights, as it opened the week with a 5-1 win over Hopkins Academy on Monday.
Turners built a 7-1 lead Tuesday, with Riley Watroba driving in two runs to help the visitors get off and running. The team finished with just three hits, singles by Watroba, Riley Campbell and Jake Dodge.
Franklin Tech closed the gap with four runs in the fifth and tacked on another in the seventh to get within 7-6. With the tying run on base however, Turners pitcher Kyle Dodge shut the door, inducing a groundout to second base to close things out and preserve the win. Dodge struck out six and walked just one in a complete-game effort.
The Eagles were paced offensively by Nate Pelletier’s three hits, while Sim Maniatty had two hits, including a double, and two RBI. Hunter Sessions added a hit and drove in three runs.
Turners continues its busy week against top rivals tonight, when it travels to Greenfield High School for a 6 p.m. contest at Vets Field. Franklin Tech heads to Pioneer Thursday night at 6.
Easthampton 8, Mahar 6 — Mahar Regional School trailed 6-3 in the fifth inning, rallied to tie the game, but ultimately fell short as Easthampton High School scored twice in the sixth to capture an 8-6 win over Easthampton High School in a Hampshire League East baseball game Tuesday at Nonotuck Park in Easthampton.
The loss eliminated the Senators (5-11 overall, 2-7 HL) from postseason contention.
Mahar led 3-2 in the fourth before Easthampton scored four times to take a 6-3 advantage.
The Senators tallied twice in the fifth and once more in the sixth to tie the game before the Eagles closed it out with two in the bottom of the inning.
Will Peredina had three hits and two stolen bases to pace the visitors, while Charlie Barnes had two hits and an RBI. Todd Chiasson had a hit and drove in two runs, while Jacob Berry and Sam Paul each had a hit and an RBI.
Barnes suffered the loss, allowing two runs (one earned) in two innings of relief for starting pitcher Andrew Herk (four innings, three strikeouts).
Athol 14, Mohawk 11 — It wasn’t easy, but Athol High School is postseason-bound.
The visiting Red Raiders trailed 11-4 in the fifth inning, but scored twice in the frame and broke through with eight runs in the sixth to power past Mohawk Trail Regional High School, 14-11, in a Franklin County League softball game Tuesday in Buckland.
The Red Raiders improved to 10-7 overall, 5-6 in the FCL and punched their ticket to the WMass Division II Tournament with magic win No. 10.
Mohawk (5-14, 0-11) came out firing on its home field. Despite trailing 2-0 after half an inning, the Warriors scored five times in the bottom of the first, added single runs in the second and third, and tallied four more in the fourth. Caitlin Johnston helped spark the offensive flurry early with a two-run home run, and the hosts led 11-4 into the fifth.
Sadey Lehtomaki helped Athol come charging back. She finished with a monster effort for the Red Raiders, going 4-for-5 with six RBI and two triples, and the visitors scored 10 unanswered runs to close things out and get the important victory.
All nine batters had a hit for Athol, while Haley Bigwood was 3-for-3 with four runs scored. Roz Nelson added a double, and Lindsey Leblanc scored a pair of runs and reached base three times.
Leblanc came on in relief to pick up the win in the circle for Athol, striking out eight in 6⅔ innings.
Mohawk held a 15-14 edge in hits, with Mikayla Bompastore smacking three of them to go with two runs and an RBI. Alicia Johnston, Mya Lesieur, Reagan Dupree, Morgan Roccio and Isis Moon all registered two hits.
Athol heads to Greenfield High School tonight while Mohawk heads to Mahar Thursday.
Greenfield 14, Mahar 1 — Mahar held Greenfield scoreless into the fourth inning, but the visiting Green Wave erupted for eight runs in the top of the seventh to pull away for a 14-1 win in FCL action Tuesday afternoon in Orange.
Mahar (7-11, 3-8) starting pitcher Megan Rich retired the first 10 batters she faced, striking out five, before Greenfield (14-2, 9-1) got on the board in the top of the fourth when Audrey Bresciano reached and scored on an RBI triple by Kelsey Richardson.
“We were ready to go,” said Mahar coach Jerry Duguay of his team. “Megan pitched a phenomenal game. I’m proud of the way the girls came out and played today.”
Greenfield chipped away offensively, scoring two in the fifth and three in the sixth to take a 6-0 lead before Mahar got its lone run in the home half when Jordyn Berry singled home Skylar Dodge to cut the deficit to 6-1.
The Wave broke through in the top of the seventh, when 13 batters went to the plate, pushing eight runs across the plate. Bresciano and Samantha Smith each had two hits in the seventh inning, while Racquel Provost scored two runs in the frame.
Bresciano had three hits. Richardson had three hits and drove in four runs. Raegan Hickey scorched three hits, including a two-run home run in the sixth, to go with four RBI, while Lizzy Howland (two hits, two RBI) was another multi-hit contributor.
Berry was 2-for-3 with two hits and two stolen bases for Mahar. Lani DeDiego also finished with two hits for the hosts.
Olivia Joy struck out 14 batters in six innings of work to pick up the win for Greenfield. Gianna Conte struck out two in one inning of action.
Rich totaled seven strikeouts and just one walk. Mahar was officially eliminated from postseason consideration with the defeat.
FC Tech 20, Pathfinder 12, Game 1
FC Tech 17, Pathfinder 11, Game 2 — Shannon Kurkulonis had a combined seven hits and seven RBI, and Brooke Adams smacked a home run in Game 2 to lead Franklin Tech to a Tri-County League doubleheader sweep of Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical High School Tuesday in Turners Falls.
The Eagles (4-13, 4-7) picked up a 20-12 win in Game 1 before finishing the sweep with a 17-11 win in the nightcap.
“We’re finally hitting the ball and playing together,” said Franklin Tech coach Amber Crochier of the sweep.
Eliza Kelton had three hits, including a double and a triple, in the Game 1 win, as Franklin Tech scored nine times in the fifth inning to earn a come-from-behind victory. Jocelyn Crowningshield had two hits and RBI, while Brooke Adams had a hit and three RBI. Hailey Jackson added two RBI.
In Game 2 action, Shannon Kurkulonis’ four hits and four RBI powered the Eagles to another comeback, as Pathfinder led 8-3 in the fourth before Franklin Tech scored six in the fourth and five in the fifth.
Summer Gaudreau totaled three hits in the win, while Jackson (two hits, two RBI), Adams (hit, two RBI) and Desiree Doane (two hits, two RBI) all made key offensive contributions. Crowningshield added two hits, while Hailey Larned had a hit and an RBI.
Doane picked up pitching wins in both games for the Eagles, combining for nine strikeouts in 14 innings of work.