Behind an offensive effort that put the game out of reach with five runs in the fifth inning, as well as the 1-2 pitching tandem of Ethan Quinn and Braeden Tsipenyuk, New Fortune kicked off the season in winning fashion, Sunday. The squad upended Frontier’s Yankee Candle, 10-4, as the Greenfield Minor League Baseball 2019 season kicked off at Lunt Field.
With only three Majors Division teams in GMLB this spring, New Fortune began its campaign against a team from out of league play. Quinn and Tsipenyuk combined to strike out 11 in six innings of work.
New Fortune’s offense was paced by Tsipenyuk, Quinn, Heath Gomez and Brayden Arsenault, who had two hits apiece. Jackson Petrin, Jake Brook and Levi Halla all added a hit and an RBI.
Yankee Candle, which plays out of the Frontier Cal Ripken League, received a hit and two RBIs from Harry LaFlamme. Thomas Unkles, CJ Hannu, and Mason Thornton all added hits, with Hannum’s a double and Thornton driving in a run. Owen Babb pitched well in defeat.
• In AAA action Sunday, Evan Tsipenyuk struck out eight in three innings and Smitty’s Pub upended Freedom Credit Union, 16-4.
Malik Moore went 2-for-2 with a triple and Mason Fiory was a perfect 3-for-3 with a double at the dish for Smitty’s.
Chase Zraunig and Rowan Muzzy each had a hit for Freedom.
• Elsewhere, Judah Glenn, Arthur Fitzpatrick and Aiden Shea combined to strike out 15 batters and Denny’s Pantry bested Sandri Plumbing, 11-5, in a AAA opener, Sunday.
Fitzpatrick did the job offensively, clubbing a triple and two RBIs, and Glenn also had a hit.
Sandri slugger Tristan James belted a three-run home run, while teammate Rylin Koscinski totaled two hits. Cody Yetter, Hayden Girard and CJ Halla added singles.
• In other AAA play from Sunday, Bradley Welcome and Bodie Burke impressed on the mound, helping Aubuchon Hardware to a 4-2 victory over Rotary Club in a well-played opener with good pitching from both sides.
Grayson Thomas doubled for Aubuchon, which also received hits from Nick Prasol and Brayden Sloan. Welcome tossed four innings and Burke closed out the final two.
Rotary was powered by the pitching tandem of Juleyen Carter and Mike Cyhowski, as the duo combined to allow just three hits in six innings. Gavin Arsenault doubled for Rotary, and Carter also had a hit.
• Behind five hits from Casey Burke and four hits each from Bryce Zraunig and Asa Bouchard, Lundgren Honda opened its 2019 AA campaign with a 14-10 win over Bobby C’s DJ Service on Sunday.
Clayton Massa, Parker Gerry, Henrick Carew and Johnny McIntyre all registered two hits in the win.
Elijah Castillo, Connor Bengtson, Carter Malouin, Paxton Phelps, Landen Allenby, Finn Coffin and Tevaariss Hall all had hits for Bobby C’s.
• In other action, Connor Livingstone, Xaviay Reynolds and Hunter Parker each had four hits to help Pioneer Valley Tire earn a 12-12 tie with Berkshire Insurance in AA action, Sunday.
Tucker Aldrich, Ethan Facey and Carter Berthiaume all chipped in three hits, with Aldrich striking out three batters.
For Berkshire Insurance, Julian James had four hits while Tommy Clary, Jordan Welcome, Aaron Meuse and Topher Miller all had multiple-hit outings. Braiden Cypher tripled and Clary struck out four in two innings on the mound.
• With a solid defensive and offensive effort all around, Isaac Tripp and JJ Bones paced the offense to help Fitzgerald Real Estate edge the Moose, 16-13, Sunday.
Nicolas Bassett went 5-for-5, including two doubles to help keep the Moose close. Harper Schwerin played outstanding defense for the Moose, including a diving play at second base.
Newt Guilbault
Talk about a thrilling way to open the Newt Guilbault Community Baseball League season.
Jake Maynard and Zaydrien Alamed had two hits apiece, including an extra-base smack each, and Booska’s Flooring edged St. Kazimierz Society, 6-5 in seven innings, Sunday in Turners Falls.
Darian Burnett struck out six on the mound and added a hit for Booska’s, which also received stellar defensive work from Nolyn Stafford and Jaiden Lapointe.
St. Kaz picked up two hits each from Jackson Cogswell and Kainen Stevens, while Julian Kaiser and Jackson Day both added a hit. Stevens recorded 12 strikeouts on the mound.
• In other Opening Day action, Mason Lehtomaki punched out 12 batters to lift Greenfield Savings Bank past Turners Falls Athletic Club, 9-0, at Campbell Field.
Ethan Eichorn tripled and singled for GSB. Jake Jurek and Trevor Lyons both registered hits.
TFAC’s Alex Knapp smacked two hits to pace his side.
GGSL
Margarette Howland dominated in the pitching circle and came up with a timely two-run single to help send Pipione’s Sport Shop to a 5-0 victory over Descavich Plumbing and Heating on Opening Day of the Greenfield Girls Softball League, Saturday at Murphy Park.
Howland pitched six innings for the complete-game shutout, striking out 15 batters, walking three, and surrendering two hits in the Ponytail Division opener. She also had a hit and two RBIs.
Leading the offensive charge for Pipione’s was Anna Bucala, who was 3-for-3 including a double. Howland and Sophia Pinardi each had a hit and two RBIs, Shelby O’Leary had a hit and an RBI, and Aquinnah Mass and Auburn Mass each had a hit in the win.
Lily Ross went the distance for Descavich, striking out 10 batters in five innings of work. Sophia Rotkiewicz had both hits for her club.
• In other Ponytail Division play, Ellis Benitez earned the win with six strikeouts as Gilmore & Farrell Insurance edged Freedom Credit Union, 15-10.
Shylan Luippold tossed two innings for Gilmore & Farrell, which received strong work behind the plate from Alexa Minckler.
Freedom’s Ava Fortin and Destiney Rodriguez each added a hit, and Madison Dietz held down the fort in the circle.
• Elsewhere, MacKenzie Paulin struck out eight and Kelly Baird punched out four to help Camelot Carpet Cleaners to a 17-6 win over Conte Office Interiors.
Paulin was also 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and a two-run triple, and Baird was a perfect 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs. Rachel Wood and Tayler Bergeron added two hits apiece for Camelot.
Conte’s Savannah Aldrich had a hit, and she combined with Stella Verlander to strike out four batters.
• In Lil’ Nippers action, Charlie Bishop, Megan Bacigalupo, Norah Henry and Ella Guyette all had a hit to help Lundgren Honda work a 2-2 tie with Harper’s Store, Saturday.
Lindsey Hawkins was 3-for-3 and Makayla Cormier was 2-for-3 for Harper’s Store. Riley Dyer added solid defense.
• Elsewhere, Carson Farrell and Bianca Reynolds had three hits apiece to lift Franklin First Credit Union past the Purple Panthers, 10-4.
Autumn Thornton and Chloe Bigelow each had four hits while Markie Vachula-Curtis and Savanah Brown contributed defensively for the Panthers.