A quick start got the job done for the Athol softball team on Wednesday against rival Mahar.

The Bears got after the Senators early and often on Wednesday, scoring 12 runs in the first inning and tacking six on in the second to run away with a 28-0 Franklin County League East victory in Orange.

Kennedy Vaillancourt blasted a triple, a double and knocked in six runs for Athol (6-1, 2-0). Jenna Bonenfant had three hits — one a double — and five RBIs, Lindsey LeBlanc had a single, a double and three RBIs, Alyssa Logan tallied three RBIs and Sadey Lehtomaki, Maddi Hermes and Ally Robertson each had a hit and an RBI in the win.

LeBlanc picked up the win in the circle, allowing just two hits and striking out 11. 

Saylor Kegans knocked a triple and Shelby Senn hit safely for Mahar (0-4, 0-2). 

Taconic 9, Frontier 7 — The Redhawks’ late rally fell just short. 

Trailing 9-3 going into the bottom of the seventh, Frontier put up four runs and brought the winning run to the plate, but an unassisted fielder’s choice by Thunder shortstop Anna Bongini ended the threat, as the Redhawks fell 9-7 in a FCL West contest in South Deerfield on Wednesday.

Delaney Fifield and Haley Hutkoski each tallied three hits in the loss, with Fifield knocking in a pair of runs for Frontier (2-5, 0-2). Chloe Cutting and Olivia Machon each had an RBI single while Makayla Santos and Skyler Steele each hit safely in the loss. 

Cutting pitched 5⅓ innings, striking out five. Machon came on for the remainder of the game, recording a strikeout and not giving up an earned run. 

Franklin Tech 6, Lee 0 — Lauren Ross was on fire in the circle, tossing a complete-game shutout and striking out 16 to lead the Eagles past the host Wildcats in an independent contest on Wednesday.

Hannah Gilbert smacked a single, a double and a triple and brought in a run for Franklin Tech (4-1). Kyra Goodell tallied a triple, a single and an RBI, Lauren Ross, Kaitlin Trudeau and Lilly Ross each had a hit and an RBI, Kendra Campbell drilled a double and Cassidy Trudeau, Keira Stevens and Ashley Bobala each hit safely in the win. 

Boys tennis

Frontier 3, Pope Francis 2 — The Redhawks won all three singles matches to improve to 4-0 on the season with a 3-2 win over the Cardinals in Springfield on Wednesday. 

Coleman Hartner picked up a 6-2, 7-5 win in No. 1 singles, Robert Fuqua picked up a 6-3, 6-1 win in No. 2 singles and Miles Keefe won 6-2, 6-4 in No. 3 singles for Frontier. 

Oliver Brown and Benjamin Desmond fell in No. 1 doubles while Caiden Manning and Harry Wright lost in No. 2 doubles for the Redhawks.