GREENFIELD — For the first time since 2018, the Greenfield softball team beat neighboring rival Turners Falls on Thursday night.
Green Wave pitcher Mackenzie Paulin didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning, and Kelsey Richardson powered the offense with a grand slam as Greenfield doubled up the Thunder, 8-4, in a Franklin County League West contest at Vets Field.
Paulin, a freshman, struck out six of the first nine batters she faced and didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning. She finished the night with 14 strikeouts, including the 100th punchout of her career.
“It feels like all my hard work has really been paying off,” Paulin said. “We came back from our rough patches.”
Greenfield (5-2, 2-0) jumped ahead in the second inning when Turners pitcher Madison Liimatainen walked in a run to make it 1-0.
The bats really picked up the following inning when Richardson drilled a two-run home run just over the right field fence to give the Green Wave a 3-0 lead.
It was just the start of a huge night for the senior, as she clubbed a grand slam in the sixth inning to seal the deal.
“Neither time did I think it went over, but it feels good,” Richardson said.
Richardson has been a varsity member since she was in eighth grade. She hasn’t been on the winning side of this matchup too often.
“I’ve been playing Turners since eighth grade and only beat them once. It feels good,” Richardson said. “Last year I had a home run against Turners that I thought was going to do it for us, but it didn’t so this year, putting that over the edge was just the best feeling.”
The rivalry between the schools is well-known and runs deep. Second-year head coach John Hickey said he feels great after his team’s big win.
“It always feels good to beat Turners,” Hickey said. “For seniors and juniors, it’s good for them. They haven’t beaten Turners in a while, but it was a good win. We’ll take it.”
Sitting at 5-2 overall and now atop the FCL West now, Hickey said he hopes Thursday’s big win will fuel the club moving forward.
“We’ll keep improving, keep battling and hopefully in the end we’ll be there,” Hickey said.
Richardson said the Green Wave have several goals in the weeks and months ahead.
“We’re looking to take one title at a time starting with Western Mass., bring that home – get league champs and bring that home and then going for the state,” Richardson said. “Our team dynamic is great. I really couldn’t ask for a better team my senior year. We get along great and we just work so good together.”
The Green Wave return to action on Tuesday against Taconic while Turners Falls (4-2, 1-1) will look to bounce right back when it plays Mount Greylock on Friday.