ATHOL — The Mahar Regional softball team needed a big performance in relief on Friday afternoon. With starter Lexi Ares leaving the game in the first inning, freshman Lilah Paluk stepped into the circle against cross-town rival Athol in a Tri-County match up on the road.
Paluk entered the game facing a three-run deficit and a bases loaded situation. Paluk steadied the Senators, enabling the offense to make a come back and defeat the Bears, 23-10, in five innings. There were some nerves, but Paluk had a strategy to attack any lack of confidence.
“It was scary because I didn’t know if I was going to do good or not,” Paluk said. “I just had to get mad.”
Ares struck out the first batter she faced but then walked three batters and plunked three more. Paluk effectively limited the damage for the Senators. The anger appeared to work for Paluk, who pitched a scoreless fourth inning with two strikeouts to help trigger the mercy rule in the next frame.
“It’s great I love having Lilah (Paluk) coming after me,” Ares said. “She throws heat right in there when I am not throwing my best. It’s great having Lilah (Paluk).”
With the win, Mahar (7-3, 5-0) stayed unbeaten in league play. The Senators faced a 5-0 deficit after the first inning.
“They didn’t give up,” Mahar coach Colleen Bannister said. “That’s the best part. They are getting the confidence that they can be behind by five runs and come back.”
Paluk pitched 4 2/3 innings for Mahar, giving up five hits with six strikeouts and four walks. At the plate, she went 1-for-3 with a triple and two RBIs. She drew two walks and also reached on an error.
“That kid’s great,” Bannister said of Paluk. “It’s pretty awesome. She is just a solid athlete. When I asked her to come in, I said ‘I might need a couple innings from you’. She said, ‘yeah’.”
Carly Paluk, Lilah Paluk’s twin sister, drew four walks (RBI) in the game. Carly Paluk also helped out her counterpart in the bottom of the fifth with an athletic running catch in center field with Athol threatening to extend the game beyond five innings.
Athol (1-5, 1-4 Tri County) went back and forth between Ella Reed and Gracie Gauthier in the circle. Reed struck out the side in the first inning. The sophomore lost some control in the second inning, bringing Gauthier into the circle.
Savannah Cordio had an RBI double in the second inning for the Bears. The improvement with Athol is directly related to the simple fundamentals of the game.
“Their own ability to communicate consistently on the field,” Athol coach Melissa Goss said. “Talking about where the runner is and where the outs are…that’s the biggest thing I see. Definitely the positive energy as well. Even some of the simple things like catching the ball and fielding the ball cleanly. We are performing and making more outs. Our defense is showing up for us now.”
Reed, Morgan Brailey, Arihanna McCoy (two RBIs) and Lillian Dupont had RBI in the first inning for Athol. Ares did her part to help out the offense in the top of the second. With the bases loaded, Ares hit a two-run single that tied the game, 5-5. Ares added another RBI hit in the fourth inning.
Makayla Beauchemin and Audrey Elwood (two RBI) also had an RBI in the inning for Mahar. Dupont added another RBI in the second inning for the Bears. Erin Parse drew a walk with the bases loaded for Mahar in the fourth, registering an RBI.
Jenna Nolette singled home a run in the fourth inning for Mahar. Eleighana Reed closed out the scoring with an RBI single in the fifth inning for the Bears. There was a total of 29 walks thrown in the game.
Hopkins Academy 12, Franklin Tech 2 — The Eagles couldn’t stay with the Golden Hawks in the Franklin East loss in Turners Falls. Brayleigh Burgh and Samantha Duncan had two hits for Franklin Tech (1-9, 0-7).
Turners Falls 11, Pioneer 2 — The Thunder handled the Panthers under the lights at Mullins Field in an independent match up. Autumn Thornton got the win in the circle for the Thunder, giving up four hits with six strikeouts. Abby Moffatt had two hits with an RBI for the Thunder (5-5). Addison Talbot and Ivy Lopez both had two RBI for Turners Falls. Lalah Goulston had two hits for the Panthers (4-5).
Baseball
Mahar 11, Granby 10 — A five-run sixth inning lifted the Senators to a road win over the Rams in a Bi-County North matchup. Clayde Thompson had three hits and an RBI for Mahar (2-6, 1-4). Gavin Young also had two hits with an RBI. Freeland Ringer got the win in relief, giving up 11 hits with a walk and a strikeout.
Weston High School 16, Pioneer 7 — The Wildcats tamed the Panthers in an independent matchup in Northfield. Osiah Ballard had a hit and two RBI for Pioneer (3-6). Evan Tsipenyuk (RBI) and Hayden Girard added two hits each for Pioneer.
Franklin Tech 31, Smith Academy 3 (five innings)— The Eagles pounded out 26 hits in the win over the Falcons in Hatfield in independent play. Hunter Donahue had four hits including a double and a homer to go along with four RBI. Cody Yetter also hit a dinger for Franklin Tech (6-3). Nick Prasol added three hits with two RBIs. Mason Bassett added four RBIs on four hits.
Frontier 15, Amherst 2 (five innings) — Brady Poreda had two hits, three RBIs and two runs scored in the Redhawks’ independent win over the Hurricanes. Frontier (9-2) got RBIs from Jack Cusson, Braiden Dion, Henry Drinker and Konnor James. Cusson also got the win on the mound, giving up two runs with five strikeouts.
Volleyball
Athol 3, Belchertown 2 — The Bears won a five-set thriller against the Orioles at Mallet Gymnasium. Set scores were 10-25, 25-23, 25-16, 19-25 and 15-13. Aiden Desreuisseau was an absolute force for the Bears in the West matchup. Desreuisseau had 26 kills and 12 digs for Athol (5-5, 3-2 West). Caunor Mason added 13 kills and 10 digs. Erick Brito led the offense with 37 assists.
Track & Field
Several area athletes performed at the William Kane Fresh-Sophomore Invitational at Holyoke High School. Tristan Feinstein was the lone winner in the boys side in the pole vault (11 feet) for Mohawk Trail
Mahar Regional’s Jahleel McGinnis took sixth (57.03) in the 400-meter. In the 800-meter, Aymeric Loucka finished seventh (2:13.69) for Mohawk Trail. Rex Kuoppala took fourth (4:51.95) in the mile for the Warriors. In the two mile, Hengxi Yue placed third (10:55.36) in the 2-mile for Frontier.
Robbie Farrow place ninth (1:10.08) in the 400-hurdles for Mahar. Grayden Gifford and Dean Gray impressed in the high jump for Frontier, finishing second (5-8) and tied for third (5-6), respectively.
Maia Christensen was the top local finisher on the girls side, taking first (five feet) in the high jump for Frontier. Christensen also took second overall (1:17.90) in the 400-meter hurdles. Teammate Olive Klaus also took a first-place finish in the pole vault (nine feet)
Jakhia Williams placed fifth (13.35) in the 100-meter for Turners Falls. Harper Hake of Pioneer took eighth in the mile (5:47.81). Liv Christensen finished in fifth place (13:20.30) in the 2-mile for Frontier. Klaus was the top local finisher in the 100-hurdles, placing fifth (19.30).
