MONTAGUE — The Turners Falls softball team’s season came to abrupt end on Sunday, as the 11th-seeded Thunder lost, 9-5, to No. 22 Holbrook High School in the MIAA Division 5 state tournament Round of 32 at Mullins Field.
The Bulldogs used a six-run fourth inning to pull ahead. Nine batters reached base in the inning for Holbrook.
“They had six hits in the fourth inning,” Turners Falls coach Gary Mullins said. “That was the match. We had people on base. Just couldn’t get it done.”
Addison Talbot of Turners Falls (left) makes the catch in front of Maddie Haight, Sunday in Montague. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo 
The Turners Falls softball team celebrates a home run by Ivy Lopez against Holbrook, Sunday in Montague. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo 
The Turners Falls softball team huddles against Holbrook, Sunday in Montague. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo 
Maddie Haight of Turners Falls makes contact against Holbrook, Sunday in Montague. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo 
Ivy Lopez of Turners Falls comes home after a solo homer against Holbrook, Sunday in Montague. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo
The Thunder endured their first losing season and it is the first time under the new playoff format that they did not make the Round of 16. Back when the sectional champions advanced to state competition, Turners Falls last loss in semifinal play came in 2010 against Murdock. In 2013 the Thunder lost in the sectional final to Mount Everett.
Janelle Massey and Madisyn Dietz played their final game for the program. Both players were two time state champions for the program. Dietz went 0-for-2 with two walks for the Thunder.
“Even though this isn’t the outcome that any of us wanted, this was the most fun I’ve had playing softball,” Dietz said. “All of us had great connections. I won two state championships back to back and that is probably the best thing I’ve experienced but the bond we had this year was so much better.”
Massey went 1-for-3 with a single and a walk in her final game with Turners Falls. The senior joined the softball team in seventh grade late in the season.
“I just realized how much I enjoy softball,” Massey said. “I had plenty of incredible athletes and people in general to look up to who showed me what I was supposed to be doing . Not just playing, but to be a good teammate and a good leader…it’s unfortunate that we didn’t get to go as far as we wanted to go but I still had a great time and I love this team despite what our record says.”
Autumn Thornton pitched seven innings, giving up 11 hits and six walks with four strikeouts. The Bulldogs took the lead in the top of the first on an RBI single by Evelyn Cassidy. Ivy Lopez tied the game in the second, mashing a solo home run for the Thunder. Lopez was a vacuum in center field and made a Sportscenter-worthy running catch in the fifth inning to save extra bases.
Makayla Hopkins registered an RBI on a fielder’s choice in the third inning for the Bulldogs. Holbrook’s Adele Ramirez later drew a walk with the bases loaded to give Holbrook at 3-1 lead.
Thornton cut the lead to 3-2 with an RBI on a sacrifice fly in the third inning for Turners Falls. In the decisive sixth inning, the Thunder gave up one walk and had two errors in addition to the six hits by the Bulldogs. When the inning ended, Holbrook had a 9-2 lead.
Jojo Hayman had an RBI single in the sixth for Turners Falls. Maddie Haight notched an RBI on a groundout in the sixth inning for Turners Falls. Addison Talbot had a run scoring single earlier in the inning.
Haight went 3-for-4 in the game and cut down a runner at home plate from right field with a cannon throw right to catcher Autumn DiMare in the third inning.
Georgetown 23, Mahar 0 — The second-seeded Royals shut out the No. 34 Senators in the Division 5 Round of 32 at Penn Brook Field in Georgetown. Mahar finished its season with a winning record (10-9) and recorded a state tournament victory for the first time in program history. The Royals will host No. 15 Greenfield in the Round of 16. Mahar had one hit in the game by Lilah Paluk.
Frontier 18, Mount Greylock 3 (six innings) — The fourth-seeded Redhawks mashed their way past the No. 29 Mounties in the Division 4 Round of 32 in South Deerfield. Skyler Steele sealed the mercy rule victory with a sixth inning grand slam. Steele finished with five RBI on three hits including a triple.
Lexi Hawkins pitched around eight hits, giving up three runs with six strikeouts. Riley Tine and Adelaide Ehle (three RBI) each had a double for Frontier. Bella Orrell had two doubles with three RBI for the Redhawks.
Frontier advances to the Round of 16 where it will await the winner of No. 13 West Bridgewater and No. 20 Hamilton-Wenham.
Hopkins Academy 7, Mohawk 1 — The No. 19 Warriors could not get past the 14th-seeded Golden Hawks in the Division 5 state tournament Round of 32 in Hadley. Mohawk had one bad inning that decided the game. Addie Loomis went 2-for-3 in her final game with the softball program. Sadie Wilcox went 1-for-3 with a double. Grace Steven pitched seven innings for Mohawk.
Franklin Tech 5, Rising Tide Charter 4 — Lindsey Taylor’s walk off double sent the 12th-seeded Eagles into the Division 5 state tournament Round of 16 in Turners Falls. The hit scored Emma Petersen and Amelia Rider for Franklin Tech.
“The game was sort of a metaphor for our season,” Franklin Tech coach Joe Gamache said. “We started slow, played on our heels, and made some costly mistakes. The girls stuck together and battled and ultimately won in gutsy fashion.”
Alanna Flanders had eight strikeouts for Rising Tide Charter.
The Eagles face a trip to fifth-seeded West Boylston on Tuesday at 4 p.m.. Taylor went 3-for-4 with two RBI with a triple and a double. Sofia Melnik added a hit with two RBI. Brayleigh Burgh gave up four earned runs with five strikeouts and seven hits in seven innings of work.
Baseball
West Boylston 9, Turners Falls 1 — The 23rd-seeded Thunder lost on the road to No. 10 West Boylston in the Division 5 state tournament Round of 32. Kainen Stevens, Julian Kaiser, Liam Kerivan and Ethan Eichorn had hits for the Thunder. Nathaniel Trinque had two hits and the lone RBI for Turners Falls.
Franklin Tech 15, Monson 5 (five innings) — The 15th-seeded Eagles used a 10-run fourth inning to beat the No. 18 Mustangs in the Division 5 state tournament Round of 32 in Turners Falls. Hunter Donahue and George Gutierrez Jr. both had three RBI for the Eagles. Donahue finished 3-for-4 with a double and a triple. Brody Hicks, Wayde Bardwell and Colton Kingsbury (3-for-4) had two RBI each. Levi Clark got the win on the mound, pitching four innings. Clark gave up 12 hits and five earned runs with four strikeouts.
The Eagles play at No. 2 Georgetown at Bean Park in the Round of 16 on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
