Have a day, Hannah Gilbert. 

The Franklin Tech senior struck out 13 batters in the pitching circle, putting her over the 500 strikeout mark for her career. She also crushed a grand slam and smacked two singles to lead the Eagles to a 14-3 Franklin County League East victory over Mohawk Trail in Buckland on Thursday. 

Gilbert entered the game needing 12 strikeouts to hit the 500 mark. She said she just found out the night before the game how close she was to the milestone. 

“It feels pretty good,” Gilbert said. “I saw [Turners Falls’ Madi Liimatainen] got her 1,000th [Wednesday] and wondered what I was at and found out I was only 12 away. I didn’t expect to be that close.” 

Gilbert is no stranger to putting her name in the record books. She recorded her 100th career hit last spring, and also scored her 1,000th point on the basketball court earlier this winter. She said she wasn’t tracking how many strikeouts she had during the game and didn’t know she had hit the mark until her coach, Joe Gamache, told her afterward. 

“We didn’t bring it up until the end which I liked,” Gilbert said. “It took all the pressure off me. I just got to play and not think about it.” 

It’s fitting that Gilbert hit the milestone in Buckland, as she started her career playing at Mohawk Trail before moving to Franklin Tech. Gamache noted how hard his ace has worked to get to where she is. 

“Hannah has worked extremely hard for her individual accomplishments,” Franklin Tech coach Joe Gamache said. “She converted to softball from baseball heading into middle school and never skipped a beat. Early on, she was primarily a shortstop and third baseman but put in the work to become a pitcher and has been a dominant one since her sophomore year when she really took the reins. She didn’t start pitching as early as others in the area but has certainly made her mark as well. I am extremely happy for her and as a coach am extremely happy she converted to softball.”

Brayleigh Burgh singled and doubled and drove in three runs, Kylee Gamache added a base hit and an RBI while Breanna Kempf doubled and drove in two in the win for Franklin Tech (2-2). 

Addie Loomis tallied two hits, Adrian Grant singled and doubled, Emmalee Inman, Bella Brown Stratton and Sadie Wilcox hit safely while Grace Stevens struck out four for Mohawk Trail (0-3).