Sports

Tigers pile up hits in thriller

Westfield Tech first baseman Nate Boulay makes a diving attempt at the ball in foul territory Thursday at Bullens Field. (Photo by Kellie Adam)

Westfield Tech first baseman Nate Boulay makes a diving attempt at the ball in foul territory Thursday at Bullens Field. (Photo by Kellie Adam)

WESTFIELD – After a 1-0 ballgame through the first four innings, the Westfield Technical Academy and Franklin Tech high school baseball teams erupted offensively Thursday at Bullens Field. The Tigers prevailed 10-9.
Westfield Tech scored four in the fifth inning to take a 5-0 lead before Franklin rallied to tie it 5-all in the home half of the inning. The Tigers responded with five more runs in the sixth to take a 10-5 lead, only to see the opposition battle back with four in the seventh.
Both teams finished with 10 hits apiece, with 17 of them coming in the final two innings.
“It was 1-0 through the first four innings,” Westfield Tech coach Kyle Dulude said. “(It was) looking like that was going to be the end result and then both teams put on hitting displays.”
Westfield Tech prevailed though as Tigers’ pitcher Nick Clegg struck out the final batter with bases loaded on a 3-2 pitch.
Clegg helped himself out offensively, going 2-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored and two RBIs.
Nate Boulay, Alex Sparks, and Chris Boyden drove in base runners with two hits apiece for Westfield Tech. Tigers’ Brad Alvord and Andrew Daniels each chipped in with a hit and RBI.
It was a huge turn-about for Westfield Tech, which was on the losing side of a pair of one-run ball games.
“It was a crazy, dramatic win today … a very exciting game,” coach Dulude said. “I’m glad to be on the other side of this one.”

Westfield's baserunner kicks up dust as he beats the Agawam throw and slides in safely to second base Thursday at Shea Field. (Photo by Chris Putz)

Westfield’s baserunner kicks up dust as he beats the Agawam throw and slides in safely to second base Thursday at Shea Field. (Photo by Chris Putz)

Bombers escape victorious
Westfield 1, Agawam 0
Stefan Krol (2-for-3) knocked in J.D. Huntley for the game’s only run in the top of the fourth inning as Westfield escaped Agawam with a narrow victory.
Westfield pitcher Dalen Mochak earned the “W” with a two-hitter. Mochak struck out seven batters, and walked two in seven complete innings.
Mason St. Pierre and Sean Moorhouse finished with two hits apiece for Westfield. Bombers’ Austin St. Pierre had one.

Goodreau homers; Rams roll up runs
Southwick 16, Sabis 12
Dan McClellan (1-for-2, two walks, two RBIs, two sac-flies), Jake Goodreau (2-run homer, two walks, three runs scored), Andrew Mitchell (2-for-3, three walks, three runs, RBI), and Nick Kavrackis (2-for-3, double, two RBIs) led Southwick’s offensive assault.
Southwick starter Joe Stratton struck out seven batters in 5 1/3 innings. Travis Pirello converted a long-distance save opportunity, striking out two batters and walking one over 1 2/3 innings.

SOFTBALL
Gamble, Gators electric
Gateway 10, Renaissance 0
Some may dismiss Gateway Regional High School coach Matt Bonenfant’s words – stressing the team’s continued improvement – simply as coach speak. Those critics could not be any more wrong.

Westfield Technical Academy's Cheyenne Slack slides into home plate ahead of the throw from Putnam Thursday at Whitney Field. (Photo by Kellie Adam)

Westfield Technical Academy’s Cheyenne Slack slides into home plate ahead of the throw from Putnam Thursday at Whitney Field. (Photo by Kellie Adam)

On Thursday, Gateway pitcher Audrey Gamble flirted with a no-hitter, and the Gators blanked Renaissance 10-0 at Marshall Roy Field in Springfield.
Gamble produced on the mound – the Gators’ sophomore flame thrower tossed a one-hitter (a lone infield bleeder in the second inning), striking out seven batters and walking two; and, she delivered at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs.
Chelsea Edinger went 2-for-4 for Gateway (3-10) with a double, two runs, and an RBI.

Beavers top Tigers
Putnam 15, Westfield Tech 5
Westfield Tech senior slugger Sam Melchionne and sophomores Cheyenne Slack and Hannah Roberts each hit doubles.

Westfield goalie Lexi Levere makes one of several key saves against visiting Belchertown Thursday. (Photo by Lynn Boscher)

Westfield goalie Lexi Levere makes one of several key saves against visiting Belchertown Thursday. (Photo by Lynn Boscher)

GIRLS’ LACROSSE
Bombers top O’s
Westfield 15, Belchertown 11
Westfield goalies Lexi Levere (7 saves) and Yvonne Headley (5 saves) literally saved the day, making several key stops against visiting Belchertown.
Rachel Gelina scored five goals to lead Westfield. Bombers’ Olivia Chaoush (1 assist) and Hannah Jarvis recorded hat tricks.
Belchertown’s Emma Jobson tallied a game-high seven goals.

This Bomber looks to turn the corner on the Lancers' defense Thursday at Longmeadow High School. (Staff photoWilliam Eagan)

This Bomber looks to turn the corner on the Lancers’ defense Thursday at Longmeadow High School. (Staff photoWilliam Eagan)

BOYS’ LACROSSE
Lancers topple Bombers
Longmeadow 18, Westfield 7
Will Lukas matched Westfield’s entire output, scoring seven goals to lead Longmeadow at home. The Lancers scored seven goals in the third quarter to pull away.
Westfield’s Mason Balch netted a hat trick, Matt Chlastawa and Anthony Sullivan each tallied two goals and one assist, and Zach Gentle had two assists.
Matt Reynolds and Ryan Reed combined for 10 Bombers’ saves.

Watson scores four in Saints’ loss
Granby 24, St. Mary 5
Jillian Watson scored a hat trick-plus one (4 goals) for St. Mary.

BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL
Bombers fall to South Sectional power
Greater New Bedford def. Westfield 15-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-13
South Sectional power Greater New Bedford powered past the defending champs to improve to 14-1 overall.
Despite the loss, Westfield had a whole host of productive players, including: Igor Belokopytov (17 kills, 7 digs, 1 ace, 2 blocks), Eddie Loboda (9 kills, 1 ace, 10 digs), Shane Kiendzior (4 kills, 2 digs, 1 block), Noah Kappel (6 kills, 1 block), Ryan Murray (4 kills, 2 blocks), Scott Walsh (39 assists, 1 ace, 7 digs, 1 block), Tyler Stanton (28 digs, 3 assists), and Andrew Burrage (3 digs).

Nicole Vilane serves one up for Westfield at third singles. (Photo by Marc St. Onge)

Nicole Vilane serves one up for Westfield at third singles. (Photo by Marc St. Onge)

GIRLS’ TENNIS
Vilane wins in Lancers’ defeat
Longmeadow 4, Westfield 1
This day belonged to Longmeadow, which won four of the matches, save for third singles that went to Westfield’s Nicole Vilane, who downed Lancers’ Ellery White.
Bombers’ Anushka Sharma lost a hard-fought match to Izzy Gandell, 5-7, 6-9.

BOYS’ TENNIS
Almeida wins in Saints’ defeat
Sabis 4, St. Mary 1
Garrett Almeida won the lone match of the afternoon for St. Mary, upending Sabis’s Tyrese Taylor at third singles, 6-2, 6-1.

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