Sometimes it is a balancing act to stay ahead of the competition. Westfield crossed home plate several times Thursday in a rout of East Longmeadow. (Photo by Chris Putz)
EAST LONGMEADOW – Westfield softball pitcher Erin Gour recorded 11 strikeouts from the circle and homered at the plate to lead the Bombers to an opening day rout of the East Longmeadow Spartans 21-4 on the road Thursday.
Ava Cichonski went 4-for-4 for Westfield with a walk, three runs scored, and three RBIs.
Westfield wasted few precious seconds taking command from the outset, scoring four runs in the first inning and five in the second to take a 9-0 lead.
East Longmeadow bounced back with two runs in the bottom of the third. Westfield responded with three runs in the top of the fourth.
Both teams filled the stat sheets in the fifth – Westfield scored three runs; East Longmeadow had two. The Bombers exploded for six more runs in the sixth inning to invoke the mercy-rule ending.
Carly James (2 runs, RBI) and Gour (3 runs, 3 RBIs) finished with three hits apiece. Diana Daley (walk, run, RBI), Emma LaPoint (double, 4 runs, RBI), Hannah Baker (run, 2 RBIs), and Amber Garfield (double, walk, run, 3 RBIs) each had two.
Carina Franco walked, had two runs, and two RBIs.
Gour allowed four runs on five hits and four walks.
BOYS LACROSSE
Bombers throttle Spartans
Westfield 13, East Longmeadow 1
Will Cameron tallied eight points (5 goals, 3 assists) to fuel Westfield’s convincing victory over East Longmeadow Thursday at Roots Athletic Center Field. Bombers’ Cam Theriault had two goals and two assists, and Ryan Metcalf delivered a hat trick.
Westfield goalie Nick Mee made eight saves.
Close defensemen Kris Meneses, Gavin Carzello and Aidan Boyle won the turnover battle for Westfield. Bombers’ long stick midfielders, Jack Finnie and J.J. Haluch were effective coming off the wing and shutting down the opposing midfielders.
BOYS TENNIS
Saints shut out ‘Cats
St. Mary’s 5, Sci-Tech 0
St. Mary’s first tennis match of the season was a big success Thursday at Blunt Park.
Kevin Lu defeated Rolando Barcolo at first singles, 6-0, 6-1; Joe Wilcox won at second singles when Sci-Tech’s Michale VegaRivera left due to injury (WIlcox was leading 6-0, 3-0); and Aaron Kielbasa shut out Andrew Rodri 6-0, 6-0.
Ben Richter and Ryan Sweeney downed Guillermo Sioz and Melitza Maralinez at first doubles, 6-3, 6-2; Tom Young and Ben Howes blanked Lina Auter and Amino Maigari 6-0, 6-0.
BASEBALL
Burnett homers in defeat?
Central 11, Southwick 3
Dan Burnett (2-for-2, 2 RBIs, 2 walks) homered, and Bart Shea (2 doubles, walk) and Josh Sylvia each went 2-for-3 for Southwick in a loss.
