St. Mary’s Aaron Blanchard, left, takes a shot against Pathfinder Friday at Boardman Field. (Photo by Chris Putz)
WESTFIELD – It was a celebration of milestones and achievements for seven St. Mary’s boys lacrosse players and their team manager Friday at Boardman Field. At the end of the day, the Saints capped it all off with a win against their opponent.
St. Mary’s seniors Aaron Blanchard and Ed Towers combined for nine scores – they each racked up seven points apiece – as the Saints turned back the Pathfinder Pioneers 12-3.
Blanchard, who will be studying civil engineering at the University of Hartford later this fall, finished the game with five goals and two assists, upping his high school career total to 207 points.
Towers, who will be attending Vaughn College of Aeronautic Engineering, Aviation, and Technology later this year, had four goals and three assists to run his points total to 114.
Evan Ploof collected one goal and two assists, and Joe Walz (University South Florida/biology major) and Bodhi Hall scored one goal each.
St. Mary’s goalie Jermay Hoar (Western New England University/criminal justice) made 14 saves.
Byron Dudas (University of Massachusetts-Amherst/mathematics), Dakota Noel (UMass/sciences), and Bryan Kazunas (UMass/computer science), and team manager Mike Kelly (U.S. Army Rangers) were also honored during the “Senior Night” festivities.
BASEBALL
Tigers scratch back again
Westfield Technical Academy 5, Smith Vocational 4
Comeback after comeback after comeback.
Westfield Tech rallied for its umpteenth comeback, scoring three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to stun Smith Vocational 5-4 Friday at Bullens Field.
Westfield Tech freshman Josh Sturmer got the rally started with a pinch-hit single to lead off the seventh. Sturmer stole second base and advanced to third on base hit from Darryl Reopel (2-for-3, RBI, 2 runs). Reopel stole second. Two batters later, Cade Bradley smacked a game-tying, two-run double. Then, Trent Adam (3-for-4) hit a walk-off, RBI single that fell into left field.
Pitcher Riley Sullivan, who tossed a 14-pitch inning of relief in the top of the seventh, was credited with the victory. He retired three straight batters, two on ground outs and one on a fly out.
Westfield Tech sophomore pitcher Toby Barlow struck out three batters in six innings of work.
The Tigers improved to 7-4 overall, 3-1 Tri County League.
Strange, Bombers deal cards shutout loss
Westfield 6, Pope Francis 0
Brian Strange tossed a shutout on the mound for Westfield. Bombers’ Baley Collier and Mason Collingwood provided the run support.
SOFTBALL
Penland, Rams smash Mustangs
Southwick 13, Monson 1 (6 inn.)
Britt Penland went 3-for-4 with a double and home run, Emma Barnard went 4-for-4 with a double, and Mia Dellagiustina went 2-for-4 to lead Southwick in another offensive barrage.
Southwick pitcher Sarah Hough scattered four hits over six innings, striking out 12 batters, walking one, and allowing just one run.
Gators stomp Red Raiders
Gateway 14, Commerce 2 (5 inn.)
Ava Auclair, Nicole Hannigan, Angela Wright, and Lily Ryan led Gateway with two hits apiece. Hannigan collected two doubles, and Auclair and Wright each had one. Ryan tripled.
Hannigan scattered six hits over five innings. She recorded nine Ks and walked one.
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Bombers claim share of league
Westfield def. West Springfield 25-13, 25-15, 25-13
Westfield clinched a share of a league title with their 13th win in 14 games. The Bombers improved to 8-0 in the North.
Westfield can win the league championship outright with over Chicopee Comp or Agawam in the remaining North League matchups. It would be the Bombers’ fifth straight league championship.
Mike Bowen (5 digs, 3 aces), Ryan Rix (7 kills, 4 aces), R.J. Piper (3 kills, 8 assists), Dennis Pyatachenko (7 kills), and Stephen Hinck (2 kills) fueled the latest win.
Rams sweep
Southwick def. Commerce 25-22, 25-17, 25-19
Nick Brown (33 assists, 9 digs, 1 ace), Andy Brown (17 kills, 8 digs, 1 block, 2 aces), Rylan Secovich (11 digs, 1 ace), Collin Strain (11 kills), Aaron Brunet (3 aces), and Nate Girard (1 ace) were instrumental in Southwick’s sweep.
GIRLS LACROSSE
Duda, Moran net four points apiece
Pittsfield 19, St. Mary’s 8
Pittsfield’s Sierra Marie scored a game-high six goals.
Skyler Duda (4 goals), Samantha Moran (3 goals, 1 assist), and Katarzyna Wisnauckas (1 goal, 1 assist) led St. Mary’s offense.
St. Mary’s goalie April Warner finished with 15 saves.
